HMV going into administration

Mimikyu

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My name is URL

hooradiation wrote: »

Yes, peoples proclivity towards stealing the same products HMV are selling could surely not have any bearing on this what so fucking ever.

Well, why buy milk when you've a cow at home?

Plenty of music retailers are continuing to do well in spite of the increase in illegal downloading. And numerous studies show that pirates actually pay for more stuff than others.

http://www.webpronews.com/pirates-more-likely-to-pay-for-digital-and-physical-media-than-non-pirates-2012-10

hooradiation

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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If you think piracy has no bearing on this, you're delusional.
Nobody can compete with a price point of "free"

My name is URL wrote: »

Well, why buy milk when you've a cow at home?

Plenty of music retailers are continuing to do well in spite of the increase in illegal downloading. And numerous studies show that pirates actually pay for more stuff than others.

http://www.webpronews.com/pirates-more-likely-to-pay-for-digital-and-physical-media-than-non-pirates-2012-10

I find it strange that people who have no compunction in taking what they want should be taken at their word when they say they pay for things after.
It's a common lie on the games forum, and I don't put much faith in it.

Why would somebody buy the product they already have gotten for free?

withless

All the owners of the mom and pop stores that HMV and their ilk shut down will be having a wry smile at this news.

seamus

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Xtravision are still alive because the studios are terrified of the digital formats.

As it stands, while you still have on-demand movies from Netflix and such, the catalogues are old and limited. If you want anything released in the last 12 months you still have to go to Xtravision to rent it.

Someone will drag the studios along, kicking and screaming. It'll either be iTunes or Netflix, offering access to new releases at €4 per rental with €20 for a permanent download. That'll be the end of Xtravision.

I reckon the downfall of HMV will actually result in improved business in small side-street specialist music shops. There will always be a certain amount of demand for antique music formats and for independent labels, t-shirts, etc. The tiny music retailers have their core of dedicated music geeks and they always will.

RikkFlair

flazio wrote: »

The vultures start to gather.

*squawk*

Mimikyu

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mathie

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Play.com are going too.
So even with the VAT exemption they couldnt make a profit.

I remember as a kid seeing a VHS copy of ET in HMV for over a 100 pounds in the 1980s.
Now you can get 5 BluRays for 35 euro.
The price of movies has fallen through the floor yet the demand is still there from consumers as the box office record keep getting broken.
Me thinks people can source their movies elsewhere ... cheaper.

ThisRegard

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Several years too late, Apple products don't have the draw they once had.

Grayditch

People who still thought HMV was a rip off....let me guess. You download everything?!

hooradiation

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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How do you change your business model to compete with "free"?
I hear this piece of sophistry all the time, but i don't think anyone who parrots it has the faintest idea of how it might even work.

That said, if you can figure that out, Alan Sugar might well have competition for hosting the next series of the apprentice.

My name is URL

hooradiation wrote: »

I find it strange that people who have no compunction in taking what they want should be taken at their word when they say they pay for things after.
It's a common lie on the games forum, and I don't put much faith in it.

Why would somebody buy the product they already have gotten for free?

Because they enjoy it and want to support the creators? In that particular study, respondents were required to provide proof of purchases.

More generally though, pirates and file-sharers are heavier consumers of media than other people, and so naturally tend to pay for more stuff. How many people discover bands etc through P2P networks, and in turn become fans who purchase merchandise and tickets etc, not to mention raise the profile of artists?

ilovesleep

RikkFlair wrote: »

Is it likely that there would be clearance sales already?

I was in my local hmv shop last week and everything marked with a blue X sticker was reduced and there was a lot.

Recession plays a huge part in it too with many people on reduced incomes. Years ago I usually spent 30/40 euro if not more a week on things in there. Now I'm lucky if I spend there once a month, not because I don't want anything, there's loads I want but because money is so tight.

Mimikyu

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efb

hellboy99 wrote: »

The question that needs to be asked is why HMV were still selling gift vouchers up until yesterday, they knew this was coming.

Trying to make money- gift vouchers is easy credit for the retailer- buyer beware!

Lambsbread

I often like to browse HMV and other stores and sometimes pick up stuff on an impulse. It will be a shame if the stores close down (not guaranteed yet). Gor all we know Grafton Street or other HMV stores are profitable.

I said the same when GAME closed down, but it will be a shame if HMV does go. I live in Paris now and you won't get a DVD in a store for less than €20 generally and games €60. The way stores in Ireland are dropping off it will be the same there soon.

Not everyone wants to wait 4-5 days for a DVD, sometimes it is nice to pick something up on a Saturday to watch that night.

GhostInTheRuins

Mushy wrote: »

When was the last time you paid that much for a cd? Each new release album Ive bought in there for at least 4 years has been under 15. And non-new release cds have been under a tenner

ThisRegard wrote: »

That's the thing, I haven't paid much more than a tenner for a CD in there in years. If you want some rubbish on the day of release you're going to pay €15 for it, maybe €20.

Depends on what music you were buying. I've you're buying chart music or the like then of course it'll be cheap. But anything that was even slightly off the radar was a rip off. They'd even put a nice big "HMV Import" sticker on it to try and justify the price. I've even seen those import stickers on albums from local bands being sold at three times the price you'd get the album directly from the band themselves.

seamus

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Sorry, I should add that iTunes is somewhat limited in this regard: there's no iTunes on my TV

Unlike Netflix, streaming to your TV from iTunes is non-trivial for your Joe Bloggs. I don't see them making any serious inroads to the rental market until they deliver an "Apple TV" app across a range of formats just like Netflix have done.

But given Apple's need to retain maximum control over everything they make, I can't see them being eager to release "iTunes for PS3" anytime soon.

