Does anyone still shop at HMV?

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Do you still shop at HMV, RJG?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 00:25 (nineteen years ago)

well HMV Oxford road is >>> any othe HMV.

The HMVs I am most familiar with, such as the Glasgow Braehead one, are just terrible places to wander arounnd.

There is the idiotic division between the sale and the full price stuff. This has bothered me for years. It's bad enough in Fopp, but at least its mainly the quick to scan wall displays. The contents of the sale stuff, mainly ex-chart from a year or two, aren't interesting to browse.

All the cases are sealed too, making browsing a less fun activity anyway, I've become adept at opening the spine side top and bottom hinges to find out if that really is the album that has the track that has him from that other band on it.

And then the curious feeling that even though the store is large the selection is poorer than the much smaller Fopp on Byres road/ How do they do this? Unlike the Oxford Road HMV, the provincial shopping mall ones are not safe bets to find an item, far from it.

Oh and their DVD box set selection is poor, the DVD movie collection is terrible (especially older movies) and those trinkets near the counter are just naff, get better trinkets for gods sake.

and Marcello, the Scars CD is out, amazon

― Sandy Blair, Thursday, 15 March 2007 07:01 (nineteen years ago)

I don't even shop at the post office

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 08:32 (nineteen years ago)

There's a new-ish HMV near Moorgate which has about ten aisles, with one and a half of those given over to CDs, the rest being devoted to cheapo DVDs and video games.

There's a handwritten sign in the window saying the store still has 38 PS3s left for pre-order.

It's probably the worst HMV I've ever seen. Even the tiny little railway station ones have more CDs on offer.

― James Mitchell, Thursday, 15 March 2007 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

The record shops moan they aren't selling enough yet the don't fucking stock enough. If they didn't just get in 3 million take that cds and stocked some more slightly obscure stuff and develop a good reputation for having cds noone else has then they will get more people in the shop and loyal customers.
If I go into a record shop I DON'T WANT TO BUY MOBILE PHONES OR DVDS!!!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

Unfortunately the concept of "a record shop" is increasingly alien to the thrusting Thatcherkids whose custom HMV are so desperate to attract and retain.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

A friend of mine works in one of the London branches of HMV, he was telling me that the big store on Oxford Street only ordered 2 copies of the last Lamb Of God album, a 100,00+ seller worldwide. That was just an example, there's loads more similar examples I guess. Just shows that they have NO CLUE about how to make the place appealing to more than just tourists and fifty-pound-man. I think the big chains are realising that record shops aren't profitable any more but they don't really know what else they can do. I guess they'll go out of business within a few years.

― Matt #2, Thursday, 15 March 2007 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

It's quite simple. Stock more cd's. More than just the chart stuff you can get for £10 at Asda/Tesco. Stuff that isn't sold elsewhere will always get punters in thinking "oh I got so and so there i'll see if they have this in" Also, sell vinyl.
Build up a reputation and get goodwill from customers. Stop selling the same Dylan/RHCP cd's in sales everytime.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

The companies just want to concentrate on selling the platinum albums sadly. A quick buck is all they care about.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps they should accommodate second-hand/pre-owned material.

― blueski, Thursday, 15 March 2007 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Possibly the Oxford Circus HMV people just wave their hands in the air and assume that everyone wanting something off the beaten track will just go straight to Sister Ray or Rough Trade but it doesn't always work like that (especially not with Sister Ray's abominable stock control).

But for instance I wanted the Emily Haines/Soft Skeleton album - one copy in stock in Ox Circ HMV.
Catherine Howe's What A Beautiful Day reissue from 1971, subject of rave review by Barney Hoskyns in last month's OMM (and rightly so) - one copy in stock in Ox Circ HMV.
Marnie Stern - one copy in stock in Piccadilly HMV (they might have had some at Ox Circ but thanks to Biffy Bastard Clyro I had no opportunity to find out).

So more imaginative stock control is required, but also they need to act more like Borders and irony of ironies Waterstones - make it more of a place where people can simply hang out and browse as opposed to the glorified Tescos it is at the moment.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

You better watch. They might get Starbucks to open in the shops and everyone will drink their coffee while listening to Norah Jones and James Blunt.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

You get it all on the internet these days - legally or non-legally - so fuck 'em

― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

I don't want to get it on the internet! I want to find it in a shop! I'm old fashioned that way!

