HMV closing (again)

Fysh · 07-04-2013 02:59PM

I think HMV could keep up the gaming side of things reasonably easily, but they've lacked focus for several years with no idea of what they're actually doing. They bought Waterstones, then sold them a couple of years later because they didn't know what to do with them. They started trying to focus on selling audio equipment, and that didn't work out either (because whatever about Beats audio having name recognition, it doesn't have any credibility amongst serious sound engineers or audiophiles as far as I can tell).

I think they need to focus on what they're doing well and focus on making the in-store experience more compelling - I still go to bookshops like Waterstones because I know that if I need advice or help I'll be getting it from someone who knows what they're talking about. I don't remember when I last actually asked for advice about films in an HMV, but certainly the few times I've been looking for advice about music they weren't particularly promising.

Sad Professor · 07-04-2013 06:06PM

Eventually we'll see the return of independent-style shops aimed at enthusiasts and staffed by people who know their stuff. The best shops have always been the semi-autonomous ones who can order their own stock and directly respond to the needs of their customers. Big retail chains operated under a central management simply aren't going to cut it anymore. Waterstones in the UK is a good example of a big retailer forced to copy the little shops in order to survive. Though I suspect the current model in which brick-and-mortar shops attempt to compete with online shopping will limp on for another while yet.

McLoughlin · 07-04-2013 07:19PM

Sad Professor wrote: »

Eventually we'll see the return of independent-style shops aimed at enthusiasts and staffed by people who know their stuff. The best shops have always been the semi-autonomous ones who can order their own stock and directly respond to the needs of their customers. Big retail chains operated under a central management simply aren't going to cut it anymore. Waterstones in the UK is a good example of a big retailer forced to copy the little shops in order to survive. Though I suspect the current model in which brick-and-mortar shops attempt to compete with online shopping will limp on for another while yet.

Thats whats happened in Ireland with music stores such as the Wing Nut chain of record stores.

08-04-2013 05:31PM

There's talk of 10 stores to reopen here, not sure how viable that is given that many of the premises have been gutted and I'd imagine that landlords have been looking at other tenants to occupy them. Really hope it does happen, especially in places that right now have nowhere you can pop in and pick up a DVD or CD.

One of the great things I found in HMV was that you could head in and if they didn't have what you wanted then they'd order it in. 9 times out of 10 they would have it iwthin a few days and at a reasonable price. As for their "world cinema" selection, well it paled in comparision to the general Hollywood selection but they had a pretty damn fine selection. You could almost guarantee that they would have all the weeks new releases, be that Blockbuster or small Korean film about a family gathering.

What I liked most about them was that if you preordered in a film or a game or a CD then you paid the price you ordered it at or a cheaper price if they got it in for less than quoted unlike GameStop who will often tell you that if you want your preorder you have to pay 5 or 10 euro extra. Doesn't matter if you preordered and paid 50 euro, you weren't getting the game till you paid the difference.

Corkfeen · 08-04-2013 05:42PM

Deleted User wrote: »

There's talk of 10 stores to reopen here, not sure how viable that is given that many of the premises have been gutted and I'd imagine that landlords have been looking at other tenants to occupy them. Really hope it does happen, especially in places that right now have nowhere you can pop in and pick up a DVD or CD.

I'd suspect that the Cork store on Patricks Street will be back. The street is getting emptier and emptier and the HMV premises was fairly large and the rents were excessive. So HMV negotiating on the rents for there would be the most likely outcome.

08-04-2013 05:46PM

Corkfeen wrote: »

I'd suspect that the Cork store on Patricks Street will be back. The street is getting emptier and emptier and the HMV premises was fairly large and the rents were excessive. So HMV negotiating on the rents for there would be the most likely outcome.

Biggest problem is that many of the landlords will refuse to budge on rents. We've seen time and time again just how backward thinking most landlords are, they'd sooner have an empty premises than negotiate on rent.

