Xtra-Vision enter receivership: Games options are getting limited

chrislad

I'm purposely ignoring online. We all know it's there. No need to tell us.

Xtra-Vision has entered receivership today. While not exactly a surprise - who rents DVDs anymore? - it would essentially leave GameStop (and Smythes, I suppose) as the only games seller on the high street. It's worrying, especially for those who don't know any better.

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2013/0429/387458-xtra-vision-receiver/

calex71

Wow I am really surprised they lasted this long, there were murmurings as far back as 5 years or more ago, and they started selling electronics etc to sure up the business.

Disaster for gamers as now gamestop is the only show in town ..... if you live in a town that is, for many in in small towns xtra vision was the only place to go.

In recent times though their trade in prices, and new game prices where almost worse than gamestops.

It's a hell of a lot of jobs at stake, so I hope something can be done to keep them going.

cloud493

I think xtravision are really good, specially since HMV has gone. Hope they manage to stick around. Maybe like, get rid of the movie rentals, sell them off, go with limited game rentals? They seem to do well enough.

Angron

Well bugger.

ShadowHearth

Bad news. Its a shame that a lot of staff will lose their jobs and gamers got one less option where to buy games in high street.

Though this would round up my opinion on such stores like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypnvmFQkosA

Retr0gamer

There's no point buying games in shops anymore, the prices are just insane. I get everything online ow but I expect Gamestop to take the piss even more.

I feel sorry for the people losing their jobs over this but I'm surprised as well how long xtra vision kept going.

J. Marston

calex71 wrote: »

Wow I am really surprised they lasted this long, there were murmurings as far back as 5 years or more ago, and they started selling electronics etc to sure up the business.

Disaster for gamers as now gamestop is the only show in town ..... if you live in a town that is, for many in in small towns xtra vision was the only place to go.

In recent times though their trade in prices, and new game prices where almost worse than gamestops.

It's a hell of a lot of jobs at stake, so I hope something can be done to keep them going.

Yep but I have been getting my games from Amazon for ages with the odd exception. Still though, sad to see it go.

Ri_Nollaig

This was surely overdue.
Its not nice to see it but who rents DVDs anymore? They have been running a business that was on life support for the past 5+ years. In fact I am surprised they have even lasted this long.

I am sure they will blame this on piracy which no doubt has had an effect but their business model has been out dated for quite some time. Netflix, I guess was the final nail in the coffin.
Even for buying movies/games/hardware they would rarely if ever beat the likes of amazon.

The question now is, once all these bricks and mortar media shops are gone what will the the online retailers do? Will they still remain as competitive? Ultimately, the less competition on the market is going to hurt the consumers.

We will be left with either online only or larger shops that are able to sell everything (Tesco, etc).

A receiver has been appointed today to Xtra-vision, which employs 1,024 in around 140 stores around the country.
...

Odd that number eh? From what has ultimately killed their business. Nerd in me couldn't help but notice.

quad_red

Xtra-vision has been negatively affected by the rise in online streaming of movies and digital piracy.
''While the company's retail business continues to grow, its movie rental business has declined more rapidly than anticipated, most noticeably in areas with high speed broadband which is linked to high levels of illegal downloading,'' the statement added.

I, for one, believe that we need to stop this high speed broadband and the illegality it brings.

Falthyron

I worked for Xtravision for almost four years (to get myself through college) and they have come close to collapse on many occasions. I hadn't stepped foot in a store in over a year and now they are selling birthday cards, etc? A complete joke. Being a PC gamer and someone who chooses not to rent movies, this doesn't affect me, but I can understand concern from those who like to trade console games or rent games.

I really can't see Xtravision coming back from this (maybe I will be proven wrong, but they have been on their last legs for years now), and with HMV gone (a far better retailer in this sector), how attractive is Xtravision, really?

Any specialised retailer that decides to spread itself thin across a stupid amount of products is destined to fail. Xtravision should have focused on what it did best; affordable rental options in a shop in small communities with the option of online rental in bigger towns. Selling $hit like mobile phones, birthday cards, and electronics was pointless, especially as the items they sold were poor quality.

RedXIV

Might be worth going in for a poke around so. One thing I will miss is the big Xtra-vision stock clearances, I went to one last year and came out with a ton of stuff including a new PS2 for €70.

We must have some Xtra-vision employees in here so I do wish them all the best.

briany

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Bad news. Its a shame that a lot of staff will lose their jobs and gamers got one less option where to buy games in high street.

