The end of Xtra-vision?

pappyodaniel · 24-09-2010 12:38am

bricky06 wrote: »

if you ring HO and tell them the story (try sound a little pissed about not being told) they will send you out vouchers or a replacement card to the balance of the original card. Happy shopping!

- a wiley employee

Now that's why I love boards!

Absurdum · 24-09-2010 12:41am

Back in the day, my local Xtravision in Artane would rent 18s movies to us kids if we had a note from our mammies to say it was ok

Naturally there were many forged notes successfully used to procure movies with a booby or two in 'em

In fact Return of the Living Dead Part 1 was where I saw my first female full frontal nudity shot, a young one dancing on an altar or grave if I remember right. You couldn't even make out a pube on her such was the quality of the thing, but back in those days the Sunday World was pretty much the only source of filth in this great nation (unless you had connections). Anyway I rented that tape out based on a forged note one summer afternoon, it was incredible.

Kids nowadays have no flippin idea how much of a diddy drought it was back in 1980s Ireland.

That reminds me of how I used to get sent to the shops to buy cigarettes for my next door neighbour as well, the government of the day were having a bit of a crackdown on kids smoking so I had to get a note off the lazy neighbour saying it was ok to purchase the cigarettes for her, I was probably 6 or 7 at the time. I think they were like 60p for 10 Johnny Blues or something crazy like that. Ahhh memories

about blank · 24-09-2010 12:57am

Still recruiting for staff :

http://www.xtravision.ie/jobs/wexfordsm.aspx

http://www.xtravision.ie/jobs/greystoneswicklowsm.aspx

I always loved the smell of the video cassettes & boxes they came in, nothing better than heading around to the video store and spending ages choosing one each from the following ;

action,
comedy,
horror.

ahh, those were the days

Absurdum · 24-09-2010 1:04am

about blank wrote: »

I always loved the smell of the video cassettes & boxes they came in,

lol yeah, it was kinda like caramel

hypervalve · 24-09-2010 1:06am

Absurdum wrote: »

Kids nowadays have no flippin idea how much of a diddy drought it was back in 1980s Ireland.

I can't say 1990's Ireland was much better, at least pre-internet 1990's. Even at that we were waiting a good 10 minutes for a decent picture of boobs to decrypt itself.

I don't know what I would have done if my 13 year old self had access to the kind of sordid, lurid things that go on on the internet now a days. Probably a lot more masturbation.

bricky06 · 24-09-2010 1:07am

about blank wrote: »

Still recruiting for staff :

http://www.xtravision.ie/jobs/wexfordsm.aspx

http://www.xtravision.ie/jobs/greystoneswicklowsm.aspx

people on this thread seem to think that renting from xtravision is a thing of the past?!

as an employee (not a promoter by any means), there is still a huge amount of business being done. Weekend nights can be insane! From the addition of Blu-Rays to allowing people to rent a game for a week or 3nights rather than dish out €50 straight to buy it - business is pretty good!

Absurdum · 24-09-2010 1:10am

hypervalve wrote: »

I can't say 1990's Ireland was much better, at least pre-internet 1990's. Even at that we were waiting a good 10 minutes for a decent picture of boobs to decrypt itself.

I don't know what I would have done if my 13 year old self had access to the kind of sordid, lurid things that go on on the internet now a days. Probably a lot more masturbation.

I still have the first unbanned issue of Playboy in Ireland, Pamela Anderson extravaganza. I also remember buying it, I was wearing a bicycle helmet and a scarf over my face to hide my utter shame.

diocane · 24-09-2010 1:14am

Grimes wrote: »

Overpriced and huge late fees for years. No

you are damn right;)

poisonated · 24-09-2010 1:14am

I used to rent a movie every week. I don't anymore because it is just not worth it. If they kept that offer of 1 euro per night I would probably still rent a good few off them.

about blank · 24-09-2010 1:15am

bricky06 wrote: »

people on this thread seem to think that renting from xtravision is a thing of the past?!

as an employee (not a promoter by any means), there is still a huge amount of business being done. Weekend nights can be insane! From the addition of Blu-Rays to allowing people to rent a game for a week or 3nights rather than dish out €50 straight to buy it - business is pretty good!

