Redbox Automated Retail LLC (stylized as redbox.) is an American video on-demand streaming and video rental company specializing in DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD rentals and purchases and formerly video games via automated retail kiosks and TVOD, AVOD and FAST services via its website, Android and iOS apps and many consumer electronic devices. Redbox kiosks feature the company's signature red color and are located at convenience stores, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, mass retailers, and pharmacies. As of the end of November 2012, Redbox had over 42,000 kiosks at more than 34,000 locations. As of September 2016, Redbox had 51.8% market share of the physical rental market. In May 2022, Chicken Soup for the Soul announced its intention to acquire Redbox for $375 million. History Redbox Automated Retail LLC was initially started by the McDonald's Corporation business development team. Originally the kiosks sold convenience store products under the name Ticktok Easy Shop, however in late 2003 McDonald's ended its use of the kiosks for these products. Instead, McDonald's executive Gregg Kaplan decided to use the kiosks for DVD rentals, which was tested in Denver in 2004. The company also employed a "return anywhere" policy, different from competitors, which allowed consumers to return their rental to any Redbox kiosk, not just the one from which they originally rented it. Kiosks rented both films and video games. In 2005, Coinstar bought 47% of the company for $32 million, after unsuccessful attempts to sell half the company to Blockbuster and Netflix. In early 2008, Coinstar exercised an option to increase its share from 47% to 51%. In February 2009, Coinstar paid McDonald's between $169 and $176 million for the remainder of the company. While traditional brick and mortar rental stores were closing at a high rate, Redbox moved into existing retail locations such as supermarkets, and placed kiosks within them or outside of them to gain that consumer base. The company surpassed Blockbuster in 2007 in the number of US locations, passed 100 million rentals in February 2008, and passed 1 billion rentals in September 2010. Current and former competitors include Netflix, Blockbuster, Movie Gallery and its subsidiary Hollywood Video, West Coast Video and Family Video along with other DVD by mail rental services. In Q2 2011, kiosks accounted for 36% of the disc rental market, with 38% of that attributable to rent-by-mail services and 25% to traditional stores, according to the NPD Group.