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| From | "Jaimie Vernon" <bullseyecanada@hotmail.com> |
| Subject | Re: This Just In....... |
| Date | Mon, 31 May 2004 19:16:59 -0400 |
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At Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 15:13:24 Stewart wrote:
>At 02:57 PM 5/31/2004 EDT, GaryPig@aol.com wrote:
> >WHY BUY CDs AT A STORE?
> >
> >Here's an article from Computer World which reflects a turning point
> >
> >in music retailing. Take note that HMV have just changed chairman and
> >
> >will close all their US stores by end 2004.
>
>This might as well have been titled "Why buy CDs at HMV?" Now that Tower's
>finally lumbering their pointless ass into the dustbin of history, HMV has
>apparently been anxious to usurp the mantle as "The most utterly pointless
>record store chain in the country." Prices: Sky high. Selection:
>Extremely limited. Reason to shop there: None that I can see.
You mean BOTH the HMV stores in the United States (i.e. New York City) are
going to shut their doors? Oh....my....God.
Let's see....Tower shutdown both of their outlets in Canada two years ago.
And guess what....no one noticed and no one stopped buying CDs for that
reason.
If HMV dies in the US it's because they never figured out how to make it
work under their ludicrous McDonald's formula of franchising. Since turning
over their management 18 months ago to a consultant in England, the
franchise has turned every HMV into the SAME HMV. As Stewart already pointed
out -- high prices, no selection, zero reason to enter the store.
The chain worked and functioned in Canada (currently at 102 stores
nationally) because they regionalized their catalogues....and carried not
only the Top100, but indie product from locals. With the standardization of
catalogue from coast-to-coast they give most people no reason to enter the
store at all now.
It's got nothing to do with digital downloading, and again, everything to do
with bean counters fucking up a formula that would have proven MORE
beneficial once the majors began screaming fowl about downloading.
Why would you homogenize your inventory when your competition (E-tailers and