Amazon.com Inc. made its anticipated entry into renting DVDs over the Internet Thursday, launching a service in the United Kingdom that the world's largest retailer says will charge up to 30 percent less than its competitors.
"Amazon is determined to be the best place to rent DVDs," Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement.
The company said it didn't have plans for a similar U.S. service to announce at this time.
In October, U.S. DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. said it was slashing monthly subscription prices from $22 a month to $18 and temporarily halting its expansion plans into the United Kingdom to confront the expected challenge from Amazon. The Los Gatos, Calif., company did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.
Amazon said its U.K. service will start at about $15.50 a month. Customers also will get 10 percent off DVD purchases. The lowest-price service will let customers keep two DVDs at a time, and rent a total of four DVDs per month. For about $19.30 per month, customers can keep up to three DVDs at a time, and rent six per month.
