flansered

Redbox owns the machines and leases space from the tenants where the box sits. And based on what was said earlier in this thread their contract with CVS is over and they can't get Redbox to remove the machines. So at this point the machines are like abandoned vending machines.

Personally if it was me and I was in charge of CVS, and Redbox was violating their contract with my company I'd have all the stores cut the power to the kiosks. If they aren't paying to be there and won't remove the boxes from the property like the contract said, why would they be able to leech off my power?

TheBang

They don't want to be liable for any damage to the vending machines, since Redbox retains all ownership interests, in accordance with the contract. It explicitly states that CVS employees have no rights to do anything to/with the machines other than the way the general public can (i.e. renting movies from it), so cutting the power, moving the machine, etc., would not be allowed.

That's why they're suing to force Redbox to perform under the contract (removal within 30 days of the end of the contract). They want the court to compel Redbox to perform or else give CVS permission to remove/dispose of the machines as abandoned, and bill Redbox for the removal costs.

etching

Is there a Redbox Death pool here?

Some data points...Redbox unpaid commissions to CVS since the third quarter of 2022:

Q4 2022 $112,318.22
Q1 2023 $91,307.57
Q2 2023 $94,693.57
Q3 2023 $75,385.59
Q4 2023 $50,371.31

rduncan

I'm curious, at one time folks serviced the machines. If nothing else they swapped out movies and stuff. So, were those folks employees of Redbox or some sort of contractor like an Uber driver or something? Yes, I think it would be neat to have one of the machines at my house. Not sure why but at least a conversation starter.

TheBang

Did some reading here, and it sounds like the technicians are employees, not contractors or gig workers. Even their SUVs were provided by Redbox.

Some of those technicians have been posting on Reddit, saying things like they haven't been dispatched for servicing any kiosks for 8 weeks or more.

Josh-da-man

If the employees unplug the machines, then people who have outstanding rentals will have no way to return the discs and rack up daily charges until they can find a working machine.

So that doesn't seem like a good option for the consumer.

Alan Smithee

Saw a picture on Reddit of a Redbox machine on its side by the store trash, waiting to be hauled off. Lots of posts from people wondering how it could be used at home.

Video rental stores were still around when Redbox started and it was one thing that helped put those out of business, now it’s gone.

TheBang

Redbox is still (perpetually) on the brink of oblivion. In CSSE's lastest financial filing they reported net annual loss of $636 million on revenue of $294 million. Redbox kiosk revenue grew from $66 million in 2022 to $112 in 2023.

CSSE said the reduced liquidity would contribute an expected “lower level of kiosk rentals into the future” until it could afford to stock DVD titles “of consequence” on a consistent basis.

“The inability to obtain additional financing resources, will likely require us to diminish or halt operations and seek protection under applicable bankruptcy laws
https://www.mediaplaynews.com/redbox...dity-concerns/

Alan Smithee

Fry’s all over again.

flansered

Some of the kiosks in my area have had their power connections turned off.

jjcool

The only box in my area was quietly removed a few weeks back. The grocery store whose foyer it was it happens to be doing some renovations to said foyer, so maybe that's the reason it disappeared. My suspicion, however, is that it will not be returning when construction is complete.

DJariya

About 2 weeks ago, T-Mobile Tuesday was planning to offer a free rental code for Redbox. I think the offer was quietly removed. I don’t remember it being available that week.

I mean seriously, pull the plug on the remaining machines. My local Walmart Neighborhood market still has one and I doubt anyone has rented from it since last year if that.

PhantomStranger

I assume the few remaining profitable machines are being kept alive.

cultshock

The grocery store near my office still has one in their foyer. It's still plugged in (and has been advertising Barbie for a looong time) but I never see anyone using it and it's usually at least partially blocked with empty shopping carts.

Bluelitespecial

I only know of one and its at a Walmart Grocery Store close to me.

rduncan

Darn you guys.....now I'll compulsively check outside the local CVS and Walgreens to see if the old machines are still there and if so, operating.

etching

I check every time I go to my local Safeway...Yup, still running

Cardsfan111

I was walking into my local grocery store yesterday and noticed a lady inserting a disc into one of the kiosks near the entrance. So business is booming happening every once in a while in these parts.

JeffTheAlpaca

Sucks almost all of the disc rental services are gone.

It is so much better with streaming waiting half a year for the Iron Claw to hit HBO Max and the return of theatrical to VHS windows.

Nesbit

We still have at least 2 in my town. Neither have been updated since the fall though. Barbie and Strays are the newest films available.

Texan26

It was available to rent digitally since February. Movies always took longer to hit HBO. It used to be a year. Way after they hit VHS.

Cardsfan111

I walked past that same kiosk an hour ago. There was a paper sign attached to the front saying there would be no rentals/returns at that location as of May 20th.

lwhy?

I hate that all the cheap rentals are going away. It was much cheaper to rent from Redbox or Netflix's DVD rental service than pay at least $5.99 for a digital rental.

Alan Smithee

Didn’t Redbox want to buy Netflix’s DVD distribution system when they killed that? Wonder how that would’ve turned out?

TheBang

Yes, they tried, but Netflix rebuffed all their overtures. Maybe Netflix knew what bad shape CSSE was in and didn't want to waste time with them.