Sorry what was that, was too busy downloading the new wall street movie :rolleyes:;)

Xtra Vison late fees = Should have gone to Specsavers

bricky06 · 24-09-2010 1:17am

poisonated wrote: »

If they kept that offer of 1 euro per night I would probably still rent a good few off them.

all the movies that were €1 per night are now €2 per night or 2for€4 for 2nights, 3for€5 for 3 nights or 5for€5 for 7nights. it hasnt changed that much!

bricky06 · 24-09-2010 1:26am

about blank wrote: »

Sorry what was that, was too busy downloading the new wall street movie

yeah i just like the cinema experience cos im a bit more social like that :cool:

oh yeah, free rentals of anything i like whenever i like for me and mine cant really be beaten by a downloaded camera recording from the back of the cinema. hope theres not too many silhouettes walking across your 1080p... wait!

about blank · 24-09-2010 1:33am

bricky06 wrote: »

yeah i just like the cinema experience cos im a bit more social like that :cool:

oh yeah, free rentals of anything i like whenever i like for me and mine cant really be beaten by a downloaded camera recording from the back of the cinema. hope theres not too many silhouettes walking across your 1080p... wait!

FAIL

bricky06 · 24-09-2010 1:35am

nice rebuttal!

bytesize · 24-09-2010 2:30am

bricky06 wrote: »

yeah i just like the cinema experience cos im a bit more social like that :cool:

oh yeah, free rentals of anything i like whenever i like for me and mine cant really be beaten by a downloaded camera recording from the back of the cinema. hope theres not too many silhouettes walking across your 1080p... wait!

Ha Ha, enjoy your 5 free rentals a week. And you honestly haven't a clue about downloading by the sounds of it.

What I find more amusing is the fact that you are standing up for the company as if it is somehow yours. I used to work for them for a few years while in college and I can tell you I would be happy to see them go as the company as a whole, in my opinion, are a shower of salad tossers.

Ghetto Cornetto · 24-09-2010 1:15pm

My first proper job was Xtra Vision on Thomas Street, Dublin. I was in there on and off between '07-'09.

My summarized opinion of the job was that I loved it to bits. Being one of the inner city branches, some of the characters we got in and things they got up to were unreal, a lot of them drug related.

Found a score block of diesel hidden behind a copy of Gears of War in the traded section during one shift. Thankfully, I don't touch crap from the flats, so I just chucked it. Obviously, nobody asked us if it turned up in our Lost and Found.

Had a local addict cabbage out in the Action/Adventure section. Fell asleep standing up and crashed face first into the shelves. I think the last thing he was looking at before he went down was a copy of Universal Soldier: The Return. I took this as a warning to not watch it.

A group of Roma stormed the high value stockroom during a mate's shift. I wasn't on that day, but apparently the image of 4 Roma women charging towards the exit with Xboxes and Wiis is something to behold.

Late one night, just before closing, one of the local kids came into the shop and hid behind one of the stands. The staff that were on that night locked up, not knowing the kid was in there. Just as they were about to close the shutters, somebody walking by gives a nod and says "Ye know ders some yun'felleh in der!". After opening up again, they go in and find him behind the counter. It's obvious he's stolen a stack of blank sim cards (!) and the guards are called, with the shutters down to keep the thief inside.
He doesn't like this and starts threatening to smash the glass door open. When enough warnings were given, he grabbed his battering ram of choice - a stack of Doritos Salsa Dips and started his assault. After the door had ben suitably drenched in spicy villainry, the staff decided to let him go, fearing a similar saucy fate. I came in the next morning to a scene from the Texas CheapSauce Massacre. It smelt horrific.

Various robberies, both armed and unarmed.

Swiping the near out of date Ben & Jerrys, and needing a gym membership the following year as a result.

