HMV going into administration

Lapin

If you have a gift voucher from the troubled music store chain - REDEEM IT ASAP.


According to Sky News.

Directors of HMV are this evening locked in talks about the retailer’s future amid growing concern that it could become the latest big-name high street chain to succumb to the flat-lining British economy.

http://news.sky.com/story/1038002/hmv-board-in-crisis-talks-over-chains-future

Sad news.

Bipolar Joe

Ah well. Can't remember the last time I bought something at HMV.

squod

Quick someone blame illegal downloads and not the rip-off merchants for selling over priced tat.

ButtersSuki

I blame illegal downloads.

My name is URL

I blame guys with long hair and piercings

TeddyTedson

Aw, HMV are actually good value for games.
Lets face it, digital downloads are taking over.

Nodin

My name is URL wrote: »

I blame guys with long hair and piercings

nipple piercings or langer piercings?

Lapin

Mr.S wrote: »

Just FYI~ Going into administration doesn't mean that the stores are shutting up shop.

True, but it does suggest all is not well there.
Its been on the cards for a while now.

If I had a voucher I wouldn't be keeping it under the pillow for a rainy day all the same.

P_1

Weren't HMV in the news a while back over them trying to impose new appearance standards on their existing employees (rewriting contracts and all that).

Now somebody more cynical than I could well imply that they knew that some sort on forced downsizing was on the cards and were trying to cut the redundancy bill...

LiamMc

Where will I get needles for my Gramophone?

What happens the dog?

briggy

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I blame illegal downloads.

You don't blame iTunes or any other digital music distributor? Just Illegal downloads?

Bipolar Joe

I like having hard copies of the films I watch and the music I listen to, but when it's cheaper to buy it online, including the shipping and all that, I'm gonna go there. It's a luxury item, I'm not gonna splash out and hand over the money they expect me to for a single CD or DVD.

Strawberry Fields

it's not just illegal downloads, itunes has taken over.

P_1

Strawberry Fields wrote: »

it's not just illegal downloads, itunes has taken over.

True, digital media is really overtaking physical media, especially for music.

SilverScreen

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I blame illegal downloads.

I'd blame iTunes and Amazon before I'd blame illegal downloads.

Actually they should blame themselves for trying to rip off customers with over-priced CDs.

Skid

Strawberry Fields wrote: »

it's not just illegal downloads, itunes has taken over.

Online retailers like Amazon also did huge damage to HMV's core business - the same product cheaper, delivered to your door.

Pilotdude5

I had a physical media once.

Richard Hillman

Mr.S wrote: »

Just FYI~ Going into administration doesn't mean that the stores are shutting up shop. Half of my twitter/facebook book is people going nuts about all the stores closing!

Yes but realistically who wants to buy a media retail store? Its just a matter of time before the large retailers go bust. Sadly they have no long term future.

Guy:Incognito

From Sky News:

"HMV is run by Trevor Moore, who recently took over having held the chief executive's post at Jessops"


Jesus, it'll be a brave company that takes him on next.

Hate seeing stores like this close. Even the jobs aside, I much prefer actual shopping, being able to hold a product and take it home there and then.

Everyone loves going on about how shops are too expensive and its better to buy online but I bet no one will be happy when it's their job being farm out to Asia or eastern Europe where theres a cheaper workforce. I could happed to anyone in pretty much any industry (with the obvious exceptions).......

dickwod1

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I bet no one will be happy when it's their job being farm out to Asia or eastern Europe where theres a cheaper workforce. I could happed to anyone in pretty much any industry (with the obvious exceptions).......

Pint please bartender

WindSock

Hooray \0/ Starbucks is coming to Grafton Street.

purplegeko

I think its kind of sad when this happens another big name store potentially closing but can't remember last time i bought something from it apart from an itunes card!

In this case it was probably inevitable - they knew about downloading and the big digital boom but never found a way to cash in on it and i have no idea what they could have done to survive.

Guy:Incognito

dickwod1 wrote: »

Pint please bartender

How many threads are there on boards about pubs closing, pubs being too expensive etc?

The more shops and businesses that close, the less people there are to spend money with the companies everyone else works for..........

thebostoncrab

Dunno why people constantly go on about the price of DVDS there, there is always a huge amount under €6, and the 5 for €35 deal on Blu Rays is brilliant value

WoollyRedHat

I think if they just turned HMV into a poster-selling and chocolate and sweet place, it would be much better off.

Utopia Parkway

I still buy blu-rays fairly regularly in HMV. Often have some good deals in them. Haven't bought any CD's in donkey's years though. Still one of the few High St stores I would go for a browse in.

