HMV to close 60 stores (Irish stores affected as well)

Minstrel27 · 05-01-2011 03:30PM

It is on BBC News also.

super_furry · 05-01-2011 03:33PM

Expect to see much more of this happening to the likes of GAME and Gamestop as digital distribution takes over. HMV is the only big chain entertainment store left after the likes of Our Price and Virgin died and will probably follow suit.

cursai · 05-01-2011 03:34PM

Damn. They had the worst security tags on their products:mad:

Now i'm gonna have to upskill and ply my trade at Tescos or golden discs.

Does anybody know what kind of security tags they use at Tescos?

Dravokivich · 05-01-2011 03:35PM

OisinT wrote: »

Agreed... can't say I didn't see this coming for ages.

There is no room for these types of businesses to be competitive these days.
If Ireland had Netflix (or even anything close) these types of places would have been gone ages ago.

Actually tried signing up to netflix over a year ago, was dissapointed we don't have that avail, or a similar service here alright.

super_furry wrote: »

Expect to see much more of this happening to the likes of GAME and Gamestop as digital distribution takes over. HMV is the only big chain entertainment store left after the likes of Our Price and Virgin died and will probably follow suit.

Game and Gamestop are making their money re-selling in the 2nd hand market. Digital Distrobution is only a problem for them really in the PC market and even then they've always been more geared towards consoles.

pablomakaveli · 05-01-2011 03:36PM

HMV are pretty good for new releases with games. They often have them a few euro cheaper than the likes of Game and Gamestop.

speedboatchase · 05-01-2011 03:38PM

Deleted User wrote: »

That's great speedboatchase but most people would never ever buy 99% of the stuff they download. I know I never had the money for a dvd so I'm not going to feel guilty for downloading.. It affects nothing.

I'm sure they'd buy a lot more than 1% - people download things they want - simple as that. Whether or not they would buy it or not is irrelevant because they're downloading anyways - that 1% is just you pulling a figure out of your head. The most torrented game of last year was Call of Duty: Black Ops, which was also the best-selling game. It's not about whether you feel guilty or not, you can't justify downloading something for free on the basis you can't afford it or don't want to buy it. And you say 'it affects nothing' - of course you downloading has an effect in the wider sense, it just doesn't have the effect you getting a slap on the wrist because it's not stringently enforced, but that will change in few years I reckon. They should just introduce a taxed, monitored ISP plan where your bill is based on usage - I shouldn't have to pay the same or be on the same pay plan as a pirate who's downloading TB's of illegal content ever day

RichieC · 05-01-2011 03:43PM

It's quite fallacious of the record industry to count illegal downloads as lost sales, but yanno, what ever looks good in ink for the Ba**ards.

Hail 2 Da Thief · 05-01-2011 03:44PM

ThisRegard wrote: »

To be fair it hasn't been as expensive as it used to be in a few years, it's actually fairly reasonable these days.

+1, bought a 6 movie boxset from there the other day for €18. Great value imo!

FreudianSlippers · 05-01-2011 03:45PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Actually tried signing up to netflix over a year ago, was dissapointed we don't have that avail, or a similar service here alright.

Game and Gamestop are making their money re-selling in the 2nd hand market. Digital Distrobution is only a problem for them really in the PC market and even then they've always been more geared towards consoles.

I lived in the US for a few years and Netflix + Gamefly was amazing.
I think it's 3 films at a time for $9.99 plus unlimited streaming on PS3 with Netflix.

The Waltzing Consumer · 05-01-2011 03:45PM

speedboatchase wrote: »

I'm sure they'd buy a lot more than 1% - people download things they want - simple as that. Whether or not they would buy it or not is irrelevant because they're downloading anyways - that 1% is just you pulling a figure out of your head. The most torrented game of last year was Call of Duty: Black Ops, which was also the best-selling game. It's not about whether you feel guilty or not, you can't justify downloading something for free on the basis you can't afford it or don't want to buy it. And you say 'it affects nothing' - of course you downloading has an effect in the wider sense, it just doesn't have the effect you getting a slap on the wrist because it's not stringently enforced, but that will change in few years I reckon.

