HMV set to go into administration

Red Crow

DominoDub wrote: »

on the Question of Vouchers ...bad news

https://twitter.com/navbasiTLW/status/290946153149775873/photo/1

Not surprising. The only problem is that nobody is going to shop there knowing that they won't honour any basic buyer rights.

I feel sorry for the staff having to listen to people giving out about their vouchers tomorrow.

Mikeyt086

I worked in retail before, I would never take it out on the person behind the till.

That said, I've got €55 in vouchers that I would really like to not vanish into thin air.

bytesize

I won't take it out on staff. I am simply annoyed that the management allowed vouchers and gift cards to be issued in light of what they knew. Is it even legal??

witnessmenow

marko93 wrote: »

Does this mean a sale/reduced prices on all current stock?

The true bargain hunter

Headshot

Sad to see a good retailer gone and now we're f-ing stuck with gamestop

ugh

wes

Hopefully things will work out for the employees that would be effected by any potential closures.

As for gift vouchers, I was lucky to have spent most of mine on Friday, only have 2 euro on it, so not bothered by that. One of the main reasons I don't really get vouchers as gifts for people, is stuff like this happening.

Nody

witnessmenow wrote: »

Well if that email is true they are breaking consumer law:

"We are not able to issue refunds or exchanges - whether for faulty... (cuts off, presumably says "items or") ... products bought in error"

Faulty items need to be refunded or exchanged (or repaired, I would not advice anyone to accept this option!)

It would fall to the manufacturer instead; the same way if the store went belly up most likely.

getz

i am going to miss that little dog

Dravokivich

bytesize wrote: »

I won't take it out on staff. I am simply annoyed that the management allowed vouchers and gift cards to be issued in light of what they knew. Is it even legal??

But even they didn't know about it. This has come from a financial directors statement just last night.

quarryman

People fretting over their €20 vouchers?

FFS.

There are 26 stores in Ireland. All the employees are facing the new year unemployed. A little consideration guys...

sumsar

quarryman wrote: »

People fretting over their €20 vouchers?

FFS.

There are 26 stores in Ireland. All the employees are facing the new year unemployed. A little consideration guys...

Are you serious? people can't be annoyed that they are also out of pocket along with the staff?

tampler

quarryman wrote: »

There are 26 stores in Ireland. All the employees are facing the new year unemployed. A little consideration guys...

While I am Sad for those who lost their Jobs, Consumers have every right to be angry. I know one friend who purchased HMV vouchers for his brothers Kids for christmas, €50 euro each, so now he spent €100 on something thats worthless. And €100 is obviously alot these days.

As mentioned by Levi87, I just hope people dont go in there guns blazing and yell abuse at the members of staff who have no control over what happened.

juan.kerr

quarryman wrote: »

People fretting over their €20 vouchers?

FFS.

There are 26 stores in Ireland. All the employees are facing the new year unemployed. A little consideration guys...

I thought it was 16 stores?

noodler

noodler wrote: »

Balls.

Have a 20e voucher from Xmas.

Also bought 40e worth of vouchers for others over Xmas.

What a shame.

EDIT: Apologies to any HMV staff of that came off very selfish!

quarryman wrote: »

People fretting over their €20 vouchers?

FFS.

There are 26 stores in Ireland. All the employees are facing the new year unemployed. A little consideration guys...

I express mild frustration at the loss of a 20 euro voucher.
I even take care to specifically show empathy with the HMV staff.


Yet still somebody still uses any mention of the vouchers to come with a holier-than-thou speech about showing consideration.

You can't win.

jasonbourne.cs

In fairness while feeling sorry for the staff , like the other people here im also annoyed at being out of pocket , got €100 voucher for Christmas and the only reason i didn't spend it was that they were out of stock of the specific items I wanted

is there any wonder shops are going under when they can just burn consumers like this ?

Penn

For people saying we'll just be left with Gamestop, there will still be Xtra-Vision and even Tesco to a lesser extent (both not as good as HMV but definitely not as bad as Gamestop) and Amazon/Gamesnash/other online retailers.

Just over a week ago I was looking for Fifa13 (in a town with no HMV). Pre-owned in Gamestop was still €55 (and that's probably without knowing if there's still a valid online pass in it or not). Bought it in Xtra-Vision new for about €37 (on sale).

HMV might be going, but that doesn't mean Gamestop are the only ones left.

cherryghost

Penn wrote: »

For people saying we'll just be left with Gamestop, there will still be Xtra-Vision and even Tesco to a lesser extent (both not as good as HMV but definitely not as bad as Gamestop) and Amazon/Gamesnash/other online retailers.

Just over a week ago I was looking for Fifa13 (in a town with no HMV). Pre-owned in Gamestop was still €55 (and that's probably without knowing if there's still a valid online pass in it or not). Bought it in Xtra-Vision new for about €37 (on sale).

HMV might be going, but that doesn't mean Gamestop are the only ones left.

It does mean though that's there's less competition and they may be able to jack up prices over time

Mr E

cherryghost wrote: »

It does mean though that's there's less competition and they may be able to jack up prices over time

They've already started, imho (since Game left).

hellboy99

Penn wrote: »

For people saying we'll just be left with Gamestop

Gamestop may not be far behind HMV, they've had poor sales this xmas too.

