Redbox raises its prices, talks about streaming

DVD/Blu-Ray vending machine giant Redbox has announced a price increase to $1.20 per night for DVD’s. The $1.50 Blu-Ray price and the $2 video game price will remain unchanged.

Redbox cited rising costs and the recent Durbin Amendment, a provision within the Dodd/Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that limited debit card transaction fees but also paved the way for banks to raise other fees.

If you’re a wonk and you want to know more about that, boogie on down.

Redbox CEO Paul Davis also asserted his intentions with regard to online streaming, stating that introducing a Redbox streaming service before year end was “a top priority for the company”.

With industry giant Netflix brought to knees-bend (an exodus of 800k users is “knees-bend”) by the spastic actions of its leadership, and a hefty price increase, now may be the time for companies like Redbox, Blockbuster, and Hulu to initiate or grow their commitment to online content streaming.

The question is, and has always been, can these companies move in that direction while simultaneously raising prices to meet the added expense without incurring the wrath of their customer base?

Analysis: Redbox is avoiding the woeful example of Netflix by teasing additional services in the midst of a price hike and won’t likely earn the same level of outrage that NetQuikSterFlix did.

Note: I invite our Managing Editor and Netflix apologist Brandon Marcus into the theater of debate if he has a quarrel with my words regarding the home movie viewing megolith.

Everyone go “ooooooooooh” like were in the cafeteria and I just challenged him to a pog-off.