HMV going into administration

Timothy Bryce · 15-01-2013 05:29PM

mathie wrote: »

iTunes is a fraction of the cost of a CD in HMV?
I think not.

Netflix is great if you're into outdated and sparse content.

Spotify is gay.

Good argument, eloquently put.

If I'm honest, most of the time I'll listen to the songs on the album on YouTube or preview on iTunes and pick the songs I want. Simple as that. So yeah, it works out cheaper.

Re movies - Netflix and iTunes cover the bases. To rent a movie on iTunes is usually c.€3

There aren't many movies I want to watch twice.

I have access to US iTunes + Netflix and the content is much greater than what's offered in Ireland/UK.

You should look into that....or spend over the odds in Xtravision/HMV etc.

mathie · 15-01-2013 05:29PM

super_furry wrote: »

Great argument, well made. :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Its also an alcoholic.

SilverScreen · 15-01-2013 05:30PM

mathie wrote: »

Spotify is gay.

Wasn't aware that Spotify had a sexual orientation.

Allyall · 15-01-2013 05:41PM

Deleted User wrote: »

The fact that you say that it took 2 less than a month old releases and 5 recent enough releases to get just one game makes your story a little hard to believe. HMV have for a long time offered the best trade in prices, so its hard to believe that it took so many games just to get one.

A few months back I got ovdr 60 euro for three games which were a good few months old. GameStop offered 17 for the same three games which is why had you told the same story about GameStop I'd find it much more believable.

May be hard to believe, but it happened.

ilovesleep wrote: »

For her son to be wrapped in cotten wool no doubt. Or perhaps one of those toddlers leads to prevent her son from rambling.

There's no doubt the 18s game shouldn't have been sold to an 11 year old but where was she, the mother to allow her child to ramble into town. If she thinks he's so vunerable to an 18s game, he shouldn't be allowed out on his own at 11.

Already answered, He was at a Birthday Party, Not supposed to be rambling anywhere, let alone a shopping mall. (Not into town). He wasn't allowed out on his own, The party he was at parents' allowed him and one or two other out because they lived beside the Shopping Centre.

C14N wrote: »

I don't understand what happened here. They just took his game? Was he buying it? Was he trading in? Was he just wandering around with a game in his hand and they stole it? Why did an 11 year old have seven games with gratuitous sexual content? Why was he there for a birthday party? What was he doing bringing games to a shopping mall to play? I really honestly have no idea what's happened here.

11 Year old didn't have seven games with Gratuitous content, he exchanged them for one that did. He asked for a trade in, and guy behind counter told him it would be seven of the games in his bag. He didin't like some of them anyway, so changed them. Regardless of how the Kid got there, Staff member should've asked where an adult was. It's more common sense than anything, and isn't rocket science.

VinLieger wrote: »

Still not entirely the stores fault, the parents have to shoulder some blame for not being aware of what their 11 year old was doing

I didn't blame the store entirely, and the parents that allowed the kids to go there got a bit of a bollicking. All his mother wanted was HMV to retract the transaction, give him back the games and take back the game they gave him. They refused. I didn't/don't think that was a big ask ~ As a result, i have no sympathy for anything that happens to HMV. My Opinion.

RossyG · 15-01-2013 05:42PM

Zero1986 wrote: »

Wasn't aware that Spotify had a sexual orientation.

I think he means Spotify is a jolly place.

Hogzy · 15-01-2013 05:43PM

super_furry wrote: »

Zavvi.com are much cheaper and aren't going anywhere.

I wouldnt be so sure about that. THey are exploiting the same tax loophole that play.com were using to avoid VAT on sub £15 goods. UK government has brought in legislation meaning the low value consignment relief will no longer apply to goods coming from the Channel Islands. Meaning Zavvi will have to start charging UK VAT.

It might be too awkward for Zavvi to have different prices for Ireland and other EU countries and then to have a UK price. I can definetly see zavvi's prices going up though.

El Inho · 15-01-2013 05:48PM

recently noticed in Kilkenny that tou actually could not buy a CD anywhere in town except for HMV...

then i realised why would I want to buy a CD.

Much like a cinema closing down, I don't care much for HMV. Cinema's and them seem to think they are monolpolies and can charge what ever they like for what can only be described as ****e!

