Redbox Acquires NCR, Blockbuster Express For Up To $100 Million

http://www.fastcompany.com/1814438/redbox-acquires-ncr-blockbuster-express-for-up-to-100-million-boasts-more-locations-than-mcd

by hornokplease • 14 years ago

27 10 14 years ago

fastcompany.com

hornokplease• 14 years ago

The headline here appears to be a bit misleading - according to a report in Forbes[1], Coinstar/Redbox has acquired NCR's DVD kiosk business (which ran under the Blockbuster Express brand), not the entirety of NCR.

<edit> The Redbox press release [2] makes it clear that they have only acquired NCR's entertainment line of business.

[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2012/02/06/ncr-q4-top...

[2] http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/redbox-to-acquire-th...

Karunamon• 14 years ago

Thanks, the article wasn't terribly clear on this either. I found it kind of odd that Redbox would aquire a POS solutions provider...

18pfsmt• 14 years ago

My understanding is that NCR provided a service to Blockbuster (which simply branded it, and provided the consumer relationship, aka took payments). DISH Network is now the owner of Blockbuster, and I don't think they are the only consume-facing operator of these kiosks.

ck22• 14 years ago

Isn't that bad for the consumer when a near duopoly buys the competitor?

fbpcm2• 14 years ago

They have a monopoly on dvd kiosks but streaming is still an alternative.

ck22• 14 years ago

Redbox has all the new releases, streaming never does (at least not under the monthly all you can eat).

LeafStorm• 14 years ago

Yes, because it practically eliminates the competition in the market. Considering that Redbox recently raised their prices, the purchase of Blockbuster Express may have primarily been intended to ensure that BBX couldn't undercut them.

baddox• 14 years ago

It's probably a balance. One of the most desirable traits of a convenience service like Redbox is the ubiquity of their kiosks. If every block had a kiosk run by a different service, it would be bad for the consumer because it would be difficult to know who to trust.

Redbox Acquires NCR, Blockbuster Express For Up To $100 Million

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