HMV set to go into administration

[Colin]

You need protection and laws from the goverment to back your own companies, something this country has struggled with and failed to do for decades. We had the best national companies in the world and let them all get ran down or go for a song to foreign multi nationals.

Keep it British and pay double then?

Obviously sorry for the employees, but HMV have never been good price wise in my opinion. Years ago when I used to do all my CD shopping in actual shops, an album would often cost 50% as much at HMV than anywhere else, so it's not a new thing for them to be out of touch.

[vanpeebles]

I don't think its about Amazon not playing by the same rules, I just think they have a different attitude to how they run things. And in all fariness you cannot blame them for that. If Amazon have profitted from how they run their business, then maybe the other companies in question should have done the same thing?

In the end you have to adapt to survive, and UK shops are not doing that, its that simple really.

What like massive tax avoidance?

[Decider-VT]

Sorry to hear that dude :-(

DeciderVT - bummer

Thanks guys. Been there in one form or another since 2001, so the slide has been perceptible. Funny thing is that the reaction from most of the staff is almost one of relief that it's finally happened. Some of us had been skirting dangerously close to redundancy due to store closures in 2011, so in a sense it's almost better to get it over and done with. Quite a few people are also looking at it as the kick up the backside they've needed for a while. We're all quite angry at having to find out through social media and the press, though. Apparently some store managers were informed of events by their staff after the news was being reported over the internet.

[MatWoods]

Keep it British and pay double then?

Obviously sorry for the employees, but HMV have never been good price wise in my opinion. Years ago when I used to do all my CD shopping in actual shops, an album would often cost 50% as much at HMV than anywhere else, so it's not a new thing for them to be out of touch.

They are still doing it. Breezed though the Stockport store yesterday, noticed the blue cross sale and though, 'hey up', and clocked the Dr Who Shada release for ?27!! Only paid ?13 for it from the local supermarket last Friday. In my mind, they are simply unable to compete BUT also have routinely taken the p**s with some of their pricing over the years - the invention of the t'inyernet was their death knell, they just never heard it..

Yes i will miss the place to browse and I am sorry for those who may lose their jobs, for the majority the rediculous pricing was not their doing.

[originalbadboy]

What like massive tax avoidance?

Yeah its funny how that comes up, firstly they didnt actually avoid that much tax (which they have agreed to pay), not compared to say the 9 billion pounds vodafone still owe the UK (which by the way is a UK company). Secondly its all well and good people moaning about how someone like Amazon are somehow 'not playing by the rules' and yet at the same time will quite happily by goods from said company because its a good deal and or they get good customer service.

It doesn't just come to tax, look at what happenened to Play, they got their 'small' (in relative) terms loophole closed on them, and a hundred people lose thier jobs in Jersey. Thats not a great outcome either, and just gives less choice to the consumers.

There are a lot more factors involved in why these companies are going under, you can't just blame Amazon on it. As stated companies need to adapt, they are facing bigger operating costs, due to fuel rises, rent etc as well, not to mention they can't borrow anything from the bank these days either.

All of those issues could of course be solved if the government stopped trying to look after their own selfish interests and actually started making some decisions.

[J0e Musashi]

It's your own faults for stopping importing, and forcing UK retailers to start stocking video games, and turning it into a free-for-all.

[wakka]

****, I have a ?43 gift voucher that's now apparently invalid. That's so frustrating.

Condolences to those who have lost jobs, that sucks more.

[Soundwave]

Oh well by all accounts they aren't honoring gift cards which means the wife now has ?40 she can't do F'all with.

Ridiculous thing that as they've had the freaking money already so it's not as if they are losing out.

[importaku]

Losing jobs just after xmas, not what anyone wants. Must admit it's been years since i actually stepped foot in one, the last time a bought a game it was for PS1 so it's been a while. Can't say i'll miss it as nowdays just buy dvds & games from ebay.

[Dogg Thang]

Even with administrators in, how can they legally not honour gift cards given that, as Soundwave says, they've already had the money? And just after Christmas too, when a lot of people would have been given gift cards.

[Soundwave]

Losing jobs just after xmas, not what anyone wants. Must admit it's been years since i actually stepped foot in one, the last time a bought a game it was for PS1 so it's been a while. Can't say i'll miss it as nowdays just buy dvds & games from ebay.

I tend to be the same...but I did like a browse.
I've used them lately more as a "oooh that looks good...I'll see how much that is online when I get home & buy it" rather than spending money there.

It's such a shame they are going though...I will miss them & the extra few thousand people now in the job market means it will be even harder to find work.

[Soundwave]

Even with administrators in, how can they legally not honour gift cards given that, as Soundwave says, they've already had the money? And just after Christmas too, when a lot of people would have been given gift cards.

This is exactly what I don't understand...how can it be legal to not honour the gift card?

[EvilBoris]

It's because they count as some kind of credit or debt that they owe you

[dvdx2]

I tend to be the same...but I did like a browse.
I've used them lately more as a "oooh that looks good...I'll see how much that is online when I get home & buy it" rather than spending money there

times that by millions of cd/dvd/game buying people and thats why they are now in administration. We all like the extra ?5 we save at shopto or amazon

we are all too blame - in 10 years time every UK city will contain only 2 stores; a tesco and a mcdonalds and maybe a starbucks....it was a slippery slope, ever since the bloody thing was made avaliable to the public and the future is sealed

although the jobs will be increased in call centres...

[ETC]

It said on the radio this morning they will be trading as normal so gift cards should work if that statement was accurate