View source for EzyDVD

{{Short description|Australian home video retailer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = EzyDVD
| logo =
| type = Subsidiary
| traded_as =
| foundation = 1999
| location =
| key_people = Jim Zavos (founder)
| area_served = Australia
| industry = [[Home video]] retail
| locations =
| products = [[DVD]], [[Blu-ray]], [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] discs
| homepage = [http://www.ezydvd.com.au ezydvd.com.au]
| parent = The Kingston Group
}}
'''EzyDVD''' is an Australian specialist [[home video]] retailer offering [[DVD]], [[Blu-ray]], and [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] discs for purchase. In the mid-2000s the company had over 70 retail stores around Australia, but is now exclusively an online retailer.
==History==
EzyDVD was founded in March 1999 by [[video rental store]] owner Jim Zavos in [[Adelaide]], South Australia. The business began as a website that cost Zavos $3000 to set up, which by its second year in operation was making $3.5 million in sales.<ref name=fast/> In 2000 EzyDVD opened its first [[brick and mortar]] store in [[Rundle Mall]], and its first franchised store in Sydney in 2001. In the following years the company quickly grew to encompass over 70 company owned and franchised retail stores around Australia with the main headquarters and online distribution warehouse located in Adelaide.<ref name=fast/>
In 2003 Brazin Limited, owner of [[Sanity (music store)|Sanity]] music stores, acquired 50% of EzyDVD.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/ezydvd-is-50-acquired-by-brazin--403134/|title=EzyDVD is 50% acquired by Brazin | work=Telecompaper|access-date=2021-09-22}}</ref> A December 2006 [[Deloitte]] report valued Brazin's 50% share of EzyDVD at between $1.4 million and $1.9 million, indicating that the value of 100% of EzyDVD at that time was in the range of $2.8 million to $3.6 million.<ref name="Deloitte">{{cite web | url=http://www.blair.com.au/SIA/page4/files/Brazin_IER.pdf | title=Brazin Limited: Independent Expert's Report (1 December 2006) | publisher=[[Deloitte]] | access-date=22 September 2021 | archive-date=22 September 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922055140/http://www.blair.com.au/SIA/page4/files/Brazin_IER.pdf/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> At some point after 2006 Jim Zavos returned to being the sole shareholder of the company.<ref name=collapse/> By 2007 the company was turning over $150 million a year, with online sales making up 15% of that.<ref name=fast/>
In a July 2007 interview, Zavos revealed plans for a very substantial expansion of their brick and mortar outlets to commence that same year. The expansion was to be delivered by converting existing independent video rental stores into franchised EzyDVD stores; these stores would have combined both rental and DVD sales sections and be decked out in EzyDVD livery.<ref name=fast>{{cite news|url=https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/economy/fast-forward/|title=Fast forward | work=SmartCompany|access-date=2021-09-22}}</ref> In late September 2007, EzyDVD acquired a stake in [[Australian Securities Exchange|ASX]] listed [[video on demand]] company [[Reeltime.tv|ReelTime Media Ltd]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/economy/ezy-dvd-bails-out-reeltime/|title=Ezy DVD bails out ReelTime | work=SmartCompany|access-date=2021-09-22}}</ref>
Following a slump in sales, in March 2008 EzyDVD announced it had appointed Barry Taylor as its new [[CEO]], with Jim Zavos remaining involved with the company in a business development capacity. In July 2008, it was announced that Taylor had resigned and that a new CEO, Stefan Moro, had been appointed, who began closing a number of unprofitable outlets.<ref name=collapse>{{cite news|url=https://www.smartcompany.com.au/people-human-resources/leadership/more-details-emerge-on-ezydvd-collapse-as-business-is-put-up-for-sale/|title=More details emerge on EzyDVD collapse as business is put up for sale | work=SmartCompany|access-date=2021-09-22}}</ref> That month the company also announced a movie download service called EzyDownload with an intended launch date of September 2008, building the platform with ReelTime's assets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/ezydownload-to-succeed-where-reeltime-failed/|title=EzyDownload to succeed where Reeltime failed | work=CNET|access-date=2021-09-23}}</ref> However, by December 2008, EzyDVD entered into voluntary receivership due to the ongoing downturn in sales, large operating losses and debts of over $18 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24813836-12377,00.html|title=Tough times take toll on EzyDVD | work=The Australian|access-date=2008-12-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/ezydvd-in-receivership-after-poor-sales/|title=EzyDVD in receivership after poor sales | work=CNET|access-date=2021-09-23}}</ref><ref name=collapse/>
