Are entertainment stores like HMV redundant?

I don't think illegal downloading has anything to do with the downfall of stores like HMV. But that's opening a very large can of worms.

The only CD I've bought for myself in the last 2 years was from a musician in Portland, OR called Keith Kenniff (Helios). Not a chance in hell of his stuff being available in a store near me, so I purchased online. Apart from that, any CD I have bought in a store is like one of those random various artists albums for my old man on his birthday, and I bought that in Asda.
 
I think there's a place for them in large cities, where people who are either too backward to use the internet, or simply prefer flipping through CD boxes can go.

But in town centers they are out of date.
 
Doodlebug12 said:
Interesting article, thanks, totally agree that as they've tried to branch out they've made it difficult to know what HMV is actually for...
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Looking very similar to Woolworths at the moment. HMV Group has diversified, dedicating more floorspace to gaming and making an investment in their online business with 7digital, but they're very much on a course to be the jack of all trades, master of none.

HMV has a strong brand, but unlike retailers like Apple, they're simply not doing anything interesting.
 
They're just being so tightly squeezed between supermarkets offline, retailers with free delivery and excellent prices online, and then you have iTunes weighing in an dominating the download market.
 
Aleksandrs said:
I don't think illegal downloading has anything to do with the downfall of stores like HMV. But that's opening a very large can of worms.
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I'd have to disagree, for so many reasons. Rarther than go into a big argument just think it sure as hell isnt helping now is it?!
 
Still buy cd's just not from the highstreet. To be honest I've not bought anything from an actual shop for years.

Part of that is due to where I live, Nottingham is very anti car and thus the whole footfall economy has suffered, they have a good public transport system but is one one most expensive in the Uk outside of London.

You can see the damage the council have done in the city, every other shop is either a £1 shop, shut or closing down.
 
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Id say over the last 3 years ive maybe bought 1 cd and 2 dvds from them. In the last year ive only gone in there to buy things with vouchers that unimaginative family members have given me for christmas or birthdays.

I would go in and browse, because i like stumbling across something i may not have seen before, but i wont buy it, ill go home and order it online for less.

I feel sorry for the staff though, no where else will hire them with their cool edgy haircuts.
 
HMV was doomed from every direction, really. The supermarkets have gobbled up the market for top artists, and can do so cheaper. The internet retailers are better at servicing the long tail since storage space is cheaper than shop floor space. Although iTunes, etc. threaten the very market for physical music, CD sales are still large and plenty big enough to support a high street store in many areas.

The trouble for HMV is with the highly consumer, and very obscure both being better catered for by others they need something else to draw people in. A music shop with knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff can do that; but that's hard to offer from a chain store.

HMV will shut for good either this year, or after next Christmas. The brand may live on online.
 
I was having a big rant about HMV just the day before these closures hit the news. They are not a music shop any more. I went in for a CD on Tuesday and was disgusted at how tiny the music department is, about 1/6th of the store. The range is pitiful, mainly just mainstream guff. I reckon this is good news for proper music shops though. I enjoyed this article from back in April:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10089363

On the subject of CD's, I always buy the CD version of an album.

Al Vallario said:
HMV has a strong brand, but unlike retailers like Apple, they're simply not doing anything interesting.
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Except selling some Apple products. :D
 
I find them similar to Argos and WH Smith. Argos used to be the Amazon of the high street, I remember when everything was cheaper than rival shops as they had more of everything under one roof. Nowadays, they are most of the time dearer than other shops where you can actually see what you're getting.

Smiths, the same thing. Nowadays, books, stationery, magazines and board games etc can all be bought at the supermarket for half the price they are in there. Everything else they sell can be bought online cheaper.

Same with HMV. CDs/DVDs are half the price on the internet than they are in the shops. My reckoning is that they'll be lucky if they last two years. Once their shops shut, they will no doubt turn to 100% online.
 
I fancy boys said:
Yes, but with thier prices they deserve it tbh =/ they've failed to adjust. Why would you pay almost 50% more when you can have it online with free delivery?
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The trouble HMV, and other retailers, face is that city centre rents don't reflect the commercial realities. They pay more per square meter than out-of-town storehouses do, and the need to have easy access for customers means less stock can be put in that space. Add in the extra costs of theft, insurance, etc. and there is simply no possibility of HMV competing on price.
 
Pretty much imo, unless they can adjust their prices to compete with online shopping. I hardly buy anything whether it be a cd/game or film from the highstreet.

The simple fact is i can get most of the stuff i want online, cheaper and with free delivery. I only buy stuff from HMV/Game whatever if there is a genuine bargain to be had there that is cheaper than an online retailer.
 
I will buy hard copies of the stuff I really like, be it music or movies. I haven't bought from anywhere other than Play or Amazon for years as their prices are almost always a few quid less than the likes of HMV. I don't mind waiting a few days for the postie if it saves my money.

The other thing to look at is pre-ordering of items which when buying from Play or Amazon, always arrives via the postie on the day of release. No need to even leave the house to enjoy games on their launch date.
 
These shops need to entice you to go in. When the goods are expensive and the service is terrible, it's much more convenient just to get stuff online. It's no surprise that they are losing out.
 
Its interesting you have people complaining about high streets how they are all becoming all the same like in america. With the same predictable shops everywhere. This could be some way to claiming the individuality back. The internet cannot be beaten on price and the big companys have to fight it out on price so they will all end up on the internet.

So then perhaps the high street will be retaken over by the self employed entrepenuars(cannot spell it) so we end up with lots of interesting little shops that offer people things they cannot get elsewhere.
 
Jambo said:
I was having a big rant about HMV just the day before these closures hit the news. They are not a music shop any more. I went in for a CD on Tuesday and was disgusted at how tiny the music department is, about 1/6th of the store.
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I noticed this when i went in to spend my gift voucher (blu ray i wanted was out of stock :rolleyes: another nail in the coffin)

The store used to be packed with music, just under half of the floorspace was dedicated to music, same for DVDs, they had a corner at the back for games and a small section along the back wall for books and tshirts and other crap nobody wants.

Now however, theres practically nothing! It might have been stock issues due to the snow, but the store just seemed really bare. The entire front half of the store is now dedicated to pimping apple products, band/tv tshirts and colourful headphones. All the dvds, cds and games have to share the back half of the store and out of all of them the games section was by far the largest. Not what it used to be at all
 
Morbius said:
These shops need to entice you to go in. When the goods are expensive and the service is terrible, it's much more convenient just to get stuff online. It's no surprise that they are losing out.
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This. I utterly hate trooping round shops, town centres, malls etc.

I'd much rather do it from the comfort of my sitting room. I don't give a buggar about waiting for delivery as I work away all week anyway.
 
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