HMV closing (again)

Marty McFly · 12-02-2013 03:01PM

Technocentral wrote: »

I agree with you about downloading, but why are you against streaming? Netflix is excellent (approaching Blu Ray) quality and has loads of movies/tv.

Sorry

, I forgot about netflix I meant more like the illegal streaming sites were you can get terrible copies.

Havent got netflix I know its only 7 euro a month but already pay a fortune for sky so not sure if I will use it enough to justify it, so cant comment on netflix.

But even with sky in general if there's a film I see that I really like I generally like to own a copy of the film for myself.

12-02-2013 03:02PM

The quote that they were all the stores were operating at a loss is crap. I know for a fact that a number of the stores were making a profit, I was told that by a manager. It's a sad day not just for us who now have nowhere where we can buy a film or CD but also for smaller distributors. Companies such as Masters of Cinema, 88 Films, Monster Pictures and many others are most likely going to have to seriously cut back on the number of titles they release each year.

JustAddWater · 12-02-2013 03:05PM

Marty McFly wrote: »

will have to plan watching a film about two weeks in advance

????

12-02-2013 03:07PM

JustAddWater wrote: »

????

If any of us wants to watch a new release legally then from now on we will have to either hope its in Xtravision or order it online meaning we will have to wait a few days rather than a quick trip into HMV which as bad as they were always got in all the new releases.

McLoughlin · 12-02-2013 03:09PM

Deleted User wrote: »

If any of us wants to watch a new release legally then from now on we will have to either hope its in Xtravision or order it online meaning we will have to wait a few days rather than a quick trip into HMV which as bad as they were always got in all the new releases.

Pre Order a film online and it arrives on day of release.

12-02-2013 03:15PM

McLoughlin wrote: »

Pre Order a film online and it arrives on day of release.

No it doesn't. The UK gets new releases on a Monday and if you preorder online you will generally get it the following Thursday which is close to a week after the Irish release date.

Technocentral · 12-02-2013 03:41PM

Marty McFly wrote: »

Sorry , I forgot about netflix I meant more like the illegal streaming sites were you can get terrible copies.

Havent got netflix I know its only 7 euro a month but already pay a fortune for sky so not sure if I will use it enough to justify it, so cant comment on netflix.

But even with sky in general if there's a film I see that I really like I generally like to own a copy of the film for myself.

The people who watch those out of sync, vhs quality illegal streams haven't a clue about what constitutes acceptable quality, how they do it is beyond me..

drumslate · 12-02-2013 03:46PM

I will miss HMV as for me it is the only big music store in Belfast where I can purchase my hard copies!

Bacchus · 12-02-2013 04:08PM

Feel bad for the staff at HMV but lets face up to things here. Physical media has had a expiration date stamped on it ever since the first iPod came out. Since then there's been an explosion of media available to download & stream from either legal or illegal sources. Add to that, physical media was, for a good while, much cheaper to buy online than in stores. We've seen in the past 5 years other outlets close down in similar ways (Virgin Megastores was the first to get out of the business) and there was only so long the likes of HMV could survive. Like the record, the floppy, betamax, VHS, mini-disc & cassette tape before it, technology marches on. Only this time, it's to a digital media that doesn't need traditional outlets to be sold. CDs, DVDs & BluRays will live on for a while longer but the demand for them can no longer sustain shops. It is currently still a huge market but it is a shrinking one and it is one that is shared with online retailers who offer the convenience of ordering from your couch. So long HMV, it's sad but it was inevitable.

Necronomicon · 12-02-2013 04:55PM

We are screwed in Cork if something doesn't replace HMV. Golden Disks, Xtravision and the previously viewed shelves in Gamestop are the only places for DVD and Blu-ray now. ****.

Fysh · 12-02-2013 05:02PM

Necronomicon wrote: »

We are screwed in Cork if something doesn't replace HMV. Golden Disks, Xtravision and the previously viewed shelves in Gamestop are the only places for DVD and Blu-ray now. ****.

Was there over the weekend and it's looking pretty grim alright. Golden Discs were never going to be able to fill the void left by HMV, and with even Director's Cut having scaled down their operations (I saw they've moved to Academy Street but didn't get a chance to pop in) it's not looking good.