I know using the cinema here as a comparison might not be perfect, but its how i feel about both places. For example.

Cinema ticket + popcorn + malteasers + drink = ~€20 (disgrace!)

while

download movies that is in cinema (love this time of year) + 2 liters of coke + microwave popcorn (which will actually be hot) + malteasers = ~€10 (at the absolute max)

rant = if you are like hmv and the cinemas and charge too much i hope you enjoyed the profits before you went tits up.

ps - spotify is great, netflix is old but good, itunes is daycent.

super_furry · 15-01-2013 05:59PM

Hogzy wrote: »

I wouldnt be so sure about that. THey are exploiting the same tax loophole that play.com were using to avoid VAT on sub £15 goods. UK government has brought in legislation meaning the low value consignment relief will no longer apply to goods coming from the Channel Islands. Meaning Zavvi will have to start charging UK VAT.

It might be too awkward for Zavvi to have different prices for Ireland and other EU countries and then to have a UK price. I can definetly see zavvi's prices going up though.

Nah, The Hut Group, who own zavvi.com have it covered by moving their offices to the US http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/16/hut-avoid-vat-shipping-via-us

C14N · 15-01-2013 06:00PM

El Spearo wrote: »

rant = if you are like hmv and the cinemas and charge too much i hope you enjoyed the profits before you went tits up.

Do you actually have any idea how much they were making when they "charged too much"? Since they're in liquidation, I would have to assume it wasn't a lot.

Your comparison about the cinema is basically saying "I can spend a tenner on a movie and a tenner on food or just the tenner on food and then steal the movie", obviously it's going to be cheaper when you don't pay for half of it.

e_e · 15-01-2013 06:02PM

El Spearo wrote: »

recently noticed in Kilkenny that tou actually could not buy a CD anywhere in town except for HMV...

then i realised why would I want to buy a CD.

Much like a cinema closing down, I don't care much for HMV. Cinema's and them seem to think they are monolpolies and can charge what ever they like for what can only be described as ****e!

I know using the cinema here as a comparison might not be perfect, but its how i feel about both places. For example.

Cinema ticket + popcorn + malteasers + drink = ~€20 (disgrace!)

while

download movies that is in cinema (love this time of year) + 2 liters of coke + microwave popcorn (which will actually be hot) + malteasers = ~€10 (at the absolute max)

rant = if you are like hmv and the cinemas and charge too much i hope you enjoyed the profits before you went tits up.

ps - spotify is great, netflix is old but good, itunes is daycent.

I'm tired of these same old excuses and piracy apologists. If your cinema is overcharging you, go to a different cinema but don't download a camera rip and pretend for once it's the same thing. With this mindset no films would even get made to begin with.

Just use amazon to get your movies and music anyway.

Hogzy · 15-01-2013 06:09PM

super_furry wrote: »

Nah, The Hut Group, who own zavvi.com have it covered by moving their offices to the US http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/16/hut-avoid-vat-shipping-via-us

oh, didnt know about that. How the hell can they charge so little and ship via the US????

El Inho · 15-01-2013 06:22PM

e_e wrote: »

I'm tired of these same old excuses and piracy apologists. If your cinema is overcharging you, go to a different cinema but don't download a camera rip and pretend for once it's the same thing. With this mindset no films would even get made to begin with.

Just use amazon to get your movies and music anyway.

in kilkenny we only have one cinema, and its the most expensive cinema ive ever been to.

compare that to the cinema when i visit it in limerick which is 5.50 a pop for movies. and there is a clear divide between downloaders and non-downloaders, but at the end of the day I have a few bob left in me pocket that i saved from an extortionist. so im happy out.

Lightbulb Sun · 15-01-2013 06:26PM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

It's funny, I actually bought a rake of stuff in Golden Discs over Xmas (dvds, cds etc) because I couldn't get over how cheap everything was in the sales.

Genuinely couldn't tell you the last thing I got in HMV- possibly a voucher for my little bro.

Everything is horrendously overpriced in there, not just cds and games, but books, posters and t-shirts.

