As more people watch movies online and the physical-format movie-rental industry quickly declines, it’s no surprise that many local video stores are closing up shop. But those stores that are still standing are experiencing steady business; some store managers even say that business is better than ever.
“At one point there was over 30 video rental businesses in Victoria, but now there are only few of us left,” explains Video Express owner Roland Fernando. “Although downloading took a chunk out of business, our video rentals have actually increased by roughly 15 percent and keep rising.”
Fernando believes that even though renting movies from retail will never compete with the convenience of online services such as Netflix, the few stores remaining have the benefit of providing a wide variety of eclectic movies, as well as being locally owned.
“Lots of clients went to Netflix during the time when they offered first month’s free rental, but people have given up on it because they realized that there wasn’t much to choose from,” he says.
Also, when compared to video-on-demand systems, renting from a video store can still be more economical in the long run.
“During this economic crisis, many people are trying to save money and spend sparingly, “ says Fernando, “and although video-on-demand systems are convenient, renting that way is pricey and adds up on top of monthly cable fees.”
Another benefit of renting movies at a store is the advice that store employees can give to those who may not know what to watch on a given night.
“Most of our clients come in with no idea what they are going to rent,” says Pic a Flic Video employee Colin Stewart. “We give them advice based on what they are looking for, their tastes, and on their past video choices.”
And while most people are able to use online movie services or even download movies illegally without a second thought, at least one Video Express patron made amends with the store after realizing the repercussions of his actions.
“I had a customer come in last week who brought a DVD to the counter and paid for it but didn’t take it with him,” says Leah Fernando of Video Express. “He wanted to pay for the movie rental because he had downloaded it online then felt compelled to come and pay for it. It was a funny, bizarre, and touching experience.”