DVDfan

Redbox: New Video Rental Competition for Blockbuster and Netflix

After using Redbox for more than 2 months, I found the following problem:
(1) Kiosk malfunction: could not accept DVD return, I had to burn more gas to find another kiosk and to make it worse I was on the way to work. (and no, I don't have time to to return to the Kiosk later on that extremely busy work day. return dead line is 9pm or another $1/night).
(2) Kiosk malfunction again: DVD was returned to the Kiosk, taken in but not recorded. I found out by receiving a $27+ bill from one rental. Redbox refunded it and acknowledged the DVD was retrieved later by a technician. However, I don't like the late finding especially after I already received the false penalty bill.
(3) If I forget to check Kiosk inventory online, the chance is the DVD is not available at the specific Kiosk I went to. Especially the new DVD release or hot titles.
(4) Long line of customers looking for the DVD that is not available from the Kiosk. This is a time waster. Instead of having a fixed movie posters display, they should consider a real time monitor that shows the movie titles available from that specific Kiosk, let people know what titles are sold out from the Kiosk to avoid wasting people's time especially when the Kiosk itself does not provide very fast transactions.
(5) indecisive customers (another time waster) in the front of the line. I wish they can separate the movie browsing activities (by a new curious customer) from the real transaction (DVD return, pick up ..etc by existing customer).
(6) I believe McDonalds now own the majority share of 51%, not Coinstar. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

To me, Redbox fits the market well as a temporary solution before Video On Demand becomes main stream. However, it won't have a great potential for the long run. That's probably what caused the delay in IPO. Redbox's days will be over when I am able to buy a VuDu (vudu.com) box for less than $99 and rent new released movies for $1 per night without leaving my house, and perhaps the latest theatrical movie release straight from the box.