I don’t understand why I can rent a DVD at Family Video or Hastings the same day it is released but Redbox and Netflix have to wait 28 days? They both are renting DVDs, what’s the difference?

The movie studio has signed a deal with Netflix, Redbox, and Blockbuster, requiring the rental firms to wait to rent DVDs 56 days after they go on sale, All Things Digital reported yesterday, citing sources. The deal is expected to be announced at the Consumer Electronics Show next week.

If the companies did, in fact, ink the deal, it could be a major blow to the rental companies. Currently, consumers are forced to wait 28 days to rent a DVD. That four-week window is designed to boost sales for studios, since profit margins on a purchased DVD or Blu-ray disc are much higher than those on rentals.

For Netflix, the 28-day window has historically been used as a bargaining chip. By relenting on that point, the company has been able to strike key streaming deals with studios. For Redbox, however, the extended window could be a major issue. Currently, consumers have been conditioned to wait 28 days for a film. If Warner Bros. forces a 56-day window and other studios follow suit–a very real possibility–the company’s kiosks might soon become flooded with older films consumers typically find less desirable.