Online dvd rentals by mail
The nostalgia! Online DVD rentals by mail were a popular service in the early 2000s, allowing customers to rent DVDs and have them shipped directly to their doorstep. Here are some of the most well-known online DVD rental services by mail:
- Netflix (founded in 1997): Netflix is often credited with pioneering the concept of online DVD rentals by mail. The company started as a DVD rental service and later expanded to streaming media.
- Blockbuster Online (founded in 2004): Blockbuster, a well-known brick-and-mortar video rental chain, launched its own online DVD rental service. Although it struggled to compete with Netflix, it still had a loyal customer base.
- Redbox (founded in 2002): Redbox is a company that offers DVD and Blu-ray rentals from vending machines located in grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retail locations. Although not strictly an online service, Redbox does offer online reservations and rentals.
- Hollywood Video (founded in 1985): Hollywood Video was a video rental chain that also offered online DVD rentals by mail. Although it filed for bankruptcy in 2005, its online rental service continued to operate until 2007.
- GameFly (founded in 2002): GameFly is a subscription-based service that allows customers to rent video games for various platforms, including consoles and PCs. Although primarily focused on game rentals, GameFly also offers DVD and Blu-ray rentals.
These services allowed customers to browse a vast library of movies and TV shows, select titles for rental, and have them shipped to their doorstep. The convenience and flexibility of online DVD rentals by mail were a game-changer for movie lovers, especially those with limited access to physical video rental stores.
However, with the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, the demand for physical DVD rentals has decreased significantly. Many of these services have either shut down or transitioned to streaming-only models.