In January 2009, EzyDVD was purchased by the Franchise Entertainment Group (FEG), the parent company of [[Video Ezy]] and [[Blockbuster LLC|Blockbuster Australia]], who took on the brand name, online business, stock, plant and equipment, as well as the 11 remaining company-owned stores and extended franchise network of 25 stores.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.franchise.net.au/article/EzyDVD-saved-by-Franchise-Entertainment-Group/435794.aspx|title=EzyDVD saved by Franchise Entertainment Group|publisher=Franchising|access-date=2009-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210164959/http://www.franchise.net.au/article/EzyDVD-saved-by-Franchise-Entertainment-Group/435794.aspx|archive-date=10 February 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/ezydvd-bought-from-receivers-by-franchise-entertainment-group.html|title=EzyDVD bought from receivers by Franchise Entertainment Group|publisher=smartcompany|access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref> FEG intended to use the acquisition to expand their retail presence into major malls and shopping centres; soon after however, EzyDVD's head office, warehouse and distribution facility in [[Torrensville, South Australia|Torrensville]] closed. In October 2010, [[Elan Media Partners|Élan Media Partners]], a company related to FEG, acquired the rights to operate EzyDVD's website and online business from the Franchise Entertainment Group, while FEG continued to oversee the brick and mortar stores.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.elanmediapartners.com/media/584/elan_release_6_oct_2010.pdf |title=New name, new business opportunities as Stomp becomes Élan Media Partners |publisher=Élan Media Partners |access-date=2010-10-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417035701/http://www.elanmediapartners.com/media/584/elan_release_6_oct_2010.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2012}}</ref> By October 2013 only 3 branded stores had remained in [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]], [[Browns Plains, Queensland|Browns Plains]] and [[Elizabeth, South Australia|Elizabeth]]; the following years saw those remaining stores close down and the business returning to be a ecommerce/online retailer only.
In July 2017, EzyDVD and all associated rights to operate the EzyDVD website were sold to The Kingston Group, located on the [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allinteractive.com.au/third-party-logisitcs/australia-wide-third-party-logistics-3pl/| title=Australia-wide third-party logistics (3PL) | access-date=21 September 2021 }}</ref>
==Business==
===EzyDVD website===
The EzyDVD website claims to be Australia's largest online DVD store, as well as purportedly being recognised as Australia's #1 DVD destination.<ref>{{cite web|title=EzyDVD Information|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/extra/info.zml|access-date=2009-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822030610/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/extra/info.zml|archive-date=22 August 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has a large library of all genres of [[DVD]], [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] and [[Blu-ray Disc]]s, and boasts reputedly the largest forthcoming release list of any online retailer. The site features new release information, a separate Ultra HD Blu-ray section, individual category pages, advance future release notification functionality, numerous specials, exclusive offers (including the company's exclusive Collector's Tin packaging), and regular "Beat the Bomb" time-limited specials.
===EzyGames===
In 2007 EzyDVD launched its online store, EzyGames. The site specialised in video games for [[PlayStation]], [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], [[Wii]], [[Nintendo DS]], and [[Microsoft Windows]]. It also sold PlayStation, [[Xbox]], and [[Nintendo]] consoles and accessories. EzyDVD customers could use the same user account for both sites.
The EzyGames site was closed in 2009 and video games became available to purchase from the EzyDVD site itself. As of February 2021 video games are no longer available for customers to buy on the EzyDVD website.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.ezydvd.com.au/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ezydvd}}
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1999]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Retail companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Online retailers of Australia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Adelaide]]