Downloads killing the video store?

For how much longer will video stores be a feature in the mall? Not long if a recent CinemaNow survey is to be believed.

by Helen Leggatt

A whopping 87% of respondents to a recent CinemaNow survey believe that renting DVDs through bricks-and-mortar stores or by mail will be ousted by downloading movies online. With download speeds increasing, along with gas prices, this scenario seems entirely likely.

Currently, image quality and lack of choice remain some of the biggest barriers to movie downloads. The increasing number of pirated DVDs and cinema recordings is also giving many production houses cause for concern which in turn limits the titles available to Internet users.

The cost of getting to the nearest video store also played a part in the decision to download. Respondents said they felt they saved money on gas by cutting out the drive to the video store, and 94% believed they were doing the environment a favor by not using the car.

"With the hike in gas prices, it's not surprising that a significant number of movie-lovers are changing old habits like driving down to the local video store," said Ashley Woodworth, senior vice president of marketing, CinemaNow.

However, looking at other CinemaNow findings, it could be construed that, in fact, most connected movie-watching Americans simply love the immediacy of downloading and find it much more convenient to stay indoors and click a few buttons. According to the findings, 64% of respondents felt that not having to “drive to get a movie or wait for it in the mail in the first place” was the biggest benefit to downloading.