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We run Canada-DVD-Rental-Guide.com as an independent, unbiased review of the Canadian DVD and game rental-by-post industry, which we hope allows you the customer to make informed choices. We're going strong in 2009 after our blog relaunch and hope to maintain the high standards our readers have become accustomed to over the years.

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DVD Rental Growth Continues Despite Recession

US online DVD rental leader Netflix is poised to see a 30% profit rise in the fourth quarter (with a 20% share price increase in December so far), despite the global economic downturn.

We believe there are broadly similar trends at work in Canada, but haven't seen solid data. UK market leader Lovefilm does estimate its user base will grow 70% this year, fueled by the credit crunch and people staying home more, but this sounds a bit optimistic to us. While Netflix's rise may have been a bit extreme, we're fairly confident the major Canadian DVD rental companies will weather the storm (though a couple of the smaller firms that had been limping along will likely go under).

Customers on both sides of the Atlantic are simply looking for cheaper means of entertainment given the poor economic climate, and it's hard to beat online DVD rental, especially when compared to the cinema, theatre, or even a bricks and mortar video shop. Amusingly,the UK's The Times Online noted that Lovefilm reported a 40% jump in demand for comedy DVDs, as people seek more cheerful escapism from the headlines.

11 Dec, 2008 | Category: DVD Rental News |

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Comments

And why not, the economy may be crap, but you can still watch movies staycationing at home for cheap.

It's the rental shops that will suffer, who wants to shell out that kind of cash and deal with late fees?

Effi - 09 Feb, 2009 - 16:40:02
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I agree, say what you like about Zip (or their users' predilictions), but they're very cheap. Just the kind of thing that will flourish in a recession.

My local rogers on the other hand, not so much...

Di from Ottawa - 10 Feb, 2009 - 09:24:37
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LOL, yes, Rogers is no comparison, not if you're getting six swaps a month on zip, which is possib le if you turn them around fast.

Ky from Vancouver - 12 Feb, 2009 - 05:19:38
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the online dvd rental bsiness model is dead.

jevon - 26 Aug, 2009 - 22:02:02
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look around, nobody rents online anymore, too many people can download movies and burn them for free.

Zip is bleeding, all the others will follow if they don't get out soon.

Jevon - 26 Aug, 2009 - 22:03:20
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With Netflix rolling into town, bye bye Zip and all the other phonies littering Canada.

Online streaming is the future, not dvd's.

Cecil - 20 Jul, 2010 - 19:55:16
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