Hmv rip ??

[Si Parallel Universe]

Going into administration twice in five years and the groups owners can't or won't comment ? It's not looking good :


https://news.sky.com/story/2200-jobs...ON2Xf3orZozV48

[princessgleek]

This is deeply depressing, I go to my local hmv a lot and have even made friends with one of the staff

[Eusthenopteron]

Yup, keeping fingers crossed for them all

[Supernova]

hope no one has any online orders.

[Si Parallel Universe]

I have at least three very limited pre-orders with them and can't afford to swap them. This is looking very grim.

[malcy30]

Gone into administration with KPMG appointed.
https://www.theguardian.com/business...administration

Anyone stupid enough to get gift cards from HMV for Christmas, get to a store and spend them now. You have been warned !

They will stay open for now whilst deciding what to do. Even if they survive it will be with a much reduced store count. Website is still up for now. Remember in the last administration the site was down over a year.

It may also mean they get no new stock so titles released next Monday onwards.

[CouncilSpectre]

What a shame

I thought they were doing ok these days. Guess that’s the PC fcuked.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by Supernova

hope no one has any online orders.

Assuming you paid with credit card not PayPal they only charge you at time of shipping. So no direct financial loss.

Have placed back up orders with Amazon on as many titles as makes sense. Remember Amazon are only cheap on pre-orders when they price match HMV.
However what you can’t replicate are my Arrow pre-orders in HMV’s 2 for £25 as these tend to be £15+ elsewhere singly.

Also worth getting any Premium Collection or VHS retro titles whilst you can as still in 2 for £15. Okay they may appear in a fire sale late but may not have the titles you want.

[cinescot]

I really hope this can be sorted. It is terrible news for everyone who works in HMV/Fopp going into the New Year. Also, I don't think you can underestimate the impact that no HMV would have on the market for physical media in the UK.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

What a shame

I thought they were doing ok these days. Guess that’s the PC fcuked.

Think the website did okay.

However as with all high street retailers they were haemorrhaging cash with all the costs that involves such as rent, rates, wages etc.

It seems that most people just aren’t interested in physical media any more and the boxsets in the stores which are normally great sellers in the run up to Christmas didn’t shift. They said sales down 30% on last year. That’s not sustainable in a business with rising costs of running stores. Government increasing business rates dramatically this year plus above inflation rises in the living wage which is probably all many of their staff earnt.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by malcy30

Assuming you paid with credit card not PayPal they only charge you at time of shipping. So no direct financial loss.

Have placed back up orders with Amazon on as many titles as makes sense. Remember Amazon are only cheap on pre-orders when they price match HMV.
However what you can’t replicate are my Arrow pre-orders in HMV’s 2 for £25 as these tend to be £15+ elsewhere singly.

Also worth getting any Premium Collection or VHS retro titles whilst you can as still in 2 for £15. Okay they may appear in a fire sale late but may not have the titles you want.

Amazon and tax breaks as well as rate and rent breaks and the fact that their staff are paid for by the Government in Wales and Scotland are partly responsible for HMV's demise. Think wherever possible I will not be giving my business to that retailer.

[ACID81]

How long will they be honouring pure points? Sitting on 140,000 points and wondering what the best thing to do is. Any ideas?
Gutted about this news, not only sad if hmv goes but will also have an effect on amazons prices. Always felt hmv kept amazon on their toes.

[Fat Phil]

Originally Posted by ACID81

How long will they be honouring pure points? Sitting on 140,000 points and wondering what the best thing to do is. Any ideas?

Use them ASAP. Don't wait.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by cinescot

I really hope this can be sorted. It is terrible news for everyone who works in HMV/Fopp going into the New Year. Also, I don't think you can underestimate the impact that no HMV would have on the Blu-Ray market in the UK.

Yes Amazon would kill physical media apart from potentially the boutique labels who would have to shift to mail order only from their own websites. But is that sustainable ?

Even the studios seem to want to sell direct as Universal have Zoom which also sells Sony, Paramount, Disney, BBC etc. whilst Warner launches their own store this year and have links IIRC to Entertainment Store on eBay who have a lot of stuff from Fox.

Expect to see Amazon leave more prices at the full rrp they now start most pre-orders at. They only tend to drop prices when they match HMV’s price.

[mattyl149]

I go every Monday as I prefer to buy in store

I can check the items and I don't have to worry about anything getting damaged in the post. There's the 2 for £25 offers, the Premium Collection, the Pure Points which I can usually get a few £50 off vouchers during the year (I'm close to one now, but probably won't get it now)

I had a £50 gift card for my birthday and I had £50 of my Zatoichi refund on there as well. Luckily I used the last of that on Monday

There's also the 4K steelbooks they do which Zavvi don't have or Amazon. Hopefully they'll get picked up by someone else. In regards to the Premium Collection, I hope Zavvi don't get that as they'll send them in jiffy bags and they'll arrive damaged

[Simon_LDT]

Anyone had any pure points added since around 23rd-24th? I'm waiting on some which would put me in the bracket for another £10 voucher.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by ACID81

How long will they be honouring pure points? Sitting on 140,000 points and wondering what the best thing to do is. Any ideas?
Gutted about this news, not only sad if hmv goes but will also have an effect on amazons prices. Always felt hmv kept amazon on their toes.

Originally Posted by Fat Phil

Use them ASAP. Don't wait.

Already posted this advice for gift cards.
Use them NOW

[Supernova]

i was in an HMV store here in Ireland when they went into administration years back. We were politely asked to leave our items on the counter and leave the store, and then the shutters went down and that was it.

[mattyl149]

Another point I wanted to make is the Birmingham store had so many temporary staff over Xmas. There must've been at least ten as well as the regular staff. That's just one store. I couldn't see a need for that many, and it's a huge cost

I find the staff in the Birmingham store very helpful and so I feel sorry for them

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by malcy30

Think the website did okay.

However as with all high street retailers they were haemorrhaging cash with all the costs that involves such as rent, rates, wages etc.

It seems that most people just aren’t interested in physical media any more and the boxsets in the stores which are normally great sellers in the run up to Christmas didn’t shift. They said sales down 30% on last year. That’s not sustainable in a business with rising costs of running stores. Government increasing business rates dramatically this year plus above inflation rises in the living wage which is probably all many of their staff earnt.

Whilst still devastating for their branch network and all those working in it, I could live with them going to an exclusive online presence only.

Don’t think we can underestimate a total loss - they’ve been one of the few things keeping AMZ honest in recent years.