Though this would round up my opinion on such stores like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypnvmFQkosA

I was thinking that was going to be a great episode and a smart commentary on changing attitudes to the way we consume media but it ended up being a really lazy Shining parody. Such a wasted opportunity because you'd think the subject would be something quite close to Matt and Trey's heart as content creators.

Grumpypants

I rented a blu ray last night from there......

Did I hear HMV are coming back to Ireland soon? So maybe not all lost.

Gamestop I only use when they run one of the insane trade in offers.

It does look like if you want a game on release day pre ordering is the last option.

noodler

Falthyron wrote: »

I worked for Xtravision for almost four years (to get myself through college) and they have come close to collapse on many occasions. I hadn't stepped foot in a store in over a year and now they are selling birthday cards, etc? A complete joke. Being a PC gamer and someone who chooses not to rent movies, this doesn't affect me, but I can understand concern from those who like to trade console games or rent games.

I really can't see Xtravision coming back from this (maybe I will be proven wrong, but they have been on their last legs for years now), and with HMV gone (a far better retailer in this sector), how attractive is Xtravision, really?

Any specialised retailer that decides to spread itself thin across a stupid amount of products is destined to fail. Xtravision should have focused on what it did best; affordable rental options in a shop in small communities with the option of online rental in bigger towns. Selling $hit like mobile phones, birthday cards, and electronics was pointless, especially as the items they sold were poor quality.

I can barely believe you worked there with an opinion like that - not saying you are lieing just very surprised.


The sole reason they have stayed open so long is the fact that they did diversify in my opinion. I worked there from 2004-2007 and the amount of phones, games, dvd players, dvds, cds, sat navs, phone credit etc etc that we would sell was huge.

Penn

Don't think I ever rented anything from it. Only reason I have a rental card is a friend worked there and he put Dr. in front of my name and gave it to me as a joke.

Sad though. If it went under, there'd pretty much be nowhere to go and browse dvds. Games, I'll be switching to ordering online unless it's an absolute must-have day-one game which means I'll probably go to Gamestop.

Ally Dick

Xtravision is like Anna Nicole Smith = a dead model

cloud493

I got 3 good games there for a tenner yesterday. Hardly dead

Nody

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

The question now is, once all these bricks and mortar media shops are gone what will the the online retailers do? Will they still remain as competitive?

Unlike a brick and mortar store (B&M) online stores tends to sell to any country in the world basically; this makes the competition a lot more fierce and harder to raise prices because a online store in Canada or Germany will get the customers just as easily as the online version of an Irish store as the barrier of access is far smaller.

I think this could be good thing for Gamesnash though (and since they also do trade in, are around on boards and seems to be generally good guys) I hope my prediction turns out to be true.

Penn

I saw they have new copies of GOW: Ascension for €35. €55 when it was released less than 2 months ago

Thecageyone

cloud493 wrote: »

I got 3 good games there for a tenner yesterday. Hardly dead

They're hardly made up with that tenner

When things were good, the likes of Xtra-vision were way over priced. I've been buying games and music online for a while now, because the likes of HMV and Xtra vision were greedy, money grabbing establishments. I feel for the workers, but never the share holders/owners.

Anyone remember paying over €20 for a CD in HMV only a few years back? yes, I do. They took advantage of the fact a lot of people either couldn't, or wouldn't buy online. Now it's bitting them back.

wandatowell

so when/where can I buy the gear they are gonna sell off?

cloud493

Sure saving the company, one tenner at a time No I really don't want them to go. Only reason I have a rental account is cos of trade ins, but still.

Thecageyone

Gamestop will give you more for your trade ins

cloud493

Thecageyone wrote: »

Gamestop will give you more for your trade ins

Not really. Maybe for new stuff for the first week or so, but generally I prefer xtravision.

Thecageyone

I have used both, it does depend on the games I guess. But from now on, I'm using amazon to buy, and will use adverts to sell or trade. Used games don't fetch much either way.

Gamer Bhoy 89

cloud493 wrote: »

Not really. Maybe for new stuff for the first week or so, but generally I prefer xtravision.

I agree. 3 years ago I traded in all of the Call of Duty games I owned and Gamestop offered 150 store credit/100 cash. Whereas Xtravision gave me 180 credit and 150 cash. I never felt so cheated by GS at that time.