The only thing I buy is boxsets. Why? Because it is quality programming such as The Wire or other HBO/BBC stuff. They invest in their product, making it a product worth having. You cannot say that about most other film/music companies and that is why I don't give a sh** about downloading it.

People download Call of Duty because they do not want to pay 60 Euro for a game they finish in half an hour. Most people just want it for the multiplayer and the downloads only count for PC version anyway.

Einstein · 05-01-2011 03:46PM

Deleted User wrote: »

That's great speedboatchase but most people would never ever buy 99% of the stuff they download. I know I never had the money for a dvd so I'm not going to feel guilty for downloading.. It affects nothing.

Without turning this into a pirating download thread, it's fairly obvious that downloading does affect something, given that the largest chain of Music stores in the UK and Ireland are closing 60 of their stores. If you and everyone else that downloaded, just paid €30 for 4 Dvd's instead of dloading it from a torrent, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be having this conversation.

OisinT wrote: »

Agreed... can't say I didn't see this coming for ages.

There is no room for these types of businesses to be competitive these days.
If Ireland had Netflix (or even anything close) these types of places would have been gone ages ago.

Unfortunately you're right. The only problem with Netflix in Ireland is that nobody would send the Dvd's back...

FreudianSlippers · 05-01-2011 03:49PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

The only thing I buy is boxsets. Why? Because it is quality programming such as The Wire or other HBO/BBC stuff. They invest in their product, making it a product worth having. You cannot say that about most other film/music companies and that is why I don't give a sh** about downloading it.

People download Call of Duty because they do not want to pay 60 Euro for a game they finish in half an hour. Most people just want it for the multiplayer and the downloads only count for PC version anyway.

You have to remember that HBO is a subscription channel in the US and isn't cheap. So on top of your basic cable package you have to pay $10/month or something like that extra for HBO, another $10 for Showtime etc.

GSF · 05-01-2011 03:52PM

If they charged people for browsing, the stores would be profitable.

martineatworld · 05-01-2011 03:52PM

I think it's a bit of a shame really. HMV are the only half competitive B&M shop left that specialise in optical media. I know online is cheaper and some stuff is still overpriced, I know torrenting is "free", I know they're rip off merchants blah blah blah.

But surely there's something to be said for the simple transaction of obtaining physical media? Spotting a DVD you've been after on sale, buying a CD/game you've been anticipating on release, spotting something quirky that you may have not come across otherwise...

I mostly buy online and will always do so, but I think getting on HMV's back is a bit much. They provide an old fashioned service which appeals to some people, and I'll appreciate the fact I have the option there. Online shopping just isn't the same at times.

Korvanica · 05-01-2011 03:53PM

Duggy747 wrote: »

They were handy to walk into and get ideas on what movies to.....eh........aquire. :pac:

Quite the handy, see something you like, take a pic with the phone... "acquire" it later....

Hope they have mental sales in the stores they're closing... and i hope theres one near me

.... (thinks back to the virgin sale in dundrum when it was closing)

General Zod · 05-01-2011 03:54PM

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Nearest HMV to me is 60 miles away. This news means nothing to me.

do you live in OHHHH VIENNAAAAAA (du du du)

speedboatchase · 05-01-2011 03:55PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

The only thing I buy is boxsets. Why? Because it is quality programming such as The Wire or other HBO/BBC stuff. They invest in their product, making it a product worth having. You cannot say that about most other film/music companies and that is why I don't give a sh** about downloading it.

People download Call of Duty because they do not want to pay 60 Euro for a game they finish in half an hour. Most people just want it for the multiplayer and the downloads only count for PC version anyway.

People play Call of Duty for hundreds upon hundreds of hours a year, as you say, for the multiplayer, the single player length had nothing to do with their reasoning for downloading it. I expect WoW subscriptions will be introduced for monthly use from next year to CoD from now on, at least, to curb this kind of piracy (4.2m PC players have downloaded it, since November!) and maximise Activision's bottom line, but its the actions of those 4.2m that will impact and cause players that pay for the game every year to pay a little more the year after.

