Online Game Rental Service - Using GiantBomb API

www.gamerpocket.com 
Here is the summary:  
- It's a peer-to-peer service  
- No membership fees, you pay per rental 
- Game owners get $5 for each rented game 
- Each game rental is $7.50 for 30 days 
 
Let me know what you think, and please sign up for the beta if you're interested.  

$7.50 for each game? 
 
Fuck that shit.

I don't want to be a downer, but have you contacted Whiskey Media about this? The Giant Bomb API terms of use state that you need Whiskey Media's permission if you're going to do anything commercial with it.

" I don't want to be a downer, but have you contacted Whiskey Media about this? The Giant Bomb API terms of use state that you need Whiskey Media's permission if you're going to do anything commercial with it. "

" $7.50 for each game?  Fuck that shit. "

Doesn't every retail game box say that rental is strictly prohibited?  I'm surprised Giant Bomb wants anything to do with this.

" @LordAndrew said:

" I don't want to be a downer, but have you contacted Whiskey Media about this? The Giant Bomb API terms of use state that you need Whiskey Media's permission if you're going to do anything commercial with it. "

Of course I did.  "

" Doesn't every retail game box say that rental is strictly prohibited?  I'm surprised Giant Bomb wants anything to do with this. "

" @hwarang: I rent 2 at a time and I've never had a game for 30 days. I rent 4-6 games a month (PS3, 360, DS, PSP). "  

I was completely confused until I went to the home site.  It'd probably be better to link the home page, as it made me understand things far easier. 
 
http://www.gamerpocket.com/index.php

I will point out one problem in your ToU section.  You point out that if a renter's game is damaged upon return, they need to contact you within seven days, and that you guys will handle the claim for resolution.  You then later say that GamerPocket cannot be held responsible for damages.  If you are not to be held responsible for damages, then you cannot legally handle any claims of damage.  Otherwise, you CAN be sued if someone doesn't feel that their claim hasn't been handled properly. 
 
Moreover, what does "damaged" mean?  I mean, personally, I want my games to be as scratchless as possible.  If someone is renting my game for 30 days, then it's definitely going to get scratched up.  Moreover, as I've seen with most renting services, discs get pretty fucked up. 
 
You also point out that there is a monthly usage charge somewhere in all of that, yet on your front page say "no monthly fees".  I'm not understanding how that works.

This is a great idea and I'm excited to start using it, but I've got to bring up a point: 
 
Registration was pretty simple, but I went to search for the first game I was willing to rent out (LittleBigPlanet) and was immedately confused by "Add to List," "Rent," and "Submit." To me, adding it to the list would definitely mean that i own it. Submitting it makes sense as well but that's not what I thought at first. Why is there a "List" separate of what you've rented and what you've submitted? I don't see the need for it and it's very confusing.

$7.50 per game to rent or $5 dollars for renting your game for "about 30 days." I don't know, that sounds kind of steep to me and there's not much incentive for people to rent their games in the first place. $5 dollars a month is jack in comparison to a $60 retail cost for a new game.

" @benjaebe: What service is $5 a month? GameFly damn sure isn't. "

" @hwarang:
You spelled "independent" incorrectly as "independant" under "Our Mission." I just thought you would like to know =) "

" @Kato said:

" @benjaebe: What service is $5 a month? GameFly damn sure isn't. "

There isn't a service that's five dollars a month. They're saying that they'll give you $5 dollars a month to rent your game, and that seems really goddamn low if you're planning on renting out new games or even older titles. You could get way more selling your game used. "

This idea is really intriguing to me. I like the concept assuming you have a the legalities taken care of, as it sounds like you do. Nevertheless, the payment system does seem worrisome to me. How much research have you done on how Netflix and Gamefly work? I would assume you have done a lot. (maybe you address this one your blog. I will take a look.) Anyway, one of the big reasons Netflix has thwamped companies like Blockbuster was because of the subscription service. Even if users end up paying more (because the game sits forgotten on the shelf or etc) they like the fact that a subscription: 

1) has a constant, consistent payment they can budget for 

2) allows them to get as many games as they want without additional cost (so, it makes it seem like they can save a lot of money that way, which they can; however, most don't save much if any)

It ends up being good for Netflix for many reasons, 2 of which being 

1) They can count on those subscriptions and better project what their revenues will be in coming months, allowing them to get a good gauge on how much they can expand or accelerate their business  

2) Users often end up forgetting the still have the game (or they are just to busy or lazy to send it back). Netflix ends up making their most money when users forget about the disc on their shelf because they are still getting the subscription money and don't have to pay any shipping or etc. Companies like Blockbuster can lose money when it sits on someone else's shelf because  

a) late fees drive users away (to subscription services) 

b) they don't have the disc on their shelves to rent to someone else 

So, I understand that a $7.50 per game charge seems nice because you don't pay more if you have a month where you rent less games. However, I really wonder if you can succeed with that model because of the reasons above detailing how subscription services have been the winners lately and "charge per rent" services seem to be dying (at least in terms of games and movies). 

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you can reply here or point me to a blog post.