Varik

I'd say the bigger change will be how much Gamestop offer for used games now.

2Mad2BeMad

i prefer b&m shops
cant stand buying online
id rather look around the shop for a game if i ever want one
i can have it their and then in my hand
not waiting a couple of days to get it or having to pay extra for faster delievery
just something i prefer if im in town id generally have a look around game shops to see if any pre owned games are going cheap that id like
kinda sad to see xtra vision go
my mate just got a job with them 3 weeks ago
and now their going ? wdf haha

Falthyron

noodler wrote: »

I can barely believe you worked there with an opinion like that - not saying you are lieing just very surprised.


The sole reason they have stayed open so long is the fact that they did diversify in my opinion. I worked there from 2004-2007 and the amount of phones, games, dvd players, dvds, cds, sat navs, phone credit etc etc that we would sell was huge.

Then obviously you worked in one of the larger stores. In my store, which was very small, we had Archos MP3 players, Apple iPod Touch, Shuffles, and DvD players sitting on the shelf for months... If it wasn't Xmas, they were not moving.

So, Xtravision buys a Touch for 150 euro, and puts it up for sale for 229. It stays there for a year, possibly more, and it is suddenly worth 100-120 because Apple released a new version of their MP3 player. Now, there are over 100 stores in Ireland, most of which are not big stores that sell TVs/BluRay players on a regular basis. If you are not selling stock, the amount of dead weight stock sitting in your stores start losing value very fast.

I used to work 11am to 6pm during the summer on week days and I remember the till receiving about 60-80 euro, at most, some days. You know where that money came from? Phone credit.

Xtravision collapsing again is not a surprise to me. Big stores like Blanch, Navan, etc might being doing well. But most of Xtravision's stores are in small towns like Trim/Navan/Clane. One store's apaprent success does not suggest the entire company is doing well with a product strategy that works in only a few, select stores.

Falthyron

noodler wrote: »

I worked there from 2004-2007 and the amount of phones, games, dvd players, dvds, cds, sat navs, phone credit etc etc that we would sell was huge.

Also: Pre-recession :P

Penn

Falthyron wrote: »

Xtravision collapsing again is not a surprise to me. Big stores like Blanch, Navan, etc might being doing well. But most of Xtravision's stores are in small towns like Trim/Navan/Clane. One store's apaprent success does not suggest the entire company is doing well with a product strategy that works in only a few, select stores.

There are small newsagents bigger than the XV stores in Dunshauglin and Ardee, towns which are quite close to much bigger XV shops. Surprised these weren't closed long ago anyway, even if XV were keeping their head above water.

noodler

Falthyron wrote: »

Then obviously you worked in one of the larger stores. In my store, which was very small, we had Archos MP3 players, Apple iPod Touch, Shuffles, and DvD players sitting on the shelf for months... If it wasn't Xmas, they were not moving.

So, Xtravision buys a Touch for 150 euro, and puts it up for sale for 229. It stays there for a year, possibly more, and it is suddenly worth 100-120 because Apple released a new version of their MP3 player. Now, there are over 100 stores in Ireland, most of which are not big stores that sell TVs/BluRay players on a regular basis. If you are not selling stock, the amount of dead weight stock sitting in your stores start losing value very fast.

I used to work 11am to 6pm during the summer on week days and I remember the till receiving about 60-80 euro, at most, some days. You know where that money came from? Phone credit.

Xtravision collapsing again is not a surprise to me. Big stores like Blanch, Navan, etc might being doing well. But most of Xtravision's stores are in small towns like Trim/Navan/Clane. One store's apaprent success does not suggest the entire company is doing well with a product strategy that works in only a few, select stores.

Jesus, you must have been in a tiny store.

I was in an average suburban store in Dublin but I hardly think we can judge the successes based on a tiny country store either.

Falthyron wrote: »

Also: Pre-recession :P

I take that point alright but honestly, how do you think things would have been better if they hadn't diversified? If they tried to survive on retnal revenue alone they'd be gone 10 years ago imo.

Falthyron

noodler wrote: »

Jesus, you must have been in a tiny store.

I was in an average suburban store in Dublin but I hardly think we can judge the successes based on a tiny country store either.



I take that point alright but honestly, how do you think things would have been better if they hadn't diversified? If they tried to survive on retnal revenue alone they'd be gone 10 years ago imo.

Yeah, I was in a small store alright. Same size as Dunshauglin/Ardee as mentioned above. It was a Class C store, if I remember correctly.

