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Dish's Blockbuster buys mobile checkout company

310 days ago

The Associated Press

Dish's Blockbuster said Wednesday that it bought a technology company that will help store employees get out from behind the checkout counter. It's an effort to improve customer service in the chain's remaining video rental locations.

Dish Network Corp. bought Blockbuster out of bankruptcy last year. The chain was driven into bankruptcy because it couldn't counter the threat posed by online video and DVD-by-mail company Netflix Inc. The company has 900 stores now, from 9,100 stores at the end of 2004.

Blockbuster bought the assets of Alpha Bay Corp., a provider of business software that manages inventory, customer loyalty and mobile checkout systems. The price was not disclosed.

Using the Alpha Bay platform, Blockbuster employees can move around stores and check out items on the go for customers. Blockbuster said it will also use the technology to deliver new promotional programs.

Alpha Bay services will still be marketed to other clients.

Shares of Dish, a pay TV provider based in Englewood, Colo., were unchanged at $28.90 in midday trading.

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