Haven't used them since the tax rules changed. The marketplace prices were (many times) much higher than Amazon so wasn't any point in buying from them....
Actually when I've checked recently they've always been a bit a cheaper.
Yep. Like many others, I regularly used Play years ago back when they were a normal online retailer, but around 5 or 6 years back (I forget when) they went to the dogs and became a mainly dodgy reseller site.
Shame really, they used to be decent. I can only guess their profits weren't good enough being the old style site, causing them to attempt the new way. Drove a ton of customers away though and now they're history....
I used to use it a lot in the early days, then I suddenly started getting emails from Rakutens play.com and thought the site must have been hijacked. I refused to buy anything off a site with such a crappy name.
Another business subtly driven out of business by the uk government. They closed Plays tax loophole, but they have still not closed Amazons loophole were they pay no corporation tax by claiming to be a Luxembourg company.
You can still view your order history on there. I ordered 123 items on there. I started to use them back in 2002 and stopped in 2011 (though I stopped as a regular customer in 2009).
I daresay the same is true for many people!
It went down hill when the tax loophole was shut meaning online businesses based in the Channel Islands pretty much closed.
Another business subtly driven out of business by the uk government. They closed Plays tax loophole, but they have still not closed Amazons loophole were they pay no corporation tax by claiming to be a Luxembourg company.
I reckon HMV would be all but gone by now had they not changed the tax loophole.
You can still view your order history on there. I ordered 123 items on there. I started to use them back in 2002 and stopped in 2011 (though I stopped as a regular customer in 2009).
I daresay the same is true for many people!
It went down hill when the tax loophole was shut meaning online businesses based in the Channel Islands pretty much closed.
Did they not starts selling clothes aswell? Always found that a strange move.
Rakuten destroyed Play. Why don't they just bugger off completely.
No, they didn't. It was already in decline when Rakuten bought it.
With Amazon on the left, Ebay on the right and the tax loophole gone, Play.com hadn't a chance to enjoy an ice cream in hell. Rakuten took a gamble on halting Play.com's decline, and they lost.
You can still view your order history on there. I ordered 123 items on there. I started to use them back in 2002 and stopped in 2011 (though I stopped as a regular customer in 2009).
I daresay the same is true for many people!
It went down hill when the tax loophole was shut meaning online businesses based in the Channel Islands pretty much closed.
First order October 2007, last order October 2012! Wow I didn't realise how long ago it was but then I stopped using them regularly 2010 time. I even had to rest my password lol
I reckon HMV would be all but gone by now had they not changed the tax loophole.
HMV are awful, went in there today (Edinburgh Princes Street) and everything was extremely overpriced. It's like they don't know that the reason they went bust 2 years ago and why they're still failing is mainly because of their prices.
My local branch in Wrexham closed down in January 2012 and it isn't missed at all. The nearest is Chester and that's always empty just like Edinburgh was today.
I used Play a few years ago as they always offered free delivery but I started to discover things on Amazon/Ebay that I wanted were actually cheaper.
I used to use it a lot in the early days, then I suddenly started getting emails from Rakutens play.com and thought the site must have been hijacked. I refused to buy anything off a site with such a crappy name.
I can't believe they think they'll get more business with it just called Rakuten, has noone told them this name sounds really crap in English ...conjures up a racket /pack it in....
I used Play a few years ago as they always offered free delivery but I started to discover things on Amazon/Ebay that I wanted were actually cheaper.
Yes i used Play a fair bit as 1)the prices were often cheapest anywhere and 2)free delivery. I bought a few DVD's from them at far less than what others were selling at, also Transcend SD cards which were the best price anywhere.....even beating Amazon.
Last thing i bought from Play was a TV swivel wall mount bracket. The next time i went on it to buy another SD card, the prices had gone crazily high and i've never used them since.
Haven't used Play.Com in years to be honest. I remember the days when you could get DVDs for £2.99 with free P&P. They were a great company in their day.
They paid millions for it and this was knowing that the VAT loophole was about to be closed. It mystified everyone at the time why they would pay so much for something that only had a few months of real viability left. I reckon the only people that didn`t question their generosity were the original owners who dodged a bullet by offloading at a tidy price mere months before it became essentially worthless.