I love buying box sets and I completely agree with you about the quality of HBO and AMC's programming, but they're shows from subscription-based shows in the US that don't care about ads - the showrunners make their money from box set sales mainly. As much as you like buying box sets and feel its a product worth having, there's plenty of people that will download the same box set, potentially hurting the future of the show (if it's fairly niche especially) and then complain 'oh TV is crap these days, I wouldn't even buy these things I have on my hard drive'

blueser · 05-01-2011 03:56PM

diceyreilly wrote: »

Shameless Season 5 €56 hardly reasonable..

HOW MUCH????? No great loss as far as I'm concerned. Very high speed broadband hasn't got out as far as the sticks yet, so it's Play.com for me. Not a Shameless fan really, but look at this;
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/5125867/Shameless-Series-5/Product.html?ptsl=1&ob=price&fb=1

€21.22, and free delivery.

Kinetic^ · 05-01-2011 03:56PM

Don't think I've bought anything in there since my 30% staff discount back in 2002.

The Waltzing Consumer · 05-01-2011 03:56PM

OisinT wrote: »

You have to remember that HBO is a subscription channel in the US and isn't cheap. So on top of your basic cable package you have to pay $10/month or something like that extra for HBO, another $10 for Showtime etc.

Exactly. Whilst other tv companies are flogging reality tv because it is cheap, easy to make and pretty much cack, HBO charges a little more so it can invest in quality programming and the audience appreciate that. Look at the best tv programs, they are HBO, look at the boxsets that sell, I would bet HBO is up there at the top. If there were more music/film companies that toook risks like HBO, you may see a better performing industry, but majority don't and they figure people will buy any crap, which is obviously not the case anymore.

FreudianSlippers · 05-01-2011 04:02PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

Exactly. Whilst other tv companies are flogging reality tv because it is cheap, easy to make and pretty much cack, HBO charges a little more so it can invest in quality programming and the audience appreciate that. Look at the best tv programs, they are HBO, look at the boxsets that sell, I would bet HBO is up there at the top. If there were more music/film companies that toook risks like HBO, you may see a better performing industry, but majority don't and they figure people will buy any crap, which is obviously not the case anymore.

These days it's so much cheaper to buy these boxsets through Amazon or online shops though still. HMV and others are doomed as B&M shops.

RobitTV · 05-01-2011 04:03PM

Shame, down in Waterford no HMV Store, so we usually have to go to cork, But My brother does download stuff alot, But its not the same, I Like going around the Place, and going into tesco, and xtravision, and golden discs looking at dvds and games, it may be dear but i think downloading and buying stuff of the internet, sometimes ruins the whole point of shopping, which is to go out have fun, shop around, and help your local economy, but in waterford the shops are rubbish!, so sometimes its not worth going around.

speedboatchase · 05-01-2011 04:03PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

Exactly. Whilst other tv companies are flogging reality tv because it is cheap, easy to make and pretty much cack, HBO charges a little more so it can invest in quality programming and the audience appreciate that. Look at the best tv programs, they are HBO, look at the boxsets that sell, I would bet HBO is up there at the top. If there were more music/film companies that toook risks like HBO, you may see a better performing industry, but majority don't and they figure people will buy any crap, which is obviously not the case anymore.

Did you see Kick-Ass? Independently funded, very anti-Hollywood movie that took a lot of risks and won great reviews. According to very conflicting reports, it cost somewhere between $30m or $75m, more than likely it was near the latter. Anyways every movie needs to make at least double its production budget theatrically to be on the way to break even and Kick-Ass made $96m worldwide. Not bad, but not amazing either.

It was, however, pirated 11.4m times last year and becomed the second most-pirated movie of 2010, behind Avatar http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleybaccam/most-pirated-films-of-2010. Pirates are very clued into what's going on and they're a very discerning audience - but their habits have changed and they're not going to pay - that's why Hollywood relies on sequels from audiences it knows will pay to see their product.

Even if you create the most amazing, risk-tasking venture to shake up the industry and win the pirates respect - they'll still just pirate your movie instead of going to see it. That's what happened to Kick-Ass and that's why Hollywood is pushing 3D cinema and sequels so hard

EDIT:

Another example - Green Zone. Cost $100m in production only, nevermind advertising. Only made $96m worldwide and only made $32m in the US, was the 82nd highest grossing movie of 2010. Yet it was the 7th most pirated movie of 2010 - 7.74m downloads!

