View source for Zip.ca

{{Short description|Canadian video rental company}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox company
| name   = Zip.ca
| logo   = Zip ca logo.png
| type   = Private company<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc_mrksv/corpdir/dataOnline/corpns_re?company_select=4206924 |title=Federal Corporations Data Online<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=August 21, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312015238/http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc_mrksv/corpdir/dataOnline/corpns_re?company_select=4206924 |archive-date=March 12, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| foundation     = 2004
| defunct        = 2014
| location       = [[Ottawa]], Ontario, Canada
| key_people     = Robert Hall, Founder and Chairman<BR>Christina Beavis,CEO
| products       = [[Online DVD rental]]<br />[[Interactive kiosk|Movie rental kiosks]]
| industry       = [[Electronic commerce]]
| revenue = Not disclosed
| num_employees = ~50
| homepage       = 
}}
[[File:ZipDVDKiosk.JPG|thumb|Zip.ca DVD Rental Kiosk]]
'''Zip.ca''' was an online [[Video rental shop|DVD rental]] and [[Interactive kiosk|movie rental kiosk]] company operating in [[Canada]]. It had a database of over 82,000<ref>{{cite web | title = Zip.ca and Canada Post Deliver Success | url = http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=2018 | publisher = Zip.ca | date = August 18, 2006 | access-date = September 7, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061114132608/http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=2018 | archive-date = November 14, 2006 | url-status = dead }}</ref> unique titles.

Zip.ca was a member of the privately held Momentous Group of companies and was the owner of the [[Ottawa Voyageurs|Ottawa Rapidz]] [[baseball]] team until its first-season [[bankruptcy]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/new-owner-rename-z-ottawa-rapids-baseball-team-1.744553 | publisher=[[CBC News]] | access-date=August 17, 2008 | date=April 28, 2008 | title=New owner rename-z Ottawa Rapids baseball team}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-rapidz-go-under-1.733370 | publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | access-date=November 16, 2008 | date=September 30, 2008 | title=Ottawa Rapidz go under | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925225349/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-rapidz-go-under-1.733370 | archive-date=September 25, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On August 17, 2014, Zip.ca announced on its website that it was closing its doors and was no longer shipping discs to its members.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/business/local-business/zip-ca-video-rental-service-shuts-down |title=Zip.ca video rental service shuts down |last=Bagnall |first=James |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |publisher=[[Postmedia Network]] |date=2014-08-18 |access-date=2015-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129130603/https://ottawacitizen.com/business/local-business/zip-ca-video-rental-service-shuts-down |archive-date=November 29, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Corporate history ==

===2000s: inception===
Zip.ca began its rental operations in February 2004,<ref>{{cite web | title = The Disks are in the Mail | url = http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=988 | website = Ottawa Citizen | date = February 24, 2004 | access-date = September 7, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070312044435/http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=988 | archive-date = March 12, 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> from its base of operations in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]. In July 2005 it arranged to provide the fulfillment services for [[Rogers Plus|Rogers Video]] Direct, a new online subsidiary of one of Canada's largest video store chains. By February 2006, Zip.ca had over 30,000<ref>{{cite web | title = Forum posting from Zip.ca President | url = http://onlinedvdrentalguide.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?p=8278#8278 | publisher = Zip.ca | date = February 2, 2006 | access-date = June 7, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071031161022/http://onlinedvdrentalguide.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?p=8278#8278 | archive-date = October 31, 2007 | url-status = live }}</ref> subscribers. In December 2006, Zip.ca announced passing the 6,000,000<ref>{{cite web | title = Canada's largest online video service ships 6 millionth rental DVD | url = http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=2299 | publisher = Zip.ca | date = December 15, 2006 | access-date = December 16, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070220235432/http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=2299 | archive-date = February 20, 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> disc rental milestone.

===2010s: kiosk debut===
Zip.ca's [[Interactive kiosk|movie rental kiosks]] were introduced in 2010.

=== Abandoned digital service ===
In July 2009, Zip.ca announced it had partnered with [[Sonic Solutions]] as it prepared to offer a [[streaming media|streaming]] [[video on demand]] service similar to that introduced in the U.S. in 2007 by its largest American counterpart, [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/canadas-first-online-movie-streaming-service-unveiled/13490|title=Canada's first online movie streaming service unveiled|first=Nestor|last=Arellano|work=ITBusiness.ca|date=July 7, 2009|access-date=August 18, 2021}}</ref> In May 2011, after Netflix's 2010 Canadian launch as a streaming-only service, Zip.ca announced a further partnership with [[Samsung Electronics|Samsung]], and said its service would launch as a transactional VOD platform, not as a subscription service.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/zip-ca-to-launch-movie-streaming-with-samsung-1.1075384|title=Zip.ca to launch movie streaming with Samsung|work=[[CBC.ca]]|agency=[[CBC News]]|date=May 6, 2011|access-date=August 18, 2021}}</ref> The service remained unlaunched at the time of the company's closure in 2014.

== Rental plans ==
{| class="wikitable"	
! Monthly disc shipments !! Discs included !! Blu-ray
|-	
| Up to 2 || 1 || No
|-	
| Unlimited || 1 || No
|-	
| Unlimited || 2 || Yes
|-
| Unlimited || 3 || Yes
|-	
| Up to 11 || 4 || Yes
|-
| Up to 16 || 6 || Yes
|-
| Up to 22 || 8 || Yes
|}

Zip.ca imposed a free shipping limit per month, unless the customer chose the special "Unlimited" plan. When the DVD shipment limit was reached, the customer had to pay for additional shipments ($2.49 per DVD) in the billing month or wait until the next billing month before Zip.ca would continue shipments. In November 2011, Zip.ca began charging a $1 rental fee for each [[Blu-ray]] disc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.financialpost.com/2011/10/18/zip-ca-to-raise-prices-amid-growing-costs-competition/|title=Zip.ca to raise prices amid growing costs, competition|author=Jameson Berkow|date=October 18, 2011|website=Financial Post|access-date=October 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020151055/http://business.financialpost.com/2011/10/18/zip-ca-to-raise-prices-amid-growing-costs-competition/|archive-date=October 20, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> The Blu-ray fee was removed in October 2012. Blu-ray was not available on either of the 1-DVD plans.

== Canadian rental marketplace ==
On August 30, 2005, Zip.ca announced<ref>{{cite web | title = Zip.ca and VHQ Online Enter into Purchase Agreement | url = http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=529 | publisher = Zip.ca | date = August 30, 2005 | access-date = September 7, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060909090209/http://www.zip.ca/zipnews.aspx?newsID=529 | archive-date = September 9, 2006 | url-status = dead }}</ref> that it was buying out the online operations of its then main Canadian rival, VHQonline.ca, and has also picked up assets from other companies going out of business.

They also bought out rival Mississauga-based MoviesForMe.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Video rental shops}}

{{coord|45|19|58|N|75|42|17|W|type:landmark_region:CA|display=title}}

[[Category:Video rental services of Canada]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 2004]]
[[Category:Retail companies disestablished in 2014]]
[[Category:Companies based in Ottawa]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of Ontario]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:2014 disestablishments in Ontario]]