Slashdot Mirror
Wal-Mart Offers Up Downloadable Movies
An anonymous reader slipped us the link to a C|Net article on another downloadable movie offering, this time from retail giant Wal-mart. Stinging from their loss to Netflix in the online DVD rental business two years ago, they are coming out swinging with this service. They've made arrangements with all six major Hollywood studios, and (the article theorizes) will likely have highly competitive prices. With Apple's dominance of this particular market, there is still no guarantee whether Wal-mart will have any success with this program. The biggest problem, commentators note, is that there is no guarantee Wal-mart's service will draw customers into their stores: the issue that ultimately caused them to scuttle the DVD rental service. What do you think of a major retailer getting into movie download business? Will the company be able to outmaneuver Apple and Netflix the same way it has done with other retailers in the past?
I think Walmart's business model might be: "Get the pundits to buy the DRM infested lower quality download, then for a bit more cash, they can grab a DVD the next time they come into our store".
Makes sense, but I'm sure it is Windows-land only. Anyhoo, I'm on a Mac, and I live in Switzerland, so WTF do I care?
Rubies and Pearls are not what you think.
It will succeed, just like Wal-Mart's DVDs-by-mail rental service.
2) blah blah I'm smarter than wal*mart blah blah
3) blah blah wal*mart sucks blah blah
4) blah blah the link is wrong blah blah
You're welcome.