Sponsored by:Imozi
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To date, only a handful of large operators have led the explosion of DVD kiosks sprouting up at the front of stores and quickservice franchises across America.

In fact, the overwhelming majority of all installed DVD kiosks are currently owned and operated by such companies (predominantly redbox) through standard “hosting placement agreements” with the retailer or restaurant, which receives a small portion of the revenue. But investors, store chains or other entities, such as universities and gymnasiums, now are looking to get a bite of the growing DVD kiosk pie. One Toronto-based company, iMOZI, says it’s offering a new alternative DVD kiosk model. The digital media kiosk company is providing an option that allows for the direct ownership and operation of an advanced, enterprise-scale DVD kiosk solution, one that also can be configured to take advantage of other emerging entertainment technologies in the future.

“Our core focus is on providing a complete technology solution for the DVD kiosk market, rather than exclusively placing our own corporate locations,” differing from the redbox-McDonald’s model, for instance, said Soheil Samimi, president of iMOZI. “Our main work is to enable and support new operators into this space.”

Partnering with investors and offering multiple solutions

Some independent investors, regional grocery chains and small retailers want to own their networks of kiosks, whether those networks are only a few units in size or hundreds. Offering those investors and retailers the ability to own their DVD kiosks and maximize their returns is something iMOZI has found to be attractive, especially when operators are given the option to rely on an independent technology partner for ongoing operations and technical support.

Samimi says his company is currently working with several start-ups in Texas and New York using the iMOZI DVD kiosk solution — with retailers operating a few dozen of the industry’s latest-generation DVD kiosks. iMOZI expects to roll out in the near term between 50 and 100 kiosks under its new business model. And plans are underway for international rollouts, building from the foundation units iMOZI has already set in place in Australia and Canada.

IMOZI’s approach is innovative because it offers advanced movie kiosks that rely on a robotic platform for renting or selling actual DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, as well as on-demand DVD burning and downloading to a portable flash-memory storage device, Samimi says. Today, most new releases and premium content are only available via physical DVD. iMOZI’s platform will extend the life and utility of the kiosk as digital distribution technologies become more commonplace, Samimi says.

As the market evolves, iMOZI kiosk owners will be ready to take advantage of those emerging technologies and entertainment niches, Samimi says.

“Anybody who is looking to grow a business in the kiosk market today wants to have a solid product to handle the physical distribution end of it,” he said. “But more importantly, you want to know that that you can use the same platform and the same technology and have it be flexible and modular enough so that when digital transfer becomes more important, you don’t have to invest and start over from scratch.”

A “turnkey” solution

One of the main benefits of the iMOZI system is that it offers a true turnkey solution.

IMOZI provides a set of services that takes investors and retailers through all the stages, from business plan and location selection to financing options, marketing and kiosk deployment. “Everything else is plugged into our logistics and technical support, hence providing peace of mind for the operator to focus on growing rental and sales,” Samimi said.

The iMOZI kiosk’s ability to be upgraded for download-to-flash and burn on-demand as those technologies eventually move to the fore were “extremely attractive” added benefits, says Eddie Owens, director of corporate communications for Texas’ United Supermarkets, one of iMOZI’s early partners.

“Our partnership with iMOZI has been a terrific addition to our in-store guest offerings,” Owens said. “It gives us the opportunity to get into the DVD rental/purchase business with a minimal amount of overhead and in the most user-friendly way possible. We’ve been extremely pleased thus far.”

Forward thinking, forward looking

IMOZI also is working on additional multi-function kiosks capable of integrating photo, music, mobile, and other digital entertainment solutions.

“In terms of what we’re developing going forward, we envision a central media point where you might have multiple terminals on the same kiosk, dispensing movie or photos and so on,” Samimi said. While the physical DVD may have a limited shelf life, iMOZI is smart to look ahead, says Francie Mendelsohn, president of Rockville, Md.-based kiosk consultancy Summit Research Associates. Usage of photo kiosks at stores continues to be amazing, Mendelsohn says, so that aspect of iMOZI’s plans is particularly promising. “At least they don’t have blinders on,” she said. “People are going to have to start to looking at what they’re going to offer a few years down the road. I‘m glad they’re among the few who realize they have to think about the future and what that future is going to look like and what role they’re going to play in it.”

About the Sponsor: IMOZI brings together technology and experience in retail and entertainment to deliver cutting-edge solutions. The company and its partners are recognized as industry leaders and have played a significant role in the birth of the automated DVD concept in North America. IMOZI’s management team consists of retail, entertainment, financial and technology industry professionals. The company’s goal is to be a leader in offering economical access to the best in physical and digital entertainment seamlessly through its state-of-the-art automated storefront, online and mobile environments.

Source | Kiosk Marketplace