Another national chain about to go

I think they are not honouring these vouchers anymore Birdy unfortunately. There have been reports of people furious that these are not being honoured and taking items to the value of the voucher and walking out.

Why people have to be angry at the staff is beyond me. It's not their fault the whole thing has gone **** up. It's the pillocks in senior management who made the wrong strategic choices time and time again and whose pricing policy is still idiotic. One would expect their online pricing to match their competitors but it doesn't. On the street you could understand a moderate increase to cover overheads but their pricing was still exorbitant.

However the staff I have encountered have always been very courteous and friendly and a couple very easy on the eye even if they didn't have much of a clue about what you wanted aside from the LGF at Oxford Circus.

Then also compounded their online operation by going from a online retailer who would get you your films to you on time to one who would send items damaged (steelbooks in particular) and late thanks to them opting to use TNT.

I'm sure they will survive in some form or other. The brand name still has a strong appeal, there is a market for them to tap into, and they can still rely on the support if it is required later of the major studios who will not want to be held to ransom by Amazon. Indeed the company that took over HMV Canada in 2011, Hilco is looking into buying some of the HMV chain. These will no doubt be the most profitable stores, there will still be job losses at these and perhaps refocusing on their core business as well as maintaining their online presence.

I hope they do. As the slimy Murdoch once said 'everyone hates a monopoly, until you get one yourself'. I don't want to see that here.

And I prefer to have my media in a physical form where it can be played on a large projection screen with all the attendant extras and no disturbance (cinema) or compression artifacts (stream).

 

I for one will miss HMV, whenever I am in Watford I always have a wonder round HMV and buy something. Sure I can probably get it cheaper online but then I have to wait an age just to recieve the item. The sales and blue cross events were very good value for money, I think I bought most of my horror collection from HMV as not many shops on the high street sell them. It's a shame they didnt adjust to the times.

 

Have you tried Amazon Prime. You can get a month's free trial. Buy something from Amazon and it will be shipped to you the next day. It's not all over. You never know HMV Watford might be one of the lucky branches to be taken over. Game are also interested.

It's sad though. You could walk from the Upper High Street,MVC down to Virgin/Zaavi and HMV before getting onto Borders. Now all that will be left if HMV does shut is crummy Cex , the same ****emeisters who scam people at WeWantAnyCar.com with those awful adverts.