You might be right with the diversifying, I guess we will never know. But, I was always of the thinking that you can either be great at one thing, or average at lots of things. Maybe if Xtravision had stayed great at one key aspect to their business and not gone mental trying to buy and sell everything, they might not be where they are today. Who knows!

degrassinoel

it's been a long time coming for Xtravision. I liked the pre-viewed/played bargains they had, and they did have some great bargains over the years. There was talk of them going digital about 2 years ago but they never did, shame really as i doubt anything could actually save them at this stage.

Bought my first xbox in Xtravision. Got a band of brothers box set about a year after it televised for a tenner too, stuff like that i'll miss, but physical rentals for games and film are almost a thing of the past sadly.

Wichita Lineman

quad_red wrote: »

I, for one, believe that we need to stop this high speed broadband and the illegality it brings.

sign up with '3' you wont have to worry about high speeds thats for sure :mad:

Sorry for the xtravision staff. Tough times.

20 Times 20 Times

Horrible company to work for. Good riddance.

Falthyron

Little Pea wrote: »

Horrible company to work for. Good riddance.

Keep that TPT up! :pac:

DjFlin

Personally I buy most of my games online. However, I do miss the experience of wandering into a GAME/HMV/Xtra Vision and just buying something I didnt really want on a whim. I rarely do that now.

Carraig Rua

In fairness this was inevitable, irregardless of the condition of the economy. Sooner or later the idea of transferring digital media on discs is going to seem absurd.

Dravokivich

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

Odd that number eh? From what has ultimately killed their business. Nerd in me couldn't help but notice.

Don't get what's so odd about it. That'll be due to their long open hours.

GTR63

Retr0gamer wrote: »

There's no point buying games in shops anymore, the prices are just insane. I get everything online ow but I expect Gamestop to take the piss even more.

Was it you that seen Deadly Preminition(what an ironic name) for €50 even though it was meant to be a budget title.

ShaneU

Argos are the only place left that have good prices on (some) games, smyths the odd time.

B.A._Baracus

ShaneU wrote: »

Argos are the only place left that have good prices on (some) games, smyths the odd time.

Yeah. I regularly pop into my local GameStop and there are never any deals going. Why just today I was in the Blanchardstown Branch and I saw NeverDead for €49 euro :rolleyes: It's nearly a year and a half old. Actually I'll check how much it is online ....

**edit**
€10.05 on play.com - brand new.

Agricola

My local Xtravision was a godsend in the days before I FINALLY got broadband. If it wasnt for them I'd have had to go over 20 miles to rent a dvd or game! They always had plenty of stock, no waiting for new releases, Christ it was like a bit of American coming to my little rural backwater. Before that you'd have to go into the family run place and put your name down to rent something, you might get it in a fortnight if you were lucky!

Got my PS3 in there around release. Have picked up many a bargain over the years on the pre-owned shelfs. Thats something I'd really miss if places like Xtravision go under. The ability to just stroll in on a Sunday, find a game that you'd been meaning to get for ages but couldnt justify the price and pick it up on the cheap. An impulse buy that you could be home playing a half hour after you'd bought it.

o1s1n

Only game I ever bought in Xtravision was Silent Hill.

Advance Vision was where it was at!

Until it closed down of course

cloud493

I just spent 50 quid in there. Damn their cheap buy two get a third free sale :pac:

djsim101

Da brother works in there and I have a few of my mates working also, hope they can turn this one around. A new business model is needed though. Film rentals just don't pull the business in these days. Torrents is killing the rental market, esp. movies rentals.

I found Xtravision quite good value at times, there 3 for 2 on blu rays and games was always great value.

Retr0gamer

GTR63 wrote: »

Was it you that seen Deadly Preminition(what an ironic name) for €50 even though it was meant to be a budget title.

Yup, even when I think I'll spend a little more to support the small guys and have the game a little early they give me a reason not to give them money.

the groutch

Dravokivich wrote: »

Don't get what's so odd about it.

1,024 is 2 to the power of 10

Tinie

the groutch wrote: »

1,024 is 2 to the power of 10

Im guessing hes hinting at 1024 mb in a gigabyte.

megaten

Haven't bought anything off them in ages but still sad to see them go. Not many shops selling games left. I was looking for a copy of fire emblem late last week in dublin and realised with GAME and HMV gone Smyths and GameStop are the only major ones left really.