Big C

Why would anyone buy a gift voucher the way things are, may as well go into paddy power and put ur money on each way favourite, maybe 50/50 chance getting paid.

ilovesleep

Lambsbread wrote: »

I often like to browse HMV and other stores and sometimes pick up stuff on an impulse. It will be a shame if the stores close down (not guaranteed yet). Gor all we know Grafton Street or other HMV stores are profitable.

I said the same when GAME closed down, but it will be a shame if HMV does go. I live in Paris now and you won't get a DVD in a store for less than €20 generally and games €60. The way stores in Ireland are dropping off it will be the same there soon.

Not everyone wants to wait 4-5 days for a DVD, sometimes it is nice to pick something up on a Saturday to watch that night.

That's it. Many of my purchases there were impulse and many dvds picked up to watch on that night or weekend. With online buying you'll need to plan a movie night a week in advance and wait in the post.
I love picking up a dvd in hmv and then some nice food and goodies for the movie.

Digitalism

Big C wrote: »

Why would anyone buy a gift voucher the way things are, may as well go into paddy power and put ur money on each way favourite, maybe 50/50 chance getting paid.

err maybe people, like myself, got the voucher months back and never used it or were saving it? Maybe think of that?

justshane

Prob a stupid question but my Ipod touch broke and HMV game me a credit voucher as they had no new touchs in stock. I know the credit voucher is prob invalid but i still shoud get my Ipod back?

ThisRegard

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

Depends on what music you were buying. I've you're buying chart music or the like then of course it'll be cheap. But anything that was even slightly off the radar was a rip off. They'd even put a nice big "HMV Import" sticker on it to try and justify the price. I've even seen those import stickers on albums from local bands being sold at three times the price you'd get the album directly from the band themselves.

"Imports" have always been expensive, in every record store and usually via online retailers too.

Just because a band is local doesn't mean the album is not an import. During the 90s I remember a lot of rock bands would have Japanese versions of their albums which usually had a couple of extras like live tracks or b-sides, 10 by Pearl Jam being one that sticks in my mind.

hooradiation

My name is URL wrote: »

Because they enjoy it and want to support the creators?

So they steal it first?
Sorry, I'm not buying this. It sounds more like a socially acceptable lie, rather than the truth.

My name is URL wrote: »

More generally though, pirates and file-sharers are heavier consumers of media than other people, and so naturally tend to pay for more stuff

This doesn't follow. They may consume more media than other people, but they get that media for free. The idea that when given the opportunity to acquire something for free Vs paying for it that people would opt to pay for it runs counter to the basic human trait of wanting the most reward for the least effort.

Penn

ilovesleep wrote: »

That's it. Many of my purchases there were impulse and many dvds picked up to watch on that night or weekend. With online buying you'll need to plan a movie night a week in advance and wait in the post.
I love picking up a dvd in hmv and then some nice food and goodies for the movie.

And for people out in the country like myself, internet can be so slow that if you're streaming on Netflix the quality is really poor, or if you're legally downloading something it can take ages (and that's with barely being able to use the internet while it's downloading). And then with online buying, if you're not there you have to go to the post office to collect it.

I definitely prefer being able to go into a store, browse and buy stuff there and then. Obviously can still do that with the likes of Xtra-Vision etc, but how long can they hold out too?

road_high

HMV is the last major music chain left. I really hope they can hang on in there...but it sounds like Groundhog Day here when Zavvi went bust.

Penn

hooradiation wrote: »

So they steal it first?
Sorry, I'm not buying this. It sounds more like a socially acceptable lie, rather than the truth.



This doesn't follow. They may consume more media than other people, but they get that media for free. The idea that when given the opportunity to acquire something for free Vs paying for it that people would opt to pay for it runs counter to the basic human trait of wanting the most reward for the least effort.

I have, on several occasions, downloaded seasons of a tv show, and then gone out and bought the dvds. I've downloaded films and if I thought it was really good, went out and bought the dvd (which I wouldn't have otherwise). I've downloaded music and then gone to see that band in concert (which I wouldn't have otherwise). I've downloaded films and then gone to see the sequel in the cinema (which I wouldn't have otherwise).

I know how to download stuff for free. And by doing that, I have spent money on products I wouldn't have otherwise. Not everyone is like that, and a lot just download for free. But not everyone does, and in some ways, people downloading something for free can act as an advertisement for a sequel/next album/ next season of tv show etc.

TomoBhoy

I'm devastated ! HMV were a big part of my teenage years, lived for the weekends bus into town and I'd be there for an hour or two browsing and getting cds

ilovesleep

Penn wrote: »

+ for people out in the country like myself, internet can be so slow that if you're streaming on Netflix the quality is really poor, or if you're legally downloading something it can take ages (+ that's with barely being able to use the internet while it's downloading). + then with online buying, if you're not there you have to go to the post office to collect it.

I definitely prefer being able to go into a store, browse +buy stuff there +then. Obviously can still do that with the likes of Xtra-Vision etc, but how long can they hold out too?

I completely agree with you with all there. I'm a relatively simple person + I don't have internet expect for on my mobile. I know what netflix is but I don't have internet on the tv. I'd need a laptop + hook it up. You'd really need to be up to date on technologies for the new stuff + the likes. As for online buying If I'm going to be buying a dvd online - I might as well buy some dirty, filthy depraved porn instead of a dvd from amazon

ratracer

SO HMV are saying they are not in a position to accept gift vouchers now, even though the shops are still open. How can this be right?

Theoretically speaking, if one just goes into the shop, take €30 of stuff and leave a €30 voucher on the counter and walk out, could one be done for theft, when technically, it isn't really theft as the goods have been paid for upfront.