Editing Redbox (section)

== Rental kiosks ==
[[File:Redbox kiosk in front of a Loaf 'N Jug in Gillette, Wyoming.jpg|thumb|left|160px|A Redbox kiosk in front of a [[Loaf 'N Jug]] in [[Gillette, Wyoming]] northeast of [[Casper, Wyoming|Casper]]]]
Redbox's vending kiosks rent and sell movies on [[DVD-Video|DVD]] and [[Blu-ray|Blu-Ray]] discs. Each stocked a selection of roughly 200 titles, with multiple copies of popular titles.<ref name=":4" /> [[Image:Inside Redbox.jpg|thumb|right|212x212px|The carousel of discs inside of a Redbox machine]]
Many Redbox kiosks were installed indoors, while others are located outdoors. They were usually attached to a large sign advertising a selection of featured films, and some locations feature two attached kiosks, allowing for additional selection and stock. Each kiosk was operated by customers via a [[touchscreen]], and contained a robotic disc retrieval system with a stacked carousel capable of holding more than 600 discs.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Stross |first=Randall |date=2009-07-11 |title=When the Price Is Right, the Future Can Wait |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/business/12digi.html |url-access=subscription |access-date= |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="kiosk.org">{{cite web |date=February 20, 2006 |title=SSKA's official show wraps up in Orlando |url=http://www.kiosks.org/article_1399_23.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218044911/http://www.kiosks.org/article_1399_23.php |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |website=Kiosks.org}}</ref> Discs within are marked with [[barcode|barcodes]], allowing identification by the kiosk's machinery, and stored on the carousel in thin plastic cases, which are dispensed to customers via a small slot next to the control panel. 

[[Image:Redbox Case.jpg|thumb|right|100px|A Redbox barcoded DVD tray, delivered and returned to the kiosk.]]Rented discs could be returned to any of the company's kiosks. Charges accrued up to 25 days, after which the customer then owned the DVD (without the original case) and rental charges ceased. Customers could reserve DVDs online, made possible by real-time inventory updates on the company's website.<ref name="selfserviceworld">{{cite web |last=Yackey |first=Bill |date=August 20, 2007 |title=Rise of redbox. Some kiosks are located outside store location in parking areas. |url=http://www.selfserviceworld.com/article.php?id=18316 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017193207/http://www.selfserviceworld.com/article.php?id=18316 |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |website=Selfserviceworld.com}}</ref> While customers could buy used DVDs from the kiosks (with unsold used DVDs returned to suppliers), Redbox estimated only 3% of the company's revenue came from used-disc sales.<ref>{{cite web |title=DVD kiosks like Redbox have rivals seeing red - USATODAY.com |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/media/2009-08-11-rental-dvd-redbox_N.htm |website=usatoday30.usatoday.com}}</ref>

At its peak, a Redbox kiosk rented its average DVD 15 times at an average of $2 per transaction plus any applicable taxes.<ref name="nyt03" />

From 2010 to 2019, Redbox kiosks rented [[Video game|video games]]. Initially games for the [[PlayStation 3]], [[Wii]], and [[Xbox 360]] were offered;<ref name="Games" /> titles for the [[Wii U]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Xbox One]] were added in 2014,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gera |first=Emily |date=2014-03-24 |title=Redbox online rental service to begin offering Wii U, PS4 and Xbox One games by April |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/3/24/5541570/redbox-online-rental-service-to-begin-offering-wii-u-ps4-and-xbox-one |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref> followed by [[Nintendo Switch]] games upon that console's launch in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keller |first=Kimberly |date=2017-10-17 |title=Redbox Now Offering Nintendo Switch Games - News |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45650/redbox-now-offering-nintendo-switch-games |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Nintendo World Report}}</ref>