Corkfeen · 08-04-2013 05:56PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Biggest problem is that many of the landlords will refuse to budge on rents. We've seen time and time again just how backward thinking most landlords are, they'd sooner have an empty premises than negotiate on rent.

Possibly but i'm hoping the fact that nobody can afford to rent on the street will help them cop on that they have to drop the rents a tad.

wampyrus77 · 08-04-2013 08:36PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Biggest problem is that many of the landlords will refuse to budge on rents. We've seen time and time again just how backward thinking most landlords are, they'd sooner have an empty premises than negotiate on rent.

rent charges why, when hmv have more rights to be there then the landlords

indough · 08-04-2013 08:44PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

rent charges why, when hmv have more rights to be there then the landlords

how can they possibly have more right to be there than the people who own the building?

08-04-2013 09:17PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

rent charges why, when hmv have more rights to be there then the landlords

Are you just posting nonsense for the sake of it? No idea what the hell you are trying to say there, HMV have about as much right to rerent any of their old premises as I do and the owner of the properties has every right to tell both me and HMV to fuck right off.

Renn · 08-04-2013 11:22PM

08-04-2013 11:25PM

Renn wrote: »

I had him on my ignore list but am quite curious to see this mystical Tower Records 23% extra receipt and was afraid I'd miss it.

Heard from a friend who used to work on HMV that some of the managers have gotten calls about possible reopenings. Nothing official but from what he said its looking good and Hilco are actively pursuing it.

jaykhunter · 09-04-2013 05:37AM

I imagine CD sales are pretty much dead in Dublin so that'd free up some space. Would it be bigger in the country?

I wonder if HMV'd consider moving to a less-expensive street to cut down on rent. I hope they come back, one of my only stops in Liffey valley, Grafton & Henry St.

Fysh · 09-04-2013 08:58AM

Sad Professor wrote: »

Waterstones in the UK is a good example of a big retailer forced to copy the little shops in order to survive. Though I suspect the current model in which brick-and-mortar shops attempt to compete with online shopping will limp on for another while yet.

Not sure I'd agree there, necessarily - Waterstones are one of the only big chains I can think of that have generally managed to maintain a quality of experience and service that makes them worth visiting even when the same products may be available cheaper online, and have been for at least 10 years as far as I can tell. They're better than most bookshops for having well-stocked horror and sci-fi sections, and are good at ensuring that their staff actually have an interest in books.

I think their nearest equivalent in terms of HMV-style shops is Fopp, and unfortunately by virtue of having been rescued by HMV during an earlier bankruptcy, Fopp's survival is directly tied to HMV's at the moment (even though HMV's management doesn't seem to have understood what Fopp did ell that HMV didn't, since the few changes they've made to the Fopp in Charing Cross since they took over have been to the shop's net detriment...)

Corkfeen wrote: »

Possibly but i'm hoping the fact that nobody can afford to rent on the street will help them cop on that they have to drop the rents a tad.

I'd also hope that the recent judgement re: upward-only rent reviews on Grafton Street and the net migration of shops away from Pana and towards either Mahon Point or online-only operations might encourage them to stop being prats. Not that I'd hold my breath, mind you...

14-04-2013 02:30AM

This is for anyone who likes to claim that HMV had extortionate prices and celebrated it's demise by talking down about how they got all the films from amazon which way cheaper.

Decided that I'd put together a Blu-Ray order as there's a few titles I've wanted to get, Sound of my Voice, Winters Bone, The Master, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Winters Bone, Cabin in the Woods and Martha Marcy May Marlene as gifts for a friend. Figured that at most I'd be looking at £80 pound for them. Was shocked when I saw the prices amazon were selling the films for, £123.50 for all of them. £23 for Sound of My Voice alone and £15 for Cabin in the Woods. I paid less for Cabin the weekend it came out in HMV.