Swarms of local kids coming in and thrashing the place at least once a month.

It's a Tesco now. But before every staff member left, both in prosperous times and before the closure, we'd lift up a bit of loose carpet in the vault and sign the floor. I wonder if it's still there.

Fúcking savage job, I miss it more often than not.

MickShamrock · 24-09-2010 1:16pm

Wouldn't miss Xtravision for a second.

Tony_Yeboah · 24-09-2010 1:38pm

As a former loyal Chartbusters employee, I have to say I won't miss them one bit!

speedboatchase · 24-09-2010 2:31pm

I'd miss Xtravision - my download speeds are nothing like the kinda speeds I'd need to spontaneously decide to watch something and pop on the telly a few mins later. And I really like being able to rent a game for 5 days, plough through the single player and then return it. I know you can post games back and forth but it's not the same instantaneous process of getting something and bringing it home straight away

Also, to that guy downloading the new Wall Street movie, are we meant to be impressed? :P Can't go back to cinema recordings after the majesty of Blu-Ray for me anymore

mikemac · 24-09-2010 2:41pm

Xtravision never, ever give change

Bought a game, 49.99
Gave me a receipt, no 1cent coin

I don't even care about the 1cent coin.
But I've worked in retail, I'd explain we don't have the change or maybe give 2cent or at least acknowledge

Seems that in Xtravision you don't get change unless you ask for it, the staff won't offer.

Now I know it's one cent but they don tens of thousands of transaction per week across Ireland, it adds up

speedboatchase · 24-09-2010 2:42pm

feelingstressed wrote: »

Xtravision never, ever give change

Bought a game, 49.99
Gave me a receipt, no 1cent coin

I don't even care about the 1cent coin.
But I've worked in retail, I'd explain we don't have the change or maybe give 2cent or at least acknowledge

Seems that in Xtravision you don't get change unless you ask for it, the staff won't offer.

Now I know it's one cent but they don tens of thousands of transaction per week across Ireland, it adds up

I think you do...

Sanjuro · 24-09-2010 2:43pm

about blank wrote: »

FAIL

bricky06 wrote: »

nice rebuttal!

Battle of the noobs. This should be good.

mikemac · 24-09-2010 2:46pm

speedboatchase wrote: »

I think you do...

It's more the principle of the thing godammit

johnn · 24-09-2010 2:57pm

feelingstressed wrote: »

It's more the principle of the thing godammit

Why do you care so much about 1c?

Motley Crue · 24-09-2010 4:57pm

I used to work for Chartbusters for quite a while (and actually Xtra Vision before that), and I'm surprised to see CB's managed to survive in any description, but probably because they make more money from Tanning and Internet then they do renting DVD's and Games. At least that's how it was in my time, and when I worked there, it was one of the more profitable stores of the entire franchise.

My memories of working in the local video store include several robberies (a knife in my face, but never a gun), including one where I had to give a written statement to the Garda about the circumstances, badly and mis filed DVD's, customers returning pornography in their rental cases (and then having to contact them and asking them to give the real 'Charlie's Angels' back)....having kids storm the store and attack the staff and otherwise having a laid back and enjoyable employment working in a relatively quiet environment

You've got to look at this in perspective, if someone has a decent Internet connection and/or Sky then they've pretty much got access to any film in 15 minutes. Within that time they can have it downloaded and starting on their computer in excellent quality - as long as it's officially released on DVD they're almost assured of a quality copy

Then you've got games, which people prefer to buy and trade, as opposed to renting. You've also got to worry about scratches on discs and getting the disc home and finding out that your player won't read it.

A cancer pervades the retail environment. It is the legal inflexibility of our leases to respond to the property crash. Put simply, commercial property has on balance declined by 50% in value. Depending on location, the impairment can vary. Shop units and overhead office accommodation is in surplus supply. Main thoroughfares were extended.

Throughout every provincial town, side streets are closing down, with a consequent migration on to main streets.