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

I buy all of mine now on the internet. That's what happens when they close record shops in my town.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

you can buy stamps online and everything these days

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

I like the idea that record shop closures forced people to buy CDs online and not the other way round!

― blueski, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

I know

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Who said anything about buying CDs online?

― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

don't think you can download stamps illegally anywhere

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

Not yet ;)

― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

If dada can find a way...

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:27 (nineteen years ago)

That Virgin Megastore on Buchanan St in Glasgow , last time i was in that it was absolute garbage. Huge building with hardly any cd's. Totally stupid.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

write them a letter

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

I can't. There's nowhere to download stamps illegally.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

and there are v few rural post offices left

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

I remember when the Virgin Megastore opened in Union Street in 1980 and it was amazing - loads of improv and post-punk records; total heaven, and HMV two doors down had no option but to raise their game (though they never really did).

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

Marcello is old.

and there are v few rural post offices left

I don't live in the countryside but they actually shut down the general post office in Hamilton.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

i just got a £20 hmv voucher. but where oh where can i spend it?! :(

― That one guy that quit, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

Not at the post office

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

I remember the Virgin Megastore in TottCtRd being a dingy place of wonder, and also when they closed it down for 2 weeks, and then what it was like when they opened it up again!

― Mark G, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

What was it like when it opened again?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

So, I take it that HMV is much bigger in the UK? My girlfriend used to work at the one in Cambridge, Mass., as their in-store DJ and it sucked the soul right out of her. But they're pretty rare here in the states.

― I eat cannibals, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

st. vincent st. post office now sells cheapo DVDs and cheapo children's toys and other cheapo tat, Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy

it's in glasgow

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

I know where St Vincent St is.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

All I can say about the Virgin Megastore in Tottenham Court Road is that it acts as a useful shortcut if you want to avoid the crowds around the tube station entrance.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

when it reopened, it was like um, well basically like it is now.

― Mark G, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

...which I have no idea of what it's like.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

it's in london

― RJG, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

I am old. And am happy to be such.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

The rest of you lot will also be old someday. If you are lucky.

― henry s, Thursday, 15 March 2007 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

Oh I guess i'm old too. (34) Just not old enough to remember record shops opening in Glasgow.
I did buy Madness 7"s from Woolies in Hamilton when i was about 7 or 8 before we moved to Prestwick(via EK again)

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

"All I can say about the Virgin Megastore in Tottenham Court Road is that it acts as a useful shortcut if you want to avoid the crowds around the tube station entrance.

Marcello Carlin on Thursday, 15 March 2007 16:45 (13 minutes ago)"

I popped in there t'other week to use the handy free toilets in the basement (the other useful aspect of the Megastore, besides the tube-crowd-avoidance aspect) and I was really surprised to see that the whole basement area (apart from the crappy cafe bit) has now been let out to some musical instrument shop! Looks like they too are in a (deservedly) dire situation, too!

― M Carty, Thursday, 15 March 2007 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

One too many too's at the end there, but you get my meaning.

― M Carty, Thursday, 15 March 2007 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

It's only a matter of time till the basement's blocked off and sold to a budget clothing store, accessible only from Oxford Street. Then they'll close the top floor (jazz and classical). Give it 5 years, Virgin and HMV shops won't exist any more, you mark my words.

Is this the thread for a CD's vs. downloads discussion, or are there millions of them elsewhere on ILM already?

― Matt #2, Thursday, 15 March 2007 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

Probably loads but you may as well do it here

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 15 March 2007 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

an RIP thread always pops up when a beloved record shop shutters it's doors...

― henry s, Thursday, 15 March 2007 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

"i just got a £20 hmv voucher. but where oh where can i spend it?! :("

Waterstones.

― jed_, Thursday, 15 March 2007 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

And of course LOUIS to thread.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Sunday, 18 March 2007 01:52 (nineteen years ago)

YEAH I KNOW

fucking Biffy Clyro-recommending floor-manager FUCK YOU

― unfished business, Sunday, 18 March 2007 01:53 (nineteen years ago)

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