Don't agree. Many CDs bar the imported/rarer were good value. They always had 2 for 1 deals on too. Their range will be a huge loss. I've no interest in buying Rihannas latest which can be bought anywhere, HMV were reliable for having the new indie/non top 40 releases in on release date.

Amirani · 15-01-2013 06:32PM

El Spearo wrote: »

in kilkenny we only have one cinema, and its the most expensive cinema ive ever been to.

compare that to the cinema when i visit it in limerick which is 5.50 a pop for movies. and there is a clear divide between downloaders and non-downloaders, but at the end of the day I have a few bob left in me pocket that i saved from an extortionist. so im happy out.

Maybe the cinema would be able to offer cheaper ticket prices if they got bigger audiences? If there's only a small number of people who aren't following your fool-proof downloading strategy then the cinema will be forced to charge those people more.

Hogzy · 15-01-2013 06:35PM

NiallSparky wrote: »

Maybe the cinema would be able to offer cheaper ticket prices if they got bigger audiences? If there's only a small number of people who aren't following your fool-proof downloading strategy then the cinema will be forced to charge those people more.

Everytime I go to the cinema to see a blockbuster movie its packed and i have to que for a good half hour/45mins to get a good seat. IMO Piracy doesnt affect the Cinema as much as it affects DVD sales.

I am a big downloader of movies but I absolutly hate watching movies that were copied in a cinema by using a handheld camcorder. The picture is rubbish.
Nothing beats the cinema experience when watching movies.

El Inho · 15-01-2013 06:45PM

Hogzy wrote: »

Everytime I go to the cinema to see a blockbuster movie its packed and i have to que for a good half hour/45mins to get a good seat. IMO Piracy doesnt affect the Cinema as much as it affects DVD sales.

I am a big downloader of movies but I absolutly hate watching movies that were copied in a cinema by using a handheld camcorder. The picture is rubbish.
Nothing beats the cinema experience when watching movies.

important to point out i will fork out the dosh for a film worth seeing. for example the likes of batman etc. but around this time of year the blockbusters are dvd quality downloads. like django unchained...not even out yet and ive watched this in perfect quality. i remember the when you'd rent a video they would big up at the start how the video shop could be a year earlier than tv...

the cinema offers very little over downloading. sure there are the certain movies you gotta see in the cinema. but there are plenty of reasons to avoid the cinema too.

15-01-2013 06:49PM

El Spearo wrote: »

important to point out i will fork out the dosh for a film worth seeing. for example the likes of batman etc. but around this time of year the blockbusters are dvd quality downloads. like django unchained...not even out yet and ive watched this in perfect quality. i remember the when you'd rent a video they would big up at the start how the video shop could be a year earlier than tv...

the cinema offers very little over downloading. sure there are the certain movies you gotta see in the cinema. but there are plenty of reasons to avoid the cinema too.

If you think a screener is perfect quality the you must have never seen a proper DVD or Blu-Ray and be used to crappy camera rips.

The screeners that get released are decent enough but nowhere near as good a legally obtained DVD. The image is compressed to hell, any scenes set at night descend into a pixelated mess and the sound is at best acceptable.

hooradiation · 15-01-2013 06:55PM

Penn wrote: »

My point was that even though many of us can and do get this stuff for free, we often pay for it too (even stuff we have already downloaded and therefore don't really need to buy), and in many cases, they are things we wouldn't have paid for if we hadn't downloaded them for free in the first place.

I don't believe that's a accurate for most people who pirate, but I certainly believe it's something people who pirate like to say.

Benny_Cake · 15-01-2013 06:56PM

Hogzy wrote: »

Everytime I go to the cinema to see a blockbuster movie its packed and i have to que for a good half hour/45mins to get a good seat. IMO Piracy doesnt affect the Cinema as much as it affects DVD sales.

I am a big downloader of movies but I absolutly hate watching movies that were copied in a cinema by using a handheld camcorder. The picture is rubbish.
Nothing beats the cinema experience when watching movies.

Completely agree with you about downloading new releases, if I download anything (and of course I wouldn't!) it would be something that has been out for a while and is DVD quality. The cinema experience is still worth it, despite the outrageous ticket prices and endless ads to sit through.