Tipsy McSwagger · 14-04-2013 05:16PM

Deleted User wrote: »

This is for anyone who likes to claim that HMV had extortionate prices and celebrated it's demise by talking down about how they got all the films from amazon which way cheaper.

Decided that I'd put together a Blu-Ray order as there's a few titles I've wanted to get, Sound of my Voice, Winters Bone, The Master, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Winters Bone, Cabin in the Woods and Martha Marcy May Marlene as gifts for a friend. Figured that at most I'd be looking at £80 pound for them. Was shocked when I saw the prices amazon were selling the films for, £123.50 for all of them. £23 for Sound of My Voice alone and £15 for Cabin in the Woods. I paid less for Cabin the weekend it came out in HMV.

Comes to £80.15 if you choose the cheaper US imports of 4 of those blu rays.

14-04-2013 05:39PM

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Comes to £80.15 if you choose the cheaper US imports of 4 of those blu rays.

I saw that when searching but the point is that amazon have jacked up the prices of pretty much all their stock in the months since HMV got into trouble.

Tipsy McSwagger · 14-04-2013 05:57PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I saw that when searching but the point is that amazon have jacked up the prices of pretty much all their stock in the months since HMV got into trouble.

You would think with how popular Netflix is they would actually lower their prices. I used to buy lots of blu rays but hardly buy any now thanks to Netflix and a certain torrent site for new releases.

JP Liz V1 · 18-04-2013 12:25AM

Corkfeen wrote: »

I'd suspect that the Cork store on Patricks Street will be back. The street is getting emptier and emptier and the HMV premises was fairly large and the rents were excessive. So HMV negotiating on the rents for there would be the most likely outcome.

I open it does reopen in Cork loved going in store for a browse everything I was around city centre and tbf always picked up a bargain and the staff were always helpful and polite to me

wampyrus77 · 06-05-2013 06:51PM

will hmv reopen in dublin soon

ussjtrunks · 09-05-2013 09:49PM

Latest : http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/commercial-property/hope-for-hmv-s-irish-stores-1.1385053

Im sure I read they were in talks a month ago wonder why its taking so long

wampyrus77 · 17-05-2013 12:12PM

when does hmv reopens in ireland especially dublin

17-05-2013 12:20PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

when does hmv reopens in ireland especially dublin

Nobody knows but summer time or autumn would be the soonest.

Any chance you could post up that Tower receipt with the added charges? Little unfair of you to make the accusations you did and not provide the proof you repeatedly claim to have.

McLoughlin · 17-05-2013 12:21PM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

when does hmv reopens in ireland especially dublin

Hilco says they are in talks "with a view to re-establishing a HMV business in the Republic of Ireland" so its not even 100% certain if HMV will reopen.

Dublinfan · 25-05-2013 01:52PM

there seems to be little updates on this does anyone know if the reopenings are likey to go ahead

ussjtrunks · 29-05-2013 12:11AM

No idea why there is so little info the talks with the landlords are taking over 2 months now from the orginal story in April do these things usually take this long?

Dublinfan · 29-05-2013 11:24AM

ussjtrunks wrote: »

No idea why there is so little info the talks with the landlords are taking over 2 months now from the orginal story in April do these things usually take this long?

surprise no follow up but i presume there is alot of contracts work setting up new acounts suppliers ect the fact that henry street is still vacant and not for rent plus the hmv sign still up is a good sign though

wampyrus77 · 29-05-2013 11:35AM

should no rents charges because their names are still above the buildings that should count they own building rights to places and there longer then the landlords

Galvasean · 29-05-2013 11:37AM

wampyrus77 wrote: »

should no rents charges because their names are still above the buildings that should count they own building rights to places and there longer then the landlords

That is really not how property/renting works.

Corkfeen · 29-05-2013 11:40AM

Galvasean wrote: »

That is really not how property/renting works.

He's only trying to irritate.

Amazon prices have jumped up ever since their closure which shows the need for them as competition...

HMV closing (again)

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