Another business subtly driven out of business by the uk government. They closed Plays tax loophole, but they have still not closed Amazons loophole were they pay no corporation tax by claiming to be a Luxembourg company.
The government closed this particular tax loophole which stopped what they would call "decent, hardworking, familes" from benefitting, however there are still plenty of loopholes left that they know about which benefit their friends in The city far more and yet, unsurprisingly, they do nothing to close those.
Like others on here I used Play.com when they were Jersey bassed and offered free delivery as their CDs, etc, were not only cheaper than Amazon but Amazon also charged for delivery at the time.
I always use to order from Play as I've never been a fan of Amazon.
Must say I only use ebay now.
With Play going and HMV now longer selling anything on their website, it looks like Amazon is just getting more dominant. Expect more bullying behaviour of the like we are seeing with publishers and distributors and also prices begining to rise.
They paid millions for it and this was knowing that the VAT loophole was about to be closed. It mystified everyone at the time why they would pay so much for something that only had a few months of real viability left. I reckon the only people that didn`t question their generosity were the original owners who dodged a bullet by offloading at a tidy price mere months before it became essentially worthless.
I think you mean "hung around too long".
Wasn't the VAT loophole only closed for the Channel Islands? Couldn't Play have sent from some other country outside the EU, where the loophole still exists as far as I know. Switzerland for example?
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Play used to be the cheapest for CD's and DVD's in about 2002, now no one uses them we don't need these companies ripping people off!
Comments
Did rakuten pay for it, or was it a rescue thing?
Shame really, they used to be decent. I can only guess their profits weren't good enough being the old style site, causing them to attempt the new way. Drove a ton of customers away though and now they're history....
Point gun at foot. Pull trigger. Etc...
Must say I only use ebay now.
I daresay the same is true for many people!
It went down hill when the tax loophole was shut meaning online businesses based in the Channel Islands pretty much closed.
I reckon HMV would be all but gone by now had they not changed the tax loophole.
Did they not starts selling clothes aswell? Always found that a strange move.
I don't see how diversifying is a strange move.
No, they didn't. It was already in decline when Rakuten bought it.
With Amazon on the left, Ebay on the right and the tax loophole gone, Play.com hadn't a chance to enjoy an ice cream in hell. Rakuten took a gamble on halting Play.com's decline, and they lost.
First order October 2007, last order October 2012! Wow I didn't realise how long ago it was but then I stopped using them regularly 2010 time. I even had to rest my password lol
HMV are awful, went in there today (Edinburgh Princes Street) and everything was extremely overpriced. It's like they don't know that the reason they went bust 2 years ago and why they're still failing is mainly because of their prices.
My local branch in Wrexham closed down in January 2012 and it isn't missed at all. The nearest is Chester and that's always empty just like Edinburgh was today.
I used Play a few years ago as they always offered free delivery but I started to discover things on Amazon/Ebay that I wanted were actually cheaper.
Last thing i bought from Play was a TV swivel wall mount bracket. The next time i went on it to buy another SD card, the prices had gone crazily high and i've never used them since.
They paid millions for it and this was knowing that the VAT loophole was about to be closed. It mystified everyone at the time why they would pay so much for something that only had a few months of real viability left. I reckon the only people that didn`t question their generosity were the original owners who dodged a bullet by offloading at a tidy price mere months before it became essentially worthless.
I think you mean "hung around too long".
The government closed this particular tax loophole which stopped what they would call "decent, hardworking, familes" from benefitting, however there are still plenty of loopholes left that they know about which benefit their friends in The city far more and yet, unsurprisingly, they do nothing to close those.
Like others on here I used Play.com when they were Jersey bassed and offered free delivery as their CDs, etc, were not only cheaper than Amazon but Amazon also charged for delivery at the time.
With Play going and HMV now longer selling anything on their website, it looks like Amazon is just getting more dominant. Expect more bullying behaviour of the like we are seeing with publishers and distributors and also prices begining to rise.
Wasn't the VAT loophole only closed for the Channel Islands? Couldn't Play have sent from some other country outside the EU, where the loophole still exists as far as I know. Switzerland for example?