Now RedBox is raising prices too...

FatFreddysCat · October 27, 2011, 08:38:32 PM

Just got an e-mail from RedBox a little while ago about this:

http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/27/redbox-raises-price-on-rentals-to-1-20/

As of October 31st, DVD rentals from RedBox will go up to $1.20.

I use RedBox quite often and don't really mind a twenty-cent increase, because they're still the best deal in town. However, I think their timing for this announcement absolutely stinks. Look what just happened with Netflix's recent P.R. catastrophe. If RedBox were smart, they would've held the price line and tried to snap up some of those ticked off former NetFlix customers with a snappy ad campaign, i.e. "Hey, former Netflix peeps, come check us out... we're only a buck."

...meanwhile, RedBox's Facebook page already has nearly 2000 comments on it complaining about the price increase and saying "Screw you, I'll never use you again!" Haha. This could get ugly.

Rev. Powell · October 27, 2011, 08:57:59 PM

It's amazing to me that people will complain about a $0.20 price increase. I'm embarrassed to be a consumer.

Leah · October 27, 2011, 09:04:16 PM

I find it funny how a rise in stuff can get people screaming- rise in gas ($0.05 increase?! F**K!) and now this. people today MUST be really cheap.

Zapranoth · October 27, 2011, 11:08:10 PM

$1 or $1.50 is the same to me for a one day rental. Still will use redbox.

But Netflix... my wife and I simultaneously told them to go f**k themselves with their price increase.

Jack · October 28, 2011, 07:07:43 AM

Personally I don't care about the price increase, don't use Redbox anyway, and Netflix is still a great value considering I can get all the movies I can watch for a month for less than the price of one new DVD.

But what a bizarre business move. With what happened to Netflix stock - from 304 now down to 80 post-price increase - good grief. Must have some real geniuses running that place.

Mr. DS · October 28, 2011, 07:15:22 AM

Quote from: Zapranoth on October 27, 2011, 11:08:10 PM
$1 or $1.50 is the same to me for a one day rental. Still will use redbox.

But Netflix... my wife and I simultaneously told them to go f**k themselves with their price increase.

I still stream but I thank you for doing that.

As for the redbox increase, it was an eventual thing. The 20 cents thing is silly though. Why not make it a quarter? Seems more people would be apt to have one.

The Burgomaster · October 28, 2011, 07:58:13 AM

It depends on how you look at this. It's only 20 cents, but that's a 20% price increase. How would you feel if gasoline, cell phone charges, your cable TV bill or groceries went up by 20%? By the way, I have never used RedBox, but I think it would be worth it even if the price went up to $2 or more. I don't think that's an outrageous price for a movie rental by any stretch of the imagination. Just sayin' . . .

Sleepyskull · October 28, 2011, 02:28:42 PM

Quote from: DS on October 28, 2011, 07:15:22 AM
Quote from: Zapranoth on October 27, 2011, 11:08:10 PM
$1 or $1.50 is the same to me for a one day rental. Still will use redbox.

But Netflix... my wife and I simultaneously told them to go f**k themselves with their price increase.
I still stream but I thank you for doing that.

As for the redbox increase, it was an eventual thing. The 20 cents thing is silly though. Why not make it a quarter? Seems more people would be apt to have one.

It might be different in your area, but in Maryland I've only seen Redboxes with the option of paying with a card.

FatFreddysCat · October 28, 2011, 05:42:40 PM

Quote from: Sleepyskull on October 28, 2011, 02:28:42 PM
It might be different in your area, but in Maryland I've only seen Redboxes with the option of paying with a card.

The vending machines are debit/credit card only. RedBox claims that the reason for the price increase is due to a rise in card processing fees.

Nightowl · October 28, 2011, 05:46:57 PM

Once all the video stores are gone for good, redbox will raise the prices even more.

I'll be sticking to Netflix from now on, Thank you.

Flick James · October 28, 2011, 06:02:38 PM

Yeah, I'm sticking with NetFlix as well, but I still think it was a dumb move. They could have simply kept things as they were and just raised the montly price a buck, and they wouldn't have experienced such fallout. Then, just wait a year and up it another buck. Nobody would have cared.