Blockbuster Express Raising Prices on Movie Rentals, Will Their Deals Change?

I just received an email from NCR, the company that owns the Blockbuster Express rental machines, that beginning on November 8, 2011, the rental pricing will change. Their subject line explains how great this change is, “New $3-$2-$1 Pricing Means More Choices for a Great Movie Night”. All I see is that some movies are now $3?!? Michael White at Bloomberg says that the movies have been $3 for a while, all I noticed over the last few months is that Redbox moves to $1.20. Of course if you know where to look, you can always find a coupon code for a free rental.

The big change is the introduction of a $2 tier for movies that have been out longer than 28 days but less than 90 days. This $2 compares to the $1.20 that Redbox charges for the same movies.

Here’s the new Blockbuster Express machine pricing:

• For the first 28 days, new releases on DVD (our Hot Movies) will be $3 plus applicable tax.
• After 28 days, Recent Releases on DVD will be $2 plus applicable tax for the initial night.
• After 90 days all movies on DVD will be $1 plus applicable tax for the initial night.

Oh and if you want a Blu-Ray movie, add on another $1 so a new release rental is $4.

I used the Blockbuster Express machines when I lived in NYC because they were more convenient for me than Redbox. Here in Texas, the opposite holds for me although when I posted my initial review of the Blockbuster Express machine, the rentals were $1.

As a deal hunter, my question is whether the deals that NCR posts about once-a-week on the new deals sites including Groupon and Living Social will change. Most of the time the deals offer 5 rentals for $2 so it will be interesting to see if the deal changes after the November 8th price increase.