United Video
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home entertainment |
| Founded | 1984 |
Area served | New Zealand |
| Services | Home video rentals |
| Parent | The Entertainers Limited (defunct as of 2020) |
| Website | http://unitedvideo.co.nz |
United Video is a New Zealand home video rental business that offered DVDs to rent and sell. The company was founded in 1984 and acquired by The Entertainers Limited in 2001.[1] United Video went into liquidation in 2015.[2] At its peak, United Video had over 100 stores throughout New Zealand. By the early 2020s, the company had declined due to competition from streaming services.[3] By September 2024, United Video was reduced to one franchise store in Morrinsville.[4]
History
[edit]The company was founded in 1984. It originally had three stores and later expanded to 77 stores by 2001. That same year, it was sold to The Entertainers Limited.[1]
In 2015 the United Video company would go into liquidation.[2] In 2020 their parent company The Entertainers Limited ceased operations.[5]
At its peak, United Video had over 100 stores in New Zealand. However, the company and other video rental chains like Video Ezy had declined due to competition from streaming platforms and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the closure of numerous branches. By 2021, the company had been reduced to seven stores stretching from Whangarei to Invercargill.[3] On 8 May, United Video closed its New Brighton and Te Puke stores, reducing its network to five stores.[3]
In mid August 2023, the company closed its Invercargill store, its last South Island store.[6] By late September 2024, United Video had been reduced to one franchise store in Morrinsville, Waikato.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "About Us". United Video. 25 July 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ a b "UNITED VIDEO HIRE LIMITED (in liquidation) - 2015-ds2520 - New Zealand Gazette". gazette.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ a b c Gates, Charlie (25 April 2021). "United they stand: The people behind our last video stores". Stuff. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b MacKenzie, Jo-Lines (25 September 2024). "The man behind NZ's last United Video - in Morrinsville". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Document Filings Details". Companies Office. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "South Island's last United Video store closes after 40 years". 1 News. 12 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
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