Will Rogers Video follow Blockbuster Canada out of business?

[hugh]

I agree with lovelylad. Rogers charges too much, making it enticing for people to pursue other cheaper alternatives.

If you're losing money then I'm not sure you can be charging too much. Running huge retail locations 16 hours a day costs a lot of money in rent, electricity and labour. My guess is that the cost of the disc is the cheapest part.

In my neighbourhood, I used to have a Rogers Video and two BBC nearby. Now I have none. There are no alternatives.

I would be happy to pay $7 to rent a BR disc for two nights.

[tjl]

Originally Posted by thelovelylad

they don have a hard problem to figure out. nobody wants to pay $7 plus tax for a new release.if the independents can offer them for $3-4 then so can they.Iam only using my local area of brantford as an example but i am sure it is the same in other areas

I'd say a lot of people are willing. My Rogers in Kitchener has been packed every time I've gone in. There were two Blockbusters closer to me, so I did not rent from Rogers prior to their closing, but it appears they are doing fine for now.

There are no independants near me that I'm aware of and I honestly find $7 acceptable to rent a movie.

[cooper83]

Running huge retail locations 16 hours a day costs a lot of money in rent, electricity and labour.

So downsize. The only video rental store left in my area (mom & pop) did just that last month. They have half the retail space they once did. But they're still in business.

Somebody else mentioned the mobile phone business portion of Rogers stores. I say in addition to smaller retail locations, get rid of the cell phones, video game accessories, and disc sales, and just stick to rentals. Who goes to Rogers (and BBV when they existed) to buy a Blu-ray disc on release day?? When I need a PS3 controller, the last place I think of is a video rental store. Why? Because it's a video rental store. That, and they're way too expensive.

Stick to the original business plan.

[ScaryBob]

Running huge retail locations 16 hours a day costs a lot of money in rent, electricity and labour.

That's a problem of Rogers' own creation. We had an independent video store with a great selection and good prices. Rogers moved in and they got kicked out. The Rogers store was about 10 times larger but had a smaller selection and higher prices. Not even BB stores were that overbuilt. It seems a little idiotic to have 50 or 100 copies of the same title taking up half a wall.

[hugh]

So downsize.

Agreed. But also you have to ask yourself, why did all the mom and pop stores go out of business when their prices were cheaper? It's because they didn't have the selection etc.

My point is that $7 for a rental of a $30 item that requires a lot of labour and overhead is not unreasonable. Also Rogers Video and BBC allowed me to buy used BR discs at 50% off new so I think they represent decent value.

[ScaryBob]

why did all the mom and pop stores go out of business when their prices were cheaper? It's because they didn't have the selection etc.

It's just as likely due to aggressive marketing and other tactics by better financed, large chains. Taking over established retail sites (as noted above) is one method. The majority of my rentals at BB and RV were through promotional offers that smaller stores cannot match. Once the competition was gone, up went the prices. These methods are nothing new but BB basically fell to similar tactics by video streaming services. Rogers itself is probably contributing the the demise of Rogers Video stores. If disc rentals, PPV and VOD are all the same price, why drive to the video store?

[audacity]

If you still dig plastic discs, why not just get a membership for your local library? It costs a lot less than Rogers Video. I know a few people who rent all their DVDs and Blu-Rays from the Edmonton Public Library and save quite a bit of money over what they would be paying Rogers or Blockbuster.

[JamesK]

If you're losing money then I'm not sure you can be charging too much.

You may be, if your prices are sending business elsewhere.

[oberst]

Originally Posted by audacity

If you still dig plastic discs, why not just get a membership for your local library? It costs a lot less than Rogers Video. I know a few people who rent all their DVDs and Blu-Rays from the Edmonton Public Library and save quite a bit of money over what they would be paying Rogers or Blockbuster.

I've been pulling a lot of stuff from the Halifax library, myself (they don't have Blu-ray, unfortunately). If you know what you want before it is released, you can get in early on the hold list, otherwise you you wind up as something like #280 for 40 copies of Thor, and wait awhile (just a random example, not something I'm interested in). They are also good for mainstream catalog titles, and TV shows.

The problem is cinemaphile stuff - I had a sudden yen to watch "Mrs. Dalloway" again recently, and for stuff like that you need access to one of the few comprehensive DVD sources remaining (I pulled it from Zip). I think there will be a few woeful years until streaming has the comprehensive coverage DVD does, setting aside any other concerns.

[audacity]

When (if?) Blu-ray solves its adoption problem you will see the format carried more and more by libraries.

[hugh]

Please, the topic of discussion is

Will Rogers Video follow Blockbuster Canada out of business?

If you'd like to discuss what libraries stock what movies and alternate sources of videos, please see threads like this
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=137323

or start another thread.

[PokerFace]

Yes, by March 15, 2012.

Replace them with Rogers Video Direct Kiosks that only rent Blu-rays and Video Games. No more DVDs, please.

Now that's what I call a risky business venture that should fail, but might somehow survive.

Charge $3 a night for each Blu-ray or Video Game ($1 per day as the late fee) and hopefully the word-of-mouth will spark more interest.

[Blackloz]

I only have 1 Rogers Video store left and I hope it stays for a while. I just can't stand streaming period. I have been a 90% buyer vs a 10% renter for years now anyway, but its still nice to go in and rent the physical disk if im not sure about a certain BD. If the 1 Rogers video I have left does close soon I will be a 100% buyer I guess. Its hard to say how much longer they will be around for.

[Geo35]

My local Rogers store seems to have much bigger lineups at the cable tv service desk than at the DVD rental service desk. I hope they can keep the Blu Ray rentals going. It's too early for my Blu Ray player to become obsolete.

[Jase88]

Rogers has significantly reduced the number of video stores, thus contributing to the lower sales. That is definitely an indication that the business is in decline.

Now that new movie releases are available on VOD (Rogers calls it "ROD"), why go to a video store?! Especially now--in most cases--when your drive to the local Rogers Plus is further away??

And VOD/ROD movies are at a better resolution than DVD--for those who've yet to spring for a BluRay player...