Penn

Mr E wrote: »

They've already started, imho (since Game left).

Well Amazon will almost certainly be bumping up their prices but that's also to do with how they were paying very little tax, which will probably be coming to an end.

Xtra-Vision have been on the ropes for a while (my local one has even resorted to selling greeting cards. Don't know if that's a nationwide thing). Though they might get the biggest bump from HMV's former customers.

Tesco probably won't bump up their prices but selection/stock etc can be very poor.

I'm not sure Gamestop can afford to bump up their prices any more, as then they might run the risk of alienating too many customers.

I'm just saying, we won't be stuck with Gamestop. Even if Amazon increased their prices, they'd still be cheaper than Gamestop.

DARK-KNIGHT

NOOOO 200 euro vouchers and they won't take them!!! I will raise war if they don't and demand items I traded in for credit back!!!

Go to show DO NOT BUILD STORE CREDIT UP!!!!

Devestated

jasonbourne.cs

rang HMV dundrum to confirm the official status was told
" administrators wont let us accept the vouchers but are setting up a helpline for anyone with vouchers and to call back this evening for the further updates "

not holding my breath ..... :mad:

andrewdeerpark

Just thinking it would be gas if a couple of stores broke ranks and accepted gift vouchers today, and put up a sign to that effect. What is the worst that would happen to short term staff at the very least, their jobs are more than likely gone, the state will pay statuary redundancy (a pittance) it will take ages to get a P60 from money bags Deloitte.

It amazes me how staff (In particular short serving ones) will be motivated to wind the company down and listen to the gift voucher abuse coming their way for the next few week.

noodler

Penn wrote: »

Well Amazon will almost certainly be bumping up their prices but that's also to do with how they were paying very little tax, which will probably be coming to an end.

Well, just to clarify.

They seem to be paying a relatively small amount of corporation tax for their size.

They still obviously pay VAT etc.

Polar101

HMV is the only high street shop I buy any games or films from, so if my local HMV closes, guess I'll go 100% online then. There is a Gamestop here but I've only ever bought one game there, the place is completely useless.

Mr E

Penn wrote: »

Xtra-Vision have been on the ropes for a while (my local one has even resorted to selling greeting cards. Don't know if that's a nationwide thing).

I'd say in my local Xtravision, 30% of the floor space is for rentals. The rest is for selling stuff.

Penn

Polar101 wrote: »

HMV is the only high street shop I buy any games or films from, so if my local HMV closes, guess I'll go 100% online then. There is a Gamestop here but I've only ever bought one game there, the place is completely useless.

If I'm getting a fancy special edition of a game (Freedom edition of Assassin's Creed III for example), I go to Gamestop, but otherwise it's usually HMV or Xtra-Vision. Don't think I've ever bought a game online as I'm mostly stuck with 3V vouchers (don't think Amazon allow laser cards, or didn't when I first started using them) which is too much of a hassle. If Gamesnash take Laser cards, I might start going with them.

Penn

Mr E wrote: »

I'd say in my local Xtravision, 30% of the floor space is for rentals. The rest is for selling stuff.

The one thing I hate about Xtra-Vision though is that it seems like once every two months or so, they change the layout of the store. You go in and go down to the new releases (I'm mostly referring to DVDs here), and you find yourself in the 4 for €20 section and have to go searching for the new releases. Or the boxsets and pre-owned games have been switched, or something.

C14N

Penn wrote: »

If I'm getting a fancy special edition of a game (Freedom edition of Assassin's Creed III for example), I go to Gamestop, but otherwise it's usually HMV or Xtra-Vision. Don't think I've ever bought a game online as I'm mostly stuck with 3V vouchers (don't think Amazon allow laser cards, or didn't when I first started using them) which is too much of a hassle. If Gamesnash take Laser cards, I might start going with them.

Most Irish banks seem to be switching form Laser to Visa/Mastercard debit cards and have already started issuing them and Amazon will accept these.

Sad to see HMV go, not sure why Gamestop are getting all this flack. I preferred HMV, sure but I've gotten plenty of good deals in Gamestop. Both my brother and I bought our PS3s there after extensive shopping around (they had by far the best offers both times), my mother bought the whole PS Move set with that Harry Potter book game for the same price as others were selling a single Move controller and I've gotten plenty of cheap second hand Blu Rays off them over time. Never even SEEN anything going for €70 as a poster above mentioned.

Tesco are awful though, any I've been in having piss-poor selection of games dominated by casual titles and many older ones going at their original prices and my nearest one is a Tesco Extra. Xtravision are a little better but not much and I can't see them sticking around much longer either.

Beefy78

Gutted about HMV. For those worried about vouchers, etc, sit tight with them and they may end up having some value if/when the company gets a buyer.

It's so frustrating to see a business which runs a chain of shops which are almost always busy get into these troubles. Both here and in the Uk it's very rare to go into a branch of HMV and not see plenty of people in there buying stuff. But the model is unsustainabke - huge amounts of stock and margins constantly being squeezed by supermarkets and online competitors. We all want to pay the best price but I fear for what it'll be like in ten years time with only Tescos around to actually buy any physical goods and only Amazon online.