On top of which Vibes & Scribes appear to have gotten rid of their DVD rental operation which is a shame as they had a great selection of world cinema

12-02-2013 05:23PM

Necronomicon wrote: »

We are screwed in Cork if something doesn't replace HMV. Golden Disks, Xtravision and the previously viewed shelves in Gamestop are the only places for DVD and Blu-ray now. ****.

Galway is far worse off. All we have right now is Xtravision, who had no new releases in last week and Gamestop which had 7 Blu-Rays for sale last week. I know that I'll be able to get Skyfall in Xtravision or Tesco this Friday but I imagine that it's going to be a lot more than the 18 euro I was going to pay in HMV for the steelbook.

When it comes to music we are even worse off. I went into town last Thursday with the intent of picking up four albums, Bad Religion - True North, Eels - Wonderful Glorious, the new Biffy Clyro album and the special edition of Andrew W. K's I get Wet. Not one of them was available anywhere in town. It meant that I had to order them off amazon and here I am nearly a week later and they have yet to arrive. I ended up downloading them off piratebay so that I could listen to them while I wait for the CDs to arrive.

12-02-2013 05:42PM

It really is annoying that HMV is gone. I was watching the trailer for the Wee Man when I remembered that I never saw the last three episodes of Line of Duty and have been meaning to pick up Piggy for awhile. Up until a few weeks back all I would have to do is grab a jacket and walk down to HMV and there was a good chance that I'd be watching them tonight but now I have to use amazon to order them and according to the order I just made I won't get them till sometime next week at which stage I may not be in the mood for either.

Necronomicon · 12-02-2013 06:53PM

Fysh wrote: »

and with even Director's Cut having scaled down their operations (I saw they've moved to Academy Street but didn't get a chance to pop in) it's not looking good.(

I think they've closed down now too

Corkfeen · 12-02-2013 07:06PM

Necronomicon wrote: »

We are screwed in Cork if something doesn't replace HMV. Golden Disks, Xtravision and the previously viewed shelves in Gamestop are the only places for DVD and Blu-ray now. ****.

I now no longer have a reason to go onto Patrick Street. Never bought dvds from Xtravision so I don't plan on doing so now and the Golden Discs stock is atrocious(store is tiny too). Looks like i'll be buying everything online when it comes to both Dvds and games.:(

wampyrus77 · 12-02-2013 08:40PM

Marty McFly wrote: »

Balls :mad: I will seriously miss HMV. No more spur of the moment buying films, will have to plan watching a film about two weeks in advance :mad:, I don't do downloading or streaming films.

Golden Discs or Tower Records have a terrible selection compared to HMV and neither of them are even convenient.

golden discs is better price range then tower records because doesnt charge 23% extra for tax

plus golden discs has starting its sales

Marty McFly · 12-02-2013 08:45PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

golden discs is better price range then tower records because doesnt charge 23% extra for tax

plus golden discs has starting its sales

But Golden Discs like Tower Records has an absolutely terrible selection of Blu Rays.

wampyrus77 · 12-02-2013 08:53PM

Technocentral wrote: »

The people who watch those out of sync, vhs quality illegal streams haven't a clue about what constitutes acceptable quality, how they do it is beyond me..

omg prices for netflix

krudler · 12-02-2013 08:53PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

golden discs is better price range then tower records because doesnt charge 23% extra for tax

plus golden discs has starting its sales

Eh that'd be all sorts of illegal.

Technocentral · 12-02-2013 09:22PM

krudler wrote: »

Eh that'd be all sorts of illegal.

Ignore him, he's a couple of extras short of a premium dvd.

pixelburp · 12-02-2013 10:41PM

Very disappointed to hear that the Irish branches wouldn't be re-opened, but also not surprised; when push comes to shove, Ireland is a small side-market and our embrace of the British high street comes at this cost when those stores get into trouble.

Truthfully, I can't honestly remember the last time I bought a physical CD, and generally I only popped into HMV to check out its sales (my first BluRays were bought from there about a week before closure); but the chain seemed slow & generally disinterested in cultivating an on-line presence, and it's a shame Ireland is the one to pay the highest.

