DVD Net Kiosks To Provide Rental Service Pretty Much Everywhere

from the go-out-to-rush-back-home-again? dept

Maybe some Techdirt UK readers can help explain this one to me, because I'm not sure I understand how it's useful. BT has decided to set up internet kiosks in public places that only are designed to let you order a DVD to be delivered to your home within the following 24 hours. It's sort of a weird Kozmo-like offering. Of course, Kozmo failed pretty dreadfully, because they couldn't support a model that required rapid delivery on very low margin items... which seems like the same sort of problem this venture will face. Even worse, BT has to install and maintain these kiosks everywhere. Historically, such attempts at kiosks have failed because they breakdown constantly. At least with Kozmo the "kiosks" were simply everyone's home computers. Finally, maybe I don't fully understand how this works, but the whole "benefit" to this is supposedly that you don't have to go out to the video store. Yet... you do have to go out to the kiosk. So, maybe it's a little closer than the video store, but you still have to go out... and then go home and wait 24 hours before you get the DVD. It would seem easier and more sensical to either (1) go to the actual video store or (2) order this DVD from your home computer.

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