What must have really killed HMV was probably a combination of high speed internet, services such as Netflix, and torrents. For quite a while, every Christmas HMV would have had queues out the door with people buying movies and box sets. As long as watching films or TV shows online was an inferior experience due to speed and so on, they could ride out the decline in music sales but it finally caught up with them. Last time I was in there DVD prices seemed very low indeed, so it must have been obvious that the game was up. It's a pity really.

Penn · 15-01-2013 07:00PM

hooradiation wrote: »

I don't believe that's a accurate for most people who pirate, but I certainly believe it's something people who pirate like to say.

Maybe because for some people who pirate, it's true. Not all, and probably not the majority, but for some.

I'd be happy to take a few pictures of my dvd collection for you tonight if you still doubt me (I'd need a few pictures because I can't fit them all on one shelving unit), bearing in mind though that I often have clearouts and either sell some to friends or bring to Gamestop to trade in, but I should still have a large enough collection to back up my point.

El Inho · 15-01-2013 07:03PM

what i was just trying to think was what other kind of services have we lost from the high street??

an example i can think of is the likes of a nokia shop or eircom shop we used to have to pay bills. An de-dentralised or digitised.

And what harm? is it cruel or is it progress? HMV dont offer anything unique. the same way as the generation that used to pay with cheques are moving aside for the plastic generation. eventually i can easily see cash being done away with.

Custardpi · 15-01-2013 07:32PM

Apologies if this has been raised already in the 22 pages of the thread but I wonder what will happen to HMV's premises in Dublin & elsewhere in Ireland if the firm completely collapses. The stores on Grafton & Henry St are in fairly expensive locations rent wise. Not sure what they've been paying up to now but probably not cheap. Will there be a retailer prepared to take over these premises as they are or would there have to be a significant discounting of the rent in order to attract a new tenant?

Dicky Pride · 15-01-2013 07:34PM

Can someone fix the spelling mistake in the thread title?

Gummy Panda · 15-01-2013 07:50PM

ilovesleep wrote: »

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

That guy is right. This is quite bizarre

e_e · 15-01-2013 08:00PM

Deleted User wrote: »

If you think a screener is perfect quality the you must have never seen a proper DVD or Blu-Ray and be used to crappy camera rips.

The screeners that get released are decent enough but nowhere near as good a legally obtained DVD. The image is compressed to hell, any scenes set at night descend into a pixelated mess and the sound is at best acceptable.

True, and I doubt many realize that vinyl and CD are far better quality than mp3 rips as well.

Hogzy · 15-01-2013 08:23PM

e_e wrote: »

True, and I doubt many realize that vinyl and CD are far better quality than mp3 rips as well.

CD is a digital format so the quality of an MP3 can easily match a CD.

Where as Vinyl is analogue.

Custardpi · 15-01-2013 08:29PM

Hogzy wrote: »

CD is a digital format so the quality of an MP3 can easily match a CD.

Where as Vinyl is analogue.

MP3 is a lossy format, by definition it's inferior to a CD. Whether or not you'll actually hear the difference or not depends on various factors but it's definitely not the same thing.

Smashius_Clay · 15-01-2013 08:32PM

Have they given any indication on when HMV vouchers will no longer be usable?

Allyall · 15-01-2013 08:35PM

Smashius_Clay wrote: »

Have they given any indication on when HMV vouchers will no longer be usable?

I think they said on the radio today that today was the last day...

EDIT.. They are not redeeming vouchers..

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0115/hmv-administrators.html

The company's administration, the UK equivalent of examinership, also means that vouchers and gift cards, many of which were given as Christmas presents, will not be accepted in stores.
The Consumers' Association's Dermott Jewell said consumers have little comeback with regard to gift vouchers and credit notes.
However, he said under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, those who purchased vouchers by credit card should make contact with their credit card company.
The association said it plans to contact the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to see what might be done for out-of-pocket consumers.

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/hmv-gift-vouchers-worthless-as-music-giant-collapses-into-administration-3353762.html

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/hmv-not-accepting-gift-cards-vouchers-1-4683194

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/hmv-confirms-stance-on-redeeming-gift-vouchers-581224.html

funnights74 · 15-01-2013 08:39PM

Shame about this but online is the future, i can't remember when i last bought a cd/dvd. Unfortunately that's just the way of the world.

HMV going into administration

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