Run_to_da_hills · 05-01-2011 04:05PM

GSF wrote: »

If they charged people for browsing, the stores would be profitable.

I pay €25 a month for browsing, thats enough for me.

ScumLord · 05-01-2011 04:08PM

RobitTV wrote: »

HMV was not the only retailer to suffer in the cold weather. Clothes chain Next said on Tuesday it had lost £22m in store sales because shoppers stayed away when the snow fell in the run-up to Christmas.

This is something that annoys me about these big companies, "we lost £22 million" you didn't lose 22 million you never had that money in the first pace.

amacachi · 05-01-2011 04:09PM

OisinT wrote: »

You have to remember that HBO is a subscription channel in the US and isn't cheap. So on top of your basic cable package you have to pay $10/month or something like that extra for HBO, another $10 for Showtime etc.

I thought HBO was far more expensive than that. It's all in packages though so anytime I've tried to figure out how much it costs I fail because of not being used to how American TV subscriptions work out.

OisinT wrote: »

These days it's so much cheaper to buy these boxsets through Amazon or online shops though still. HMV and others are doomed as B&M shops.

They need to learn their place more than anything else I think. There's been a few times I've seen them beat Amazon on price but it's rare enough. They should be focussing on video games and the like.

eightyfish · 05-01-2011 04:09PM

hoomv?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBK-06C-mpQ

The Waltzing Consumer · 05-01-2011 04:10PM

speedboatchase wrote: »

Did you see Kick-Ass? Independently funded, very anti-Hollywood movie that took a lot of risks and won great reviews. According to very conflicting reports, it cost somewhere between $30m or $75m, more than likely it was near the latter. Anyways every movie needs to make at least double its production budget theatrically to be on the way to break even and Kick-Ass made $96m worldwide. Not bad, but not amazing either.

It was, however, pirated 11.4m times last year and becomed the second most-pirated movie of 2010, behind Avatar http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleybaccam/most-pirated-films-of-2010. Pirates are very clued into what's going on and they're a very discerning audience - but their habits have changed and they're not going to pay - that's why Hollywood relies on sequels from audiences it knows will pay to see their product.

Even if you create the most amazing, risk-tasking venture to shake up the industry and win the pirates respect - they'll still just pirate your movie instead of going to see it. That's what happened to Kick-Ass and that's why Hollywood is pushing 3D cinema and sequels so hard

Well, that is the future with film. Hollywood have to reduce other costs like Actors fees if it wants to be profitable. Kick-Ass only cost around 25 million to make so if it is making 96 Million worldwide, that is pretty good and I would not complain.

3D sucks and yeah the only reason they push it is because you can't download it and watch it right. But still, it sucks and I ain't going to anymore of them. Same goes to sequels, they suck.

Avatar? You better believe it sucked. Bit of a pattern here. Sucky films and technology are sucking and not making money.

Edit: Greenzone? Sucked!

speedboatchase · 05-01-2011 04:13PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

Well, that is the future with film. Hollywood have to reduce other costs like Actors fees if it wants to be profitable. Kick-Ass only cost around 25 million to make so if it is making 96 Million worldwide, that is pretty good and I would not complain.

3D sucks and yeah the only reason they push it is because you can't download it and watch it right. But still, it sucks and I ain't going to anymore of them. Same goes to sequels, they suck.

Avatar? You better believe it sucked. Bit of a pattern here. Sucky films and technology are sucking and not making money.

Not making money? That'd be the Avatar which made $2.8bn and is the highest grossing movie of all time by $1.bn, that Avatar? Movies will get suckier because pirates, who as I said are generally clued up and have good taste, aren't paying to see movies, so movies are being made for everyone else.

c_man · 05-01-2011 04:15PM

diceyreilly wrote: »

Shameless Season 5 €56 hardly reasonable..

:eek: Jeepers! Leave aside (illegal) torrents, 4od is there in all its glory for free!

I got ripped off enough by them over the years. Was in there for the first time in ages before Christmas to pick up a release of a GAA DVD. Was absolutely shocked at some of the prices they were charging.

HMV to close 60 stores (Irish stores affected as well)

Comments