A number of high-profile cases of examinership have resulted in the examiner negotiating new ‘Vanilla’ leases and discarding previous arrangements. Xtravision, O’Brien Sandwich Bars, Chartbusters and pub chains have all been subject to this metamorphosis – wiping out shareholders.

On top of all that, there's the cinema (and yes, I worked in two of those in two different countries for a few years each) - which is a sociable experience, and people like to go to the cinema for a cheapish night out. It get's them out, they meet friends, interact and buy junk food and maybe go for food before or after...most teenagers love weekends cause they go to town and spend a day with their mates before the cinema, from what I remember that's all I did for several years...

Anyway, put all this together, and renting a video doesn't really have the same appeal...especially considering rental cost, high prices and the cost of the DVD and Blu Ray discs coming down every day thanks to Internet trading.

Brightest_Nite · 24-09-2010 6:06pm

I would be sad to see Xtra Vision go. But to be honest, in this tech day and age it has done well to survive this long. Here's to hoping that xtra vision keeps it's doors open, at least for a little while longer.:)

aidan24326 · 24-09-2010 6:52pm

Haven't used xtravision in years, went into a local one a while back and it was crap. Only dvd store I would use in Dublin city is laser discs, the others just don't cut it.

Gavin "shels" · 24-09-2010 7:20pm

Can't see XV being around for much longer, they spent millions on a new computer system then realised that they can't afford it and cut pay of employees. It's been on the cards for a while, just hoping for another year or so till I finish college, hate being an unemployed student.:D

liam775 · 11-11-2010 9:02pm

Post removed.

Run_to_da_hills · 11-11-2010 10:20pm

Sykk wrote: »

Who rents DVD's nowadays?! Last time I done that was before broadband became available in Ireland.

Try downloading a 25GB HD Blue Ray movie. :rolleyes:

Mister men · 11-11-2010 10:27pm

oh ffs. Who still rents films.

car · 11-11-2010 10:50pm

I too work in Xtravision for years as Assistant Manager... it put me through college, also worked in Chartbusters for my final year... never understood how Chartbusters lasted as long as it did since I knew what Xtravision was taking in up the road, but that shop sadly closed the other week, much to the disapointment of my friend who worked there from day 1.

It would be sad to see xtravision to go, but its bound to happen, especially when I was in my local shop last Friday and their Regional Manager was discussing the prices of Black Ops in other stores, and was kindly told it was much cheeper in the New Tescos in Naas ..... why she was discussing this in the middle of the shop on her blackberry, I dont know but she was on to one of the old school Head Guys in Dublin.

I also found out how many Tv's they had on display in the new tescos. She was so unprofesional it was not funny, and here on the other hand she was telling the staff to upsell.... I had to laugh! Xtravision lost out on a sale that night as a result of her conversation.

I remember the days of opening new store, opening up electronic shops with in these shops, queues out the door most weekends, opened to 12pm, now its almost empty when u walk in, their electronic stock is down to a few shelves. Its sad if they do close, as I did learn so much working their, made so many good friends too, plus the working there allowed me to put myself through college, not many jobs were flexiable as working for Xtravision.

winchesterj54 · 12-11-2010 12:11am

i never liked xtravision if they went bankrupt tommorow
would anyone really care???
they charge way to much for rentals it's ridiciulous
as if the goverment isn't screwing us out of enough money

CrazyRabbit · 12-11-2010 12:34am

Woah, hang on a second. Movies & games come on DVD's??? :eek: When did this start happening.

Damn. All this time I've spent downloading. Let me see...that's about 800 X 30 mins..so about 16 and half days of my life wasted downloading digital movies.