Ordering from Amazon is grand but half the time there is nobody at home when the post arrives so you have to traipse all the way to the mail centre to collect it. Kinda defeats the purpose.

zega

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Dunno why people constantly go on about the price of DVDS there, there is always a huge amount under €6, and the 5 for €35 deal on Blu Rays is brilliant value

My main beef with high street stores like that was their old prices.I remember about ten years ago an album was always like £18-£20.Robbing ****s

branie

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Dunno why people constantly go on about the price of DVDS there, there is always a huge amount under €6, and the 5 for €35 deal on Blu Rays is brilliant value

Great value for money :-)

dickwod1

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

How many threads are there on boards about pubs closing, pubs being too expensive etc?

The more shops and businesses that close, the less people there are to spend money with the companies everyone else works for..........

But there not closing because the pub owner is moving his company abroad to Asia because he's getting cheaper workforce is it.

SilverScreen

I must have bought more CDs in the past 2 years than in the 10 years before that. Mainly due to second-hand CDs being sold off for next to nothing. Why pay €8 or €9 for an album on iTunes when you can stumble across second-hand CDs for only a few euro, if you know where to look of course.

Another one of HMV's mistakes was not jumping on the vinyl bandwagon. Granted some of their stores have tiny selection but they've really failed to capitalise on the medium's upsurge in popularity in recent years.

super_furry

Be a big loss if they were to go. They're by far the best place to buy videogames in this country and with Game already gone, their administration would leave the awful Gamestop with a virtual monopoly here.

Basq

Yep, have €20 voucher in my hand.

Will be visiting my local branch tomorrow.

SilverScreen

Basq wrote: »

Yep, have €20 voucher in my hand.

Will be visiting my local branch tomorrow.

Spend it wisely

Celly Smunt

Now where will i go to browse what to download.

P_1

WindSock wrote: »

Hooray \0/ Starbucks is coming to Grafton Street.

There's already one there

SilverScreen

pmcmahon wrote: »

Now where will i go to browse what to download.

http://rateyourmusic.com/

I've basically stopped using any other site.

nlgbbbblth

P_1 wrote: »

True, digital media is really overtaking physical media, especially for music.

2012
69% of new album sales were on CD
29% download
2% vinyl

Asmodean

I never buy music anymore but their DVDs, blurays and games are often excellent value. Its going to be a major blow to galway if they go under. Pretty much the only decent entertainment shop here.

SilverScreen

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

2012
69% of new album sales were on CD
29% download
2% vinyl

Source?

branie

Asmodean wrote: »

I never buy music anymore but their DVDs, blurays and games are often excellent value. Its going to be a major blow to galway if they go under. Pretty much the only decent entertainment shop here.

True. And the shop that used to be Zhivagos don't sell Blu-rays

latenia

Surprised no-one's mentioned the Channel Island VAT swindlers like play.com. I think HMV have reasonable grounds to take the government/revenue to court over the exemption.

This really is a pity - they sometimes had secondhand games that would be a few euro cheaper than the likes of Game and Gamestop, plus they often had better trade in prices. Sad to see them go.

SilverScreen

I remember Zhivagos used to be the place in Galway for buying CDs. What's there at the moment is a very pale shadow in comparison. If HMV goes where else in Galway sells CDs?

nlgbbbblth

Zero1986 wrote: »

Source?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/02/download-sales-1bn-2012

Actually the vinyl figure of 2% is more like 0.1% there. I heard that figure elsewhere.

vicwatson

21.29 on RTE NEWS - "and some News coming in....Hmv...blah blah" they must have turned on Sky News to find out.:rolleyes:

SilverScreen

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/02/download-sales-1bn-2012

Actually the vinyl figure of 2% is more like 0.1% there. I heard that figure elsewhere.

I'm actually surprised that digital sales aren't higher. Then again with the advent of Spotify and Deezer streaming would also have a huge impact.

krudler

Pity, worked for them for years, they were always great value on new games, usually 5-10 quid cheaper than gamestop

longhalloween

Use your vouchers to buy Dredd on DVD or Bluray.

DO IT!!!

branie

I have a few euros left on my voucher

Gummy Panda

latenia wrote: »

Surprised no-one's mentioned the Channel Island VAT swindlers like play.com. I think HMV have reasonable grounds to take the government/revenue to court over the exemption.

Does play.com packages still get stopped by customs?

withless

latenia wrote: »

Surprised no-one's mentioned the Channel Island VAT swindlers like play.com. I think HMV have reasonable grounds to take the government/revenue to court over the exemption.

Swindlers is a strong term to use which even a law novice might find purchase on.

Maybe you know more than they do.