I definitely think there's a market for a walk-in multimedia store in its stead - this thread proves that passing trade is still strong - but with the disgraceful upwards-only rents of Grafton, there's little chance of that happening anytime soon.

So that's Waterstones & HMV closed now; half the reason I go into town gone now, and on the Southside there are no mainstream book or entertainment stores anymore. That's kinda depssing & pathetic.

Bullseye1 · 12-02-2013 10:51PM

Until rents and rates are reduced we can expect many more businesses to fold. It's a real pity about HMV and their staff.

phasers · 13-02-2013 12:08AM

I wanted to buy a couple of DVDs to watch the other day and I was racking my brain trying to think of somewhere to go - there's nowhere left! In the end I had to go to Xtra Vision and their selection sucks.

Come back HMV

Renn · 13-02-2013 12:51AM

Deleted User wrote: »

The quote that they were all the stores were operating at a loss is crap. I know for a fact that a number of the stores were making a profit, I was told that by a manager.

Well that's what he said to you. I know for a fact that all the shops were loss-making because Deloitte said it.

Grafton Street is turning into a bit of a mess now. Korky's across the street is closed as well I see. And there's a few discount bookshops iirc. And pop-up shops...

Gonzo · 13-02-2013 12:51AM

this really is bad, there is literally nowhere to browse in town anymore. GAME, HMV, Zavvi/Virgin megastore they are all gone. Only rip-off Gamestop left, tower that does not really sell many blu-rays and golden discs which is just crap in every way. It's just a barren wasteland of coffee shops and fashion stores left. Very little reason now to go to blanch centre or town in general, im sure im not the only one who will be in town alot less now, which has a knock-on effect to other things like people going for coffee/lunch.

13-02-2013 12:59AM

Renn wrote: »

Well that's what he said to you. I know for a fact that all the shops were loss-making because Deloitte said it.

Grafton Street is turning into a bit of a mess now. Korky's across the street is closed as well I see. And there's a few discount bookshops iirc. And pop-up shops...

What he said was occurring was that the profits from some stores was being used to offset the losses others were making. How true it is, it's hard to know but I seriously doubt that every store was operating at a loss.

Marty McFly · 13-02-2013 01:03AM

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Until rents and rates are reduced we can expect many more businesses to fold. It's a real pity about HMV and their staff.

To true that, my go to HMV was mostly in Liffey Valley were up until recently there was a restaurant that was always busy to the point a lot of the time it had ques out the door, which recently went bang aswell because despite always busy over heads were huge and it was making a loss.

As for all stores operating on a loss, surely that cant be true a lot of the HMV's you went into would be busy all the time and Im not just talking about busy with people browsing but with constant ques of people with merchandise in there hands.

wampyrus77 · 13-02-2013 01:14AM

i miss u hmv, best mega-store ever, best bargains and selection ever on DVDS, cds, and games, Im got wii u from there before its close and save myself more then €40, lol

Oafley Jones · 13-02-2013 04:04PM

Corkfeen wrote: »

I now no longer have a reason to go onto Patrick Street. Never bought dvds from Xtravision so I don't plan on doing so now and the Golden Discs stock is atrocious(store is tiny too). Looks like i'll be buying everything online when it comes to both Dvds and games.:(

Are there any xtra-vision stores left it the city? I thought they all closed well over a year ago.

I'd have bought at least 4 to 5 blu-rays a month. Must of that would have been impulse buys on older cheaper movies. I don't think I've ever actually bought a physical copy of a movie online. Without the immediate gratification of getting a copy in my hands I can see my purchases dropping to a handful a year. I've been renting digitally for years, but if it's a movie I want to buy I don't want to deal with the artefacting etc.

The big winners in all this with me could be Microsoft. I hate gamestop and they're going to absolutely ride the customers going forward. Imagine the fun with gta v comes out. If I can't get it cheap in tesco I'd rather go with MS's own store.

TheIrishGrover · 13-02-2013 04:10PM

Blockbuster are closing shops in the UK. Aren't they related to Xtravision in some way?

HMV closing (again)

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