WantedList

WantedList was an American adult-entertainment rental service established in 1999. It applied the flat-rate, subscription-based DVD-by-mail model to the adult video market, allowing customers in the United States to select titles online and receive physical DVDs through the mail. The company was based in Van Nuys, California, and later operated an additional distribution facility in New Jersey after acquiring East Coast competitors. The service was founded by Anh Tran and Danny Ting, two Asian American former Arthur Andersen consultants. Its operating technology was designed and implemented by Matthew Lopes, described in reference material as an African American and Canadian First Nation software architect. WantedList reportedly reached approximately 25,000 subscribers and maintained a catalog of roughly 20,000 adult DVD titles. Its scale and specialization positioned it among the adult-video businesses that adapted the broader DVD rental-by-mail model associated with mainstream subscription services. WantedList expanded through acquisitions in late 2004. In the fourth quarter it acquired the competitor websites FlickSmart and RentFlixxx. It subsequently acquired Video Takeout and Flick Central, businesses associated with VTO Enterprises, founded by Dennis Consorte. The latter transaction provided an East Coast distribution point in New Jersey, complementing the company’s California operation and improving its geographic reach within the United States. The brand received attention from men’s magazines and adult-industry publications between 2003 and 2006. Coverage highlighted its subscription business, founders, technology, and novelty marketing initiatives. One such initiative, the “Pornotron” suggestion engine, used imagery inspired by the Transformers Decepticon aesthetic. Hasbro, owner of the Transformers property, objected and pursued legal action, alleging that the material harmed the reputation of its Decepticon line. The dispute is the principal publicly documented controversy associated with WantedList. WantedList also received industry recognition. It won the AVN Award for Best Retail Website in 2005, 2006—where it shared the award with Adult DVD Empire—and 2007. In 2007 it received the XBIZ Web Retailer of the Year award. Reference material also identifies the service as the recipient of a 2010 award for Best Adult DVD Rental. The available information does not establish whether the company remains active, when its service ended, or whether its assets were transferred to another operator.

WantedList emerged in 1999 as a specialized adult DVD rental business in the United States. Its founders, Anh Tran and Danny Ting, had previously worked as consultants for Arthur Andersen. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional adult-video retailer, the company used an online subscription model in which customers paid a flat rate for access to a rotating physical-DVD rental catalog. This structure placed WantedList within the group of adult-video businesses that adapted the emerging DVD-by-mail model for a niche audience. The company was headquartered in Van Nuys, California. Its technology platform was designed and implemented by Matthew Lopes, identified in reference material as an African American and Canadian First Nation software architect. The service reportedly grew to about 25,000 subscribers and stocked approximately 20,000 adult DVD titles. These figures indicate a substantial specialized catalog, although the available sources do not provide a full account of revenue, profitability, staffing, or later operating performance. Between 2003 and 2006, WantedList received attention from men’s magazines and adult-industry publications. The coverage reflected interest in the company’s unusual founders, subscription model, and technology. The brand also experimented with recommendation features, including a tool called Pornotron. Artwork associated with that initiative drew a legal objection from Hasbro because it evoked the Decepticon imagery from the Transformers franchise. The available reference does not establish the final legal outcome, but the episode became the company’s most notable documented dispute. WantedList pursued an acquisition-led expansion in late 2004. It bought FlickSmart and RentFlixxx during the fourth quarter, then acquired Video Takeout and Flick Central, both associated with VTO Enterprises. The latter transaction brought an established New Jersey distribution point into the business, giving WantedList an East Coast fulfillment presence in addition to its California base. This geographic expansion supported the logistics required by a mail-rental service and strengthened its position against other adult DVD subscription providers. The company competed with services including DVD Empire, XRentDVD, IntimateDVD, AdultDVDCentral.com, RentDVDXXX, URentDVDs, and SugarDVD. Its competitive proposition combined catalog breadth, subscription convenience, online ordering, and physical distribution. Unlike a general entertainment retailer, WantedList focused narrowly on adult content and used recommendation and discovery features to help customers navigate that catalog. Industry awards marked the brand’s strongest documented period. WantedList won AVN’s Best Retail Website award in 2005, again in 2006 in a tie with Adult DVD Empire, and once more in 2007. It also received XBIZ’s Web Retailer of the Year award in 2007. Reference material further records a 2010 Best Adult DVD Rental honor. The available sources do not clarify whether the service continued after that period, whether it transitioned to streaming, or whether it ceased operations. Its current status is therefore unknown.

• 2010

  Best Adult DVD Rental recognition

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material records WantedList as a winner in the Best Adult DVD Rental category.

• 2007

  AVN and XBIZ recognition

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  WantedList won AVN’s Best Retail Website award and XBIZ’s Web Retailer of the Year award.

• 2005

  First documented AVN Best Retail Website award

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  WantedList won AVN’s Best Retail Website award.

• 2004

  First competitor acquisitions

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  WantedList acquired the competitor websites FlickSmart and RentFlixxx in the fourth quarter.

• 2004

  East Coast distribution expansion

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  The company acquired Video Takeout and Flick Central, adding access to a New Jersey distribution facility.

• 1999

  WantedList was established

  [1]WantedListen.wikipedia.org

  Anh Tran and Danny Ting founded WantedList as a United States adult DVD-by-mail subscription service.

A specialized adult-video rental service using online subscriptions, recommendation technology, and nationwide physical DVD distribution.

• Adult video rental · 1999

  WantedList DVD-by-mail subscription

  The company’s core offering was a flat-rate subscription service for renting adult DVDs by mail. Customers selected titles through an online catalog, received physical discs, and returned them through the postal system. The model emphasized convenience and repeated rentals rather than individual transactional purchases.

• Recommendation technology

  Pornotron

  Pornotron was a title-suggestion or discovery engine associated with WantedList’s novelty technology initiatives. Its name and visual presentation attracted attention in adult-industry coverage, while artwork inspired by the Transformers Decepticon aesthetic led to a legal objection from Hasbro.

• Hasbro dispute over Pornotron imagery

  Artwork connected with WantedList’s Pornotron suggestion engine drew legal action from Hasbro. Hasbro argued that the Decepticon-inspired presentation damaged the reputation of its Transformers property. The available reference material does not state the final disposition of the dispute.

  Source

Read more

• 2004

  Acquire FlickSmart and RentFlixxxM&A

  Background

  WantedList operated in a fragmented adult DVD subscription market with several competing rental websites.

  Action taken

  The company acquired the competitor websites FlickSmart and RentFlixxx in the fourth quarter of 2004.

  Aftermath

  The acquisitions expanded WantedList’s online competitor portfolio, although the sources do not quantify their financial or subscriber impact.

  Source

• 2004

  Acquire Video Takeout and Flick CentralM&A

  Background

  WantedList sought to extend the geographic reach of its physical DVD fulfillment operation.

  Action taken

  It acquired Video Takeout and Flick Central, holdings associated with VTO Enterprises.

  Aftermath

  The transaction gave WantedList a New Jersey distribution point to complement its California facility and support East Coast service.

  Source

1. 1WantedListen.wikipedia.org