LA PALMA, Calif. -- ARCO-based ampm convenience stores quietly have begun offering $1-per-day DVD movie rentals at kiosks under its own brand, ampm Movies To Go, throughout Central and Southern California, according to a report by Home Media Magazine.
The kiosks, which are manufactured by Korean-based Kyungbong Co. Ltd, operate similar to Redbox and Blockbuster Express units requiring users to submit a credit card for purchases, said the report.
Customers can also reserve movies online at www.ampmmovies.com, the report added.
A separate link, http://www.rogueintegration.com/ampmmovielocation.php, offered kiosk locations and a trailer for The American, starring George Clooney.
The move marks a growing trend among national and regional retailers to rollout branded movie kiosks through third-party vendors, according to the magazine. Last month Public Media Works Inc. launched kiosks in Southern California featuring Blu-ray Disc movies for 89 cents (plus tax) each per day when rented in pairs. Single disc rentals in DVD or Blu-ray cost $1 per day. The first 25 "Spot. The Difference" branded outdoor kiosks, manufactured by Toronto-based Signifi Solutions Inc., were deployed earlier this year in Riverside County, the report said.
Last year Kyungbong Co. entered into an agreement with Jacksonville, Fla.-based ATM company Global Axcess Corp. to manufacture 300 movie kiosks. In its most recent fiscal report, Global Axcess projected total DVD rental revenue for the first quarter of 2011 to increase 52% from the same period last year. Specifically, the company expected to generate more than $1 million in quarterly revenue from kiosks installed at Tejas convenience stores.
Kiosks now represent more than 25% of the home video rental market, Home Media said.
BP owns the ampm brand, based out of La Palma, Calif. The ampm brand was founded by ARCO in 1978 in Southern California. ARCO-branded ampm stores are currently found in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Arizona; BP-branded ampm stores are located in Chicago, Orlando, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Atlanta. There are also more than 1,500 stores in Brazil and Japan.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.