Tesco makes new push into online movies
CUSTOMERS who buy a DVD from Tesco will also be able to watch the film online in a new venture launched by video-on-demand website Blinkbox and the supermarket giant.
This is the first time a major retailer has bundled a material product with its digital version, in a sign that DVDs are becoming increasingly obsolete.
The service is available to Tesco Clubcard customers who, by linking their reward scheme account with a Blinkbox registration, will be able to watch their purchased film on a range of devices including laptops, games consoles, smart TVs and tablets.
The first title available is box-office hit Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which will be joined by recent blockbusters such as Hangover Part 2, Bad Teacher, Final Destination 5 and Conan the Barbarian.
Richard Brasher, chief executive of Tesco UK, said: “This innovation with Blinkbox will help start a digital revolution, combining the physical with the digital for the first time.”
Blinkbox chief executive Michael Comish added that the initiative gives the customer “the best of both worlds.”
Tesco acquired an 80 per cent stake in Blinkbox, which serves a monthly audience of over 2.5m people, in April as part of its drive into digital home entertainment.
Tesco’s venture comes in the wake of Sir Richard Broadbent’s commencement on Wednesday as chairman.