HMV R.I.P.?

[Patrick Bateman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12117510

Finding a PSB single in HMV is the new needle in a haystack, so what are the fanbase's opinions on the behemoth's imminent demise? I still buy the odd thing off its website but whenever I enter an actual store these days I quickly exit bemused by the lay-out, no longer content to pass half-an-hour perving at the big posters (and really too old to know better now, actually), and knowing that everything is far cheaper online (often at its own website).

The thing about illegal downloading killing the live retail experience that doesn't quite ring true is the fact that hardly anybody pays for porn these days and yet they still produce plenty of that.

[Undertaker]

If i were to walk in a HMV store tomorrow, not knowing what kind of store it was, i certainly wouldn't think it was supposed to be a music store. Also, charging £21.99 for Fundamental (as one example) is hardly going to keep the tills ringing.

[Patrick Bateman]

Wow, is it really £21.99?

[Undertaker]

Wow, is it really £21.99?

It was, yeah. Although it was the double album

Next time i'm in town, i'm going to check out the prices again and come on here moaning because i'm sad like that. The album chart was at the back of the store and posters, along with X Box games, were the most prominent.

[Patrick Bateman]

Flamboy.....erm.....I mean Danger Danger will probably know the comparative prices of each Erasure/PSB release at every retail outlet in the country.

[Lucy]

It's a shame in a way, but it wouldn't surprise me if they close altogether in the future.
Prices even differ between a HMV store and their own website! People will obviously go for the cheaper option..

[Flaffer]

as indeed I did three days ago - the instore price was actually double what it was online, and £2 above the listed rrp (On HMVs website)

[StevePSB]

I heard a bit of 'insider' gossip a good couple of years ago they were having real trouble paying bills. I suspect this now could be the beginning of the end for them.

I was in my local branch the other day (also being confused and bemused by the layout!) and I saw the Royle Family box set for £20 with a previous price of £50 on the price sticker. I was very tempted as it seemed a great deal, but decided against because as a rule I always check out online prices before buying on the high street. When I got home I found Amazon were selling at £12.99. 'nuf said!

They have long been far, far too expensive and I think that has kept many people away from their cash tills.


StevePSB

[billiejo]

The last one I went in was total chaos during November - even the staff didn't know where to find things. All the ones I have visited in recent times have never been a pleasant shopping experience.

[Lucy]

They never seem to have what you're looking for. I was trying to find albums by certain artists to get for people as christmas presents and had no luck!

[Dipso]

HMV owns Waterstones and Fop. I hope they don't take them down too if/when they go under.

HMV probably has far too many branches as they took on many of the Virgin Megastores when they went under a few years ago.

[skyhigh]

got my daughter an ipod touch for her xmas outta HMV in Ayr. It was maybe the most expensive place to get one but the £20 gift voucher and £25 itunes voucher swung it for them.

[Undertaker]

Flamboy.....erm.....I mean Danger Danger will probably know the comparative prices of each Erasure/PSB release at every retail outlet in the country.

And then use the flops that was Nightbird and Light At The End... as an excuse because they were 4 pence dearer than Fundamental and Yes.

[Fugitive1979]

I went to HMV Edinburgh in September. Everything I looked at was way overpriced. Pandemonium DVD was £22 (bought from Amazon for £12/£13), and Genesis Live at Wembley was £20 (Amazon £12). There were a few CDs, but the majority of the store was turned-over to gaming and clothing.

Five minutes later, I'm in Fopp Records, picking up bargain after bargain. They even had the Very and Bilingual re-issues for about a fiver. It was the first time I had been to Fopp, but Dad has been many times and almost swears by it for picking up bargains. As Dipso said, it would be a shame if Fopp and Waterstones were to go down with HMV.

[JSDOUVRES]

Flamboy.....erm.....I mean Danger Danger will probably know the comparative prices of each Erasure/PSB release at every retail outlet in the country.

And then use the flops that was Nightbird and Light At The End... as an excuse because they were 4 pence dearer than Fundamental and Yes.

But you have copyright on that kind of thing don't you Undertaker?

Anyway isn't this thread turning into another Undertaker and Patrick love up? You two need to get a room.

As for HMV, well the internet has pretty much killed them like so many other similar stores, I am just glad that Play.com exists, especially living in France because over here we have a similar shop called FNAC which is so expensive it's an absolute disgrace. The problem in France though is that there are so many laws that protect shops and stop any price wars which is obviously not good for the man in the street. Cheaper buying anything from the UK from most online stores even after postage most of the time. I do hope HMV survives though because stores like them are getting rarer all the time.