Have you heard? Billings couple jumps into movie market
2007-08-05JAN FALSTAD, HAVE YOU HEARD?, BILLINGSGAZETTE.COM
The video rental industry continues to evolve and offer more choices to movie lovers.
At the outset, customers had to drive to a video store like Blockbuster or Movie Gallery (a national chain that bought out the locally grown Video Library stores), rent a movie and then return it.
As the industry evolves, DVDs have all but replaced videotapes. And the 'shop-in-the-store' business model increasingly faces competition, which means consumers have more choices. Traditional video stores are offering Internet downloads and mail service to their customers.
Kiosks are increasingly popular. Red Box video kiosks now are featured at Albertsons grocery stores and other locations. And movie fans can sign up for subscription services like Netflix or Movielink.
A few months ago, Mike and Michelle Weiland of Billings started another service called ReadyDVD (www.readydvd.com).
Mike Weiland, who works as a sales manager at Archie Cochrane Ford, says the business started as a hobby and evolved into a serious venture.
The couple has set up three kiosks at retail locations in Billings, one in Laurel and one in Great Falls. With ReadyDVD, people can view all the available titles on the Web site from their computer, read movie descriptions and even watch 'trailers' or short clips before picking up the movie at the kiosk.
Unlike other video services, ReadyDVD also has the ability to sell ads for local businesses that are shown with the trailers.
One kiosk is at the Blues BBQ on Hilltop Road in the Heights.
'People want to go to one place and get everything,' he says. 'That's why we have it at Blues BBQ because the people at Stockman Bank use this.'
The service, which features mostly new releases with some classic movies, costs $1.99, plus 99 cents a day if a customer wants to keep the flick longer. Now that a bunch of tech bugs are fixed at their Web site, the Weilands are looking for expansion opportunities.
'I'm not looking for great big stores,' he says. 'I'm also looking for small towns where people don't have many choices.'