Rutter's Adding DVD Kiosks

Chain deploying NCR's Blockbuster Express movie rental units in 19 locations Dec. 10, 2009

YORK, Pa. -- Rutter's Farm Stores is placing Blockbuster Express DVD rental kiosks at 19 of its stores, the retailer said. The blue kiosks arrived at the initial location this week, with plans to have them at all stores in the next few months. The kiosks are located outside on the stores' front docks.

"We continue to look for fun, creative ways to deliver convenience to our customers," said Scott Hartman, president and CEO of Rutter's. "We added a dinner menu earlier this year, so now it's possible to get dinner and a movie with a single stop at Rutter's."

The 24-hour [image-nocss] kiosks hold more than 900 DVDs, and new-release movies are added every week. Movies cost $1 per night and can be returned to any Blockbuster Express kiosk. A customer can rent as many as three DVDs at any given time.

Blockbuster Express kiosks accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards, and debit cards with a Visa or MasterCard credit logo. No membership is required.Rutter's is providing the kiosks in partnership with NCR Corp.

Family-owned and third-generation managed, York-based Rutter's operates 54 convenience stores in York, Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania.

Separately, Jiffy Mart, which operates approximately 30 convenience stores in the Westminster, Md., area, recently added Blockbuster Express DVD kiosks at all of its locations, The Carroll County Times reported.

The Westminster kiosks fill in a Blockbuster void for the city, said the report. In September, two Blockbuster stores in Westminster and one in Mount Airy liquidated merchandise and closed.

According to Duluth, Ga.-based NCR the kiosks, the Jiffy Mart Blockbuster Express locations are the first kiosks in Maryland.

Also, NCR recently announced that Duane Reade will install the kiosk in 200 of its drug stores in New York. The Blockbuster Express DVD units are currently available in 13 Duane Reade locations and will deploy the rest over the next several months.

"DVD rental kiosks are a great fit in high-traffic urban areas because they take up a very small retail footprint. Paired with a convenience or drug store location, it gives consumers a very convenient way to pick up their favorite entertainment titles while they shop for everyday items," said Alex Camara, vice president and general manager for NCR Entertainment.

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