I feel like such an eejit.

mikemac · 15-11-2010 11:36pm

I remember getting video tapes and they threatened to fine you 25p if you didn't rewind the tape for the next person :eek:

Faith+1 · 16-11-2010 2:50am

feelingstressed wrote: »

I remember getting video tapes and they threatened to fine you 25p if you didn't rewind the tape for the next person :eek:

I remember my dad getting fined 50p for not rewinding Home Alone 2. I remember they used to have a warning sticker on all tapes to remind you to rewind. I think a new release then was £2.20

Mackman · 16-11-2010 7:27am

i realy hate this smugness a lot of people have on this thread about people renting movies though. Why does everyone have to download them? I dont want to download them. I couldnt be arsed.

I enjoy going to Blockbuster and browsing through the movies, reading the back of the boxes, sometimes stumbling across a gem that i havent heard of before. Then having a look through the ex-rentals for sale, see if there's any bargins. Then its up to the counter, usually picking up some popcorn and a bag of peanut M&M's on the way.

As for xtravision, they were always rediculously expensive. Rent for 6euro or buy for 10 euro. Tough choice :rolleyes:

--LOS-- · 16-11-2010 10:14am

video shops are where I go for ideas of something to download

Hank_Jones · 16-11-2010 10:28am

At the prices they charge for rentals, I wouldn't be surprised if they went the way of the Dodo.

No real loss.

ToyotaCorolla · 12-04-2011 10:16am

Xtra Vision in Rush,Co Dublin is closing this week issue over rent led to the demise.
Pity I liked there popcorn from the machine they got recently better than the cinema popcorn.

Princess Peach · 12-04-2011 10:57am

I go to Xtra Vision, take down the names of movies that look good into my phone and then go home and download them.

I'm a bad person.

speedboatchase · 12-04-2011 10:58am

Princess Peach wrote: »

I go to Xtra Vision, take down the names of movies that look good into my phone and then go home and download them.

I'm a bad person.

Instead of just looking at their charts online?

Princess Peach · 12-04-2011 11:04am

speedboatchase wrote: »

Instead of just looking at their charts online?

I like to see old movies too that I've never seen though, in the 4 for €22 selection. But I don't want to pay the €22 euro.

Korvanica · 12-04-2011 11:10am

speedboatchase wrote: »

Instead of just looking at their charts online?

ya gotta get some form of exercise....

I do the same... also ive also found xtravision to be decent with trade ins..

Last week I called game and asked the cash trade in value of 4 games:

Black Ops, Modern Warfare 2, Killzone 2, and Assasins Creed 2. They offered 22.50

I then went to xtravision, (Stillorgan) and was offered 20 for Black Ops alone...

Although I have to say the guy working there is a bit of a dick, Every game shop ever gives the trade in values etc if you call in without the game or phone them. The lad there wouldn't do so...

Tar.Aldarion · 12-04-2011 11:44am

They didn't give me a job years ago, but gave it to some girl who was giving enthusiastic bull**** about always wanting to rent dvds :pac: die in a fire xtra vision!

Princess Peach · 12-04-2011 12:49pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

They didn't give me a job years ago, but gave it to some girl who was giving enthusiastic bull**** about always wanting to rent dvds :pac: die in a fire xtra vision!

Bet if they had given you the job, the business wouldn't be in trouble today.

Tar.Aldarion · 12-04-2011 12:51pm

free flirting with all new releases

alex73 · 30-04-2011 8:40am

Are video rental shops a thing of the past? I haven't rented a DVD/BR in years, Either watch it in the cinema or rent it from iTunes

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/xtravision-says-1300-jobs-still-safe-as-examiner-steps-in-at-firm-2634022.html

W.Shakes-Beer · 30-04-2011 8:42am

I used to work for Xtra-Vision until 9 months ago and did notice that most purchases were retail related rather than rental.

However in saying that, there was a shít load of rental, especially the weekends. Things will quieten now with the summer.

I'd say rental shops will die out though and could see Xtra-Vision becoming a retail based electronics store.

alex73 · 30-04-2011 12:11pm

DVD's and the like are really a thing of the past. If you have the internet you can rent/buy movies online. Apple TV is amazing and really easy to use. Browse the movies and Rent in seconds. Why would anyone bother going to a DVD rental shop?

The end of Xtra-vision?

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