HMV consigned to history?

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Digifiend
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by Digifiend »

It's looking that way - why would the administrators start accepting gift vouchers if they thought the company was unsalvageable? Blockbuster never stopped accepting theirs, possibly in light of the customer anger that was widely reported after HMV's fall into administration just a few days before their own, rather than because they felt they had a future.

Phoenix
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by Phoenix »

Gilly wrote:Now Blockbuster video on the other hand could be a different story...
Well, my local Blockbuster store is still renting out a reduced selection of DVDs, but they are selling off the rest of their stock at attractive prices. I bought nine yesterday for £25, two of which were blu-ray. When I passed it today though, it looked a bit sad, a bit like Mr McGregor's garden after Peter Rabbit's family had had a free run at it.

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stevezodiac
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by stevezodiac »

I hope the people who open the doors at HMV tomorrow morning will be wearing crash helmets etc. "Thunder of hooves."

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Gilly
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by Gilly »

Digifiend wrote:It's looking that way - why would the administrators start accepting gift vouchers if they thought the company was unsalvageable? Blockbuster never stopped accepting theirs, possibly in light of the customer anger that was widely reported after HMV's fall into administration just a few days before their own, rather than because they felt they had a future.
Comet kept accepting Gift Vouchers for a while after going into administration though.

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Gilly
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by Gilly »

Apologies for the double post but here's some news that might interest you all.

HMV has been saved. :D

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/01/22/h ... d-by-hilco

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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

Great news for once!

felneymike
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by felneymike »

Well a huge debt being transferred from one thing to another is not the same as it having been paid off...

If online sales are killing them off, they ought to agressively market their own online sales and hopefully use profit from them to keep the shops running. There's HMV's everywhere - perhaps people could buy something obscure online and pick it up in a branch the next day? Maybe an "Argos" type operation where they have a huge selection crammed into an efficiently-organised store room (rather than the inefficient shop aisles where you need the general public wandering around looking at stuff) and people can pick it from a book or screen?

Mind you, having an "Argos type" operation didn't do Index any favours... or that other shop that I can't even remember ("the catalogue shop", or something?)

DavidKW
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by DavidKW »

Sounds like the nails are still going into HMV's coffin.

They've suicidally decided to shut the big one in Manchester City Centre, which was always crowded and busy - surely a case to keep the stronger ones open? That leaves the nearest one in the wilds of the Trafford Centre.

At the time it was keeping the quiet Bolton one open - where ardly anyone entered. But that's now bitten the dust along the the already doomed ones in neighbouring Rochdale & Blackburn.

I went to the Oxford Street one in London this week - usually it was always good for finding almost any DVD (or video as when I last visited it was in 1999 - last time in London in 2000 to get specialist CDs that HMV didn't stock or over-charged on), but no, it had hardly anything that interested me (still on a positive - it meant more money to buy comics!).

The trouble was in my theory is that it stocked high too many of the same corporate made (mostly American) films and TV shows which the supermarkets sold for cheaper anyway - and thanks to internet most had them alrwedy anyway (such as Sopranos DVDs - which I don't have as I struggle to get into anything American).

Should've stocked more for specialists perhaps? I'm finding more intersting stuff on Bolton's markets & secondhand ones like Cex.

Lew Stringer
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by Lew Stringer »

My local branch, which wasn't originally on their hit list, is now set to close. A great shame considering our town centre is almost entirely full of charity shops (five next door to each other in one street), mobile phone shops and Poundland / 99p stores.

I've always supported HMV as best I could, enjoying a browse around the shop and buying various stuff. However I noticed this week that, after their sale, they're now rocketed their prices up. I was going to buy a DVD that they had last week for £10, which is now £30. They've learned nothing.

So I bought it off Amazon instead for £12.

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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

your hesitancy cost you two quid, Lew!

Mind you, sometimes snapping up an item too quickly can cost you money as well---I bought an item from e-bay last week, and 12 hours later it was on sale for a tenner cheaper from the same dealer!

DavidKW
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by DavidKW »

What with HMV going in Bolton centre, along with the Burtons and Currys there, plus other high street brand casualties - Bolton is turning into a right ghost town (an Amici coffee shop and the non-halal Subway branch are still empty after more than 4 years).

Even the big Salvation Army charity shop is going - shame as I got some good annuals there.

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philcom55
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by philcom55 »

You know the economy's in trouble when even the charity and cut-price shops start going. Last week I noticed that one of our local branches of 'The Works' was having a liquidation sale! :shock:

- Phil R.

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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

Yes Phil, I honestly believe this recession is pretty deep-rooted, and worse than is being let on by those in power......even people with money are unwilling to spend it, it is just lying dormant in many cases.

Its in a big part the banks' fault I reckon, they were just too reckless and uncaring with peoples' money.

felneymike
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by felneymike »

philcom55 wrote:You know the economy's in trouble when even the charity and cut-price shops start going. Last week I noticed that one of our local branches of 'The Works' was having a liquidation sale! :shock:

- Phil R.
I think they have those sales every 6 months or so. It took 3 of them before I realised the shop itself wasn't closing down!

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philcom55
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Re: HMV consigned to history?

Post by philcom55 »

This was different in that absolutely everything in the shop was being sold off for half the marked price!

- Phil R.

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