Redbox: Difference between revisions
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{{ | {{ProductLineCargo | ||
| | |ArticleType=Service | ||
| | |Category=Streaming, Video Rental | ||
| | |Company=Redbox | ||
| | |Description= | ||
| | |InProduction=No | ||
|Logo=Redbox.png | |||
|ReleaseYear=2002 | |||
|Website=[https://web.archive.org/web/20241001080426/https://www.redbox.com/ https://www.redbox.com/] | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''[[Wikipedia:Redbox|Redbox Automated Retail, LLC]],''' was a company founded in 2002 by Gregg Kaplan which primarily focused on kiosks, often found in grocery stores or gas stations, where customers could rent DVDs or video games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dandoadvisors.com/post/from-zero-to-2b-lessons-from-redbox-founder-gregg-kaplan|title=From Zero to $2B: Lessons from Redbox Founder Gregg Kaplan|date=2019-01-14|work=Dando|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411014548/https://www.dandoadvisors.com/post/from-zero-to-2b-lessons-from-redbox-founder-gregg-kaplan|archive-date=2025-04-11|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, Redbox also offered a streaming app, where customers could purchase and stream content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/17/redbox-enters-the-free-ad-supported-streaming-market/?guccounter=1|title=Redbox enters the free, ad-supported streaming market|first=Sarah|last=Perez|date=2020-02-17|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2025-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411015210/https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/17/redbox-enters-the-free-ad-supported-streaming-market/|archive-date=2025-04-11|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acquired Redbox while the company had $300 million in debt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/business/chicken-soup-for-soul-bankruptcy.html|title=Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Files Chapter 11|first=Sara|last=Ruberg|date=2024-06-30|work=The New York Times|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225100748/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/business/chicken-soup-for-soul-bankruptcy.html|archive-date=2025-02-25|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2024, its parent company filed for bankruptcy, and the following month, the company was liquidated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1dxn7p9/a_redbox_retrospective_from_an_employee/|title=A Redbox Retrospective from an Employee|author=u/AzothHg|date=2024-07-07|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240708023855/https://old.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1dxn7p9/a_redbox_retrospective_from_an_employee/|archive-date=8 Jul 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
'''[[Wikipedia:Redbox|Redbox Automated Retail, LLC]],''' was a company founded in 2002 which primarily focused on kiosks, often found in grocery stores or gas stations, where customers could rent DVDs or video games. Redbox also offered a streaming app, where customers could purchase and stream content. In June 2024, its parent company filed for bankruptcy, and the following month, the company was liquidated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1dxn7p9/a_redbox_retrospective_from_an_employee/|title=A Redbox Retrospective from an Employee|author=u/AzothHg|date=2024-07-07|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https:// | |||
==Consumer impact summary== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
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===Removal of purchased content ''(2024)''=== | ===Removal of purchased content ''(2024)''=== | ||
{{Main|Redbox revokes access to all digitally purchased movies and shows}} | {{Main|Redbox revokes access to all digitally purchased movies and shows}} | ||
Redbox found itself bankrupt, largely due to mismanagement from executives and shut down all of its services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/21/24183454/redbox-universal-missed-payment-17-million|title=Redbox missed a multimillion-dollar payment it couldn’t afford to miss|first=Janko|last=Roettgers|work=The Verge|date=2024-06-21|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404122125/https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/21/24183454/redbox-universal-missed-payment-17-million|archive-date=2025-04-04|url-status=live}}</ref> This would not just include the Redbox kiosks, but also their streaming platform. | |||
[[File:Redbox customer testimonial roku.png|thumb|A Roku user who claimed they lost $10,000 worth of content on Redbox.]] | |||
From the shutdown, all users who had purchased content could not download or view any content, including one Roku user who claims that they lost approximately $10,000 of media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|title=Re: Redbox bankrupt... app shows nothing |author=DSHouston07|work=Roku Community|date=2024-07-06|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126183301/https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|archive-date=2025-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref> | From the shutdown, all users who had purchased content could not download or view any content, including one Roku user who claims that they lost approximately $10,000 of media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|title=Re: Redbox bankrupt... app shows nothing |author=DSHouston07|work=Roku Community|date=2024-07-06|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126183301/https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|archive-date=2025-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref> Redbox did not redefine terms such as “own” or “purchase” in their terms of service like Sony. Redbox only limits in their terms of service how many devices purchased content can be downloaded to. | ||
====Broader implications==== | ====Broader implications==== | ||
Since this content was purchased digitally and nothing is guaranteed through physical ownership, companies are able to revoke, or suddenly fail to provide legitimately purchased content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|title=Transaction Terms and Conditions|date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927064054/https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|archive-date=2024-09-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> Any | Since this content was purchased digitally and nothing is guaranteed through physical ownership, companies are able to revoke, or suddenly fail to provide legitimately purchased content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|title=Transaction Terms and Conditions|date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927064054/https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|archive-date=2024-09-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> Any customer who bought content on Redbox, using legitimate avenues to view the content, are ultimately punished for viewing content the right way, which incentivizes illegal means of viewing content. | ||
This issue is not limited to Redbox: a similar result may occur with any digital-media company that either goes bankrupt or does not honor terms such as “purchase” or “own”. Every large company that provides digital content engages, or has the capacity to engage, in revoking purchased content, which either were or were not defined in the [[terms of service]]. | This issue is not limited to Redbox: a similar result may occur with any digital-media company that either goes bankrupt or does not honor terms such as “purchase” or “own”. Every large company that provides digital content engages, or has the capacity to engage, in revoking purchased content, which either were or were not defined in the [[terms of service]]. | ||