Video Tape and Disc Rental
Description
Establishments in the video tape and disc rental sector primarily function by providing short-term access to prerecorded audiovisual media for personal home entertainment use. These businesses operate within a competitive market where customers exchange ownership rights temporarily in exchange for a fee. Typical business activities involve acquiring, storing, and rotating a large inventory of movies, television episodes, and music albums to ensure diverse selection. Many operators leverage technology by utilizing vending machines located in shopping centers, malls, and transit hubs to automate collection and return processes while others maintain extensive physical branches staffed by customer service representatives. The industry spans a wide variety of business models, ranging from large national chains with millions of units to small independent local shops. Some entities focus exclusively on DVDs and Blu-rays while others broaden their scope to include digital media, interactive games, or specialty niche content. The scale of these operations varies significantly, with major players generating substantial revenue through high-volume transactions and regional franchises catering to community demographics. Despite the rise of streaming services, a segment of the market persists due to consumer preference for physical media ownership, the ability to collect rare or out-of-print titles, and the immediacy required for certain viewing occasions without digital buffering.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Real Estate and Rental and Leasing sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in renting, leasing, or otherwise allowing the use of tangible or intangible assets, and establishments providing related services. The major portion of this sector comprises establishments that rent, lease, or otherwise allow the use of their own assets by others. The assets may be tangible, as is the case of real estate and equipment, or intangible, as is the case with patents and trademarks. This sector also includes establishments primarily engaged in managing real estate for others, selling, renting, and/or buying real estate for others, and appraising real estate. These activities are closely related to this sector's main activity, and from a production basis they are included here. In addition, a substantial proportion of property management is self-performed by lessors. The main components of this sector are the real estate lessors industries (including equity real estate investment trusts (REITs)); equipment lessors industries (including motor vehicles, computers, and consumer goods); and lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets (except copyrighted works). Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in renting or leasing equipment with operators. Establishments renting or leasing equipment with operators are classified in various subsectors of NAICS depending on the nature of the services provided (e.g., transportation, construction, agriculture). These activities are excluded from this sector because the client is paying for the expertise and knowledge of the equipment operator, in addition to the rental of the equipment. In many cases, such as the rental of heavy construction equipment, the operator is essential to operate the equipment. Also excluded from this sector are mortgage REITs and establishments primarily engaged in managing the financial portfolio assets of REITs on a fee or commission basis. These establishments are classified in Sector 52, Finance and Insurance. |
| 532 | Rental and Leasing Services 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Rental and Leasing Services subsector include establishments that provide a wide array of tangible goods, such as automobiles, computers, consumer goods, and industrial machinery and equipment, to customers in return for a periodic rental or lease payment. The subsector includes two main types of establishments: (1) those that are engaged in renting consumer goods and equipment and (2) those that are engaged in leasing machinery and equipment often used for business operations. The first type typically operates from a retail-like or storefront facility and maintains inventories of goods that are rented for short periods of time. The latter type typically does not operate from retail-like locations or maintain inventories, and usually offers longer-term leases. These establishments work directly with clients to enable them to acquire the use of equipment on a lease basis, or they work with equipment vendors or dealers to support the marketing of equipment to their customers under lease arrangements. Equipment lessors generally structure lease contracts to meet the specialized needs of their clients and use their remarketing expertise to find other users for previously leased equipment. Establishments that provide operating and capital (i.e., finance) leases are included in this subsector. Establishments primarily engaged in leasing in combination with providing loans are classified in Sector 52, Finance and Insurance. Establishments primarily engaged in leasing real property are classified in Subsector 531, Real Estate. Establishments primarily engaged in renting or leasing equipment with operators are classified in various subsectors of NAICS depending on the nature of the services provided (e.g., transportation, construction, agriculture). These activities are excluded from this subsector since the client is paying for the expertise and knowledge of the equipment operator, in addition to the rental of the equipment. In many cases, such as the rental of heavy construction equipment, the operator is essential to operate the equipment. Likewise, since the provision of crop harvesting services includes both the equipment and operator, it is included in Subsector 115, Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry. The rental or leasing of copyrighted works is classified in Sector 51, Information, and the rental or leasing of nonfinancial intangible assets, such as patents, trademarks, and/or licensing agreements, is classified in Subsector 533, Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works). |
| 5322 | Consumer Goods Rental 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in renting personal and household-type goods. Establishments classified in this industry group generally provide short-term rental although in some instances, the goods may be leased for longer periods of time. These establishments often operate from a retail-like or storefront facility. |
| 53228 | Other Consumer Goods Rental 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in renting consumer goods (except consumer electronics and appliances). Illustrative Examples: Costume rental Formal wear rental Furniture (i.e., residential) rental centers Hospital bed rental and leasing (i.e., home use) Party rental supply centers Sporting goods rental Video disc rental for home electronic equipment (e.g., DVD) |
| 532282 | Video Tape and Disc Rental 6-digit U.S. detail | Establishments in the video tape and disc rental sector primarily function by providing short-term access to prerecorded audiovisual media for personal home entertainment use. These businesses operate within a competitive market where customers exchange ownership rights temporarily in exchange for a fee. Typical business activities involve acquiring, storing, and rotating a large inventory of movies, television episodes, and music albums to ensure diverse selection. Many operators leverage technology by utilizing vending machines located in shopping centers, malls, and transit hubs to automate collection and return processes while others maintain extensive physical branches staffed by customer service representatives. The industry spans a wide variety of business models, ranging from large national chains with millions of units to small independent local shops. Some entities focus exclusively on DVDs and Blu-rays while others broaden their scope to include digital media, interactive games, or specialty niche content. The scale of these operations varies significantly, with major players generating substantial revenue through high-volume transactions and regional franchises catering to community demographics. Despite the rise of streaming services, a segment of the market persists due to consumer preference for physical media ownership, the ability to collect rare or out-of-print titles, and the immediacy required for certain viewing occasions without digital buffering. |
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Classification References
- 01Renting video gaming consoles, video recorders, and media players--are classified in Industry 532210, Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental;
- 02Retailing prerecorded video discs (e.g., DVDs)--are classified in Industry 449210, Electronics and Appliance Retailers;
- 03Theatrical distribution of motion pictures and videos--are classified in Industry 51213, Motion Picture and Video Exhibition;
- 04Providing video streaming distribution services or operating Internet gaming sites without publishing--are classified in Industry 516210, Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers; and
- 05Publishing video games and other software--are classified in Industry 513210, Software Publishers.
Index Items
Cassette, prerecorded video, rental
Computer video game rental
Laser disc, video, rental
Video disc rental for home electronic equipment (e.g., DVD)
Video game rental
Video tape rental for home electronic equipment (e.g., VCR)
Video tape rental stores
How Item Can Help
Predicts seasonal demand spikes for specific formats like VHS or Blu-ray to enable proactive logistics planning and dynamic pricing strategies.
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 532282.
National Association of Recording Video Merchandisers
Leading trade association for video rental businesses offering resources and networking.
US Census Bureau Industry Definition
Official government documentation defining the Video Tape and Disc Rental industry.
National Association of Video & Media Distributors
Non-profit organization dedicated to video retailers and distributors supporting rental operators.
