How would you save HMV?
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Following on from the recent threads regarding HMV...
If you were in charge, how would you turn around the fortunes of the chain?
I would look at allowing customers to download music directly on to their Ipod's/MP3's. They could do this on a stand similar to the ones they used to have the headphones on where you could listen to music before purchasing it.
Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for them to sort out licensing rights with the record companies?
What would you do to this dinosaur of the high street?
If you were in charge, how would you turn around the fortunes of the chain?
I would look at allowing customers to download music directly on to their Ipod's/MP3's. They could do this on a stand similar to the ones they used to have the headphones on where you could listen to music before purchasing it.
Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for them to sort out licensing rights with the record companies?
What would you do to this dinosaur of the high street?
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People can do that online though. Why would they go into a shop to do it?
To be honest I think hight street record shops are doomed. Everything is going online music wise now.
The only way HMV will survive is if they close all the high street shops and go totally online. Even then there is a hell of a lot already established competition.
Maybe if they happen to be in town anyway?
They could get some exclusive material from the record companies that are available only for download at a HMV store. This would also encourage people to visit.
Or, do promotions like 10 songs for £5. Theme weeks where certain music can also be downloaded at a reduced price....Best of British, American anthems, Ministry of Sound etc.
Yes maybe.
I guess I might be the wrong person to ask. I never do anything in the 'real' world that can be done online. I hate shopping, so avoid it (except online) at all costs
You know, me too. I never buy anything on the high street.
But, even so, I reckon it could be saved!
Yes, it's a shame really, but the high street is dying. It's a combination of cheaper/more convenient options online and local councils making it as hard as possible to get into town, park etc.
Oh.
It's a shame really, they had an insanely good summer sale last year. I don't think i've ever bought some many cds in one sitting!
Sell something that can't be downloaded off the web either legally or illegally.
Or move to being a specialist interweb outlet for stuff you can download off the t'internet.
That's so true, but councils are too greedy and short-sighted to think about encouraging shoppers into town centres. HMV in particular has nothing to offer me. I last bought from them about 15 years ago.
Indeed. They'd rather get their hands on a few quid in parking charges, cause shops to go bust and so lose business rate receipts and in the end make the town somewhere not worth going to, so nobody wants to park there anyway. All while ruining peoples livelihoods.
I sometimes think councillors are from a different planet.
You do understand how online works don't you? You can't expect it to be the same price in store.
Stores have way more overheads tho..
It's quite sad, watching them all shut down. Nothing like the feel of going into a store and touching a book, browsing for a movie to rent or listening to a cd you might never otherwise buy
Niche marketing seems to be the way forward but hard for massive stores like these with so much real estate
John Lewis is doing really well at the moment. And I buy almost all my electrical goods from them... And they are a pricey store... But I get a good service from them... I mean I get 5 years guarantee free with some of their items... So I dont mind paying more for that type of service. HMV obviously cant do the same for their products... But the last time i went into their stores... the music was ear bashingly loud... the store was so dark with their lighting you could hardly see the artist names on the labels... It was just unpleasant... And thats before I glimpsed their prices!
I mean look at Apple stores... They are always packed to the hilt... And most people seem to leave their stores with something... And have you seen their prices?!? :eek: ... But its the customer experience... HMV are just cack with their customer experience.
:mad:
Apple wouldn't allow that, iPods are synched to one computer, so it wouldn't be possible would it?
No Apple, no ipod, no chance of succeeding really.
I would save HMV by turning them all into Fopp.
Agreed, plus with the majority of online retailers based in the channel islands, there is no requirement to charge VAT on purchases below £18. At 20% VAT, this is a big deal!!
It's a bit different though, Apple stores only sell apple things, you can't buy apple things cheaper elsewhere in 90% of cases. You go into that store looking to buy something, you aren't going to see the price and decide to get it elsewhere, HMV you know it's cheaper elsewhere.
Plus I feel sorry for some staff, a few weeks before xmas I witnessed a poor member of HMV staff get abuse because Disney released Beauty and the Beast on Blu-Ray weeks before DVD. The poor girl was getting shouted at because the man didn't have a Blu-ray player so what was she going to do about it? How stupid could "She" be to say Blu-ray is popular and deserves release before DVD. If I'd been her I'd have hit the man.
Now, with online competition, they're just too expensive
Not such a ridiculous idea...
Maybe integrated coffee & record shops are the way forward, with a free jukebox where you can listen to an album with your coffee before buying it next door. I think a few bookshops work like that, especially in the US. I feel weird browsing books whilst supping my coffee, but if it were music, I'd be there all the time!