=== Equipment history ===
Redbox began in 2004, using re-branded kiosks manufactured and operated by [[Silicon Valley]]–based DVDPlay, at 140 McDonald's restaurants in [[Denver]] and other test markets.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wagner |first=Holly J. |date=May 2, 2005 |title=McDonald's Orders More McDVD |url=http://www.videostoremag.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=7467 |publisher=Home Media Magazine}}</ref> In April 2005, Redbox phased out the DVDPlay-manufactured machines and contracted the [[Solectron]] facility in [[Creedmoor, North Carolina]]—later purchased by [[Flex Ltd.|Flextronics International]], in October 2007 (Flextronics has been the manufacturer of the [[Zune]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] and Xbox 360)—to create and manufacture a custom kiosk design.<ref>
{{cite web |date=April 28, 2005 |title=Redbox names Solectron worldwide manufacturer of DVD kiosks |url=http://www.emsnow.com/newsarchives/archivedetails.cfm?ID=8881 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710191721/http://www.emsnow.com/newsarchives/archivedetails.cfm?ID=8881 |archive-date=July 10, 2011 |access-date=October 3, 2009 |website=EMSNOW.com |df=mdy-all}}
</ref> The new kiosk was designed by Flextronics' Creedmoor design team including engineers Steven Hancock and John Rupert as key contributors under the direction of Franz Kuehnrich at GetAMovie Inc.<ref>{{cite web |title=Company Overview of GetAMovie, Inc. |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=40313523 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130904181440/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=40313523 |archive-date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=3 April 2014 |work=Businessweek.com |publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref> (which was bought by RedBox). Other key contributors from Flextronics were Flextronics Global account manager Dave Stadelmaier and Global Supply Chain manager Ben Wheeler (The KioskGuy). Redbox was innovative<ref>{{cite web |title=Franz Kuehnrich, Bartlett US |url=http://www.faqs.org/patents/inventor/franz-kuehnrich-bartlett-us-1/ |access-date=3 April 2014 |website=faqs.org |publisher=Advameg}}</ref> in that its carousel design not only decreased the number of robotic movements necessary to dispense and restock inventory, it also dramatically increased the number of discs (from 100 to 700+)<ref>{{cite web |title=Flextronics and Redbox in Successful Partnership to Build DVD Rental Kiosks |url=http://www.popai.com/store/downloads/CaseStudy-Flextronics-Redbox-2009.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407065443/http://www.popai.com/store/downloads/CaseStudy-Flextronics-Redbox-2009.pdf |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=3 April 2014 |work=popai.com |publisher=POPAI}}</ref> which could be stored within a kiosk. In addition, the software, designed and developed by Enterprise Logic Systems,<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG0zwtie4nU |title=Biju Kulathakal Co-Founder of Redbox - Part 1 |date=16 June 2011 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/OG0zwtie4nU |archive-date=2021-11-18 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Biju Kulathakal |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/biju-kulathakal/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004023000/http://www.forbes.com/profile/biju-kulathakal/ |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |access-date=1 February 2015 |work=[[Forbes]]}}</ref> was also innovative in that it allowed RedBox to remotely monitor and manage inventory at all kiosks throughout the country.

===Redbox+===
In late December 2020, Redbox began offering a yearly subscription service allowing a subscriber to rent 12 or 24 discs in total, depending on their plan of choice. Only eligible movies could be rented on the plans. It extended the user return window until midnight, giving customers an additional 3 hours to return a movie to a kiosk.<ref>{{cite web |title=Get More with Redbox+ |url=https://redbox.com/redboxplus |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Redbox at Family Dollar - Pontiac, MI.jpg|thumb|Redbox at a [[Family Dollar]] store, still operating in August 2024]]

=== Major host chains ===
Retail chains hosting Redbox kiosks have included McDonald's, [[CVS Pharmacy|CVS]],<ref name=":2" /> [[Walgreens]], [[Dollar General]],<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-04-19 |title=Redbox expands kiosk deal with Dollar General |url=https://advanced-television.com/2023/04/19/redbox-expands-kiosk-deal-with-dollar-general/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |language=en-GB}}</ref> [[Family Dollar]], [[Walmart]], [[Market Basket (New England)|Market Basket]] in [[New England]], [[Kroger]] in addition to  subsidiaries in [[Albertsons]], [[Safeway]], [[Meijer]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=FREE Redbox DVD Rental at Meijer: valid thru Jan 21 |url=https://www.bargainstobounty.com/2010/01/free-redbox-dvd-rental-at-meijer-valid/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=www.bargainstobounty.com}}</ref> [[Winn-Dixie]], [[Publix]], [[Hannaford Brothers Company|Hannaford]] in [[New York (state)|New York]] and New England,<ref name=":3" /> [[Wegmans]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-04-09 |title=Wegmans To Replace Rental With DVD Kiosks |url=https://www.supermarketnews.com/archive/wegmans-replace-rental-dvd-kiosks |access-date= |website=Supermarket News |language=en}}</ref> [[7-Eleven]],<ref name=":2" /> [[Cumberland Farms]], [[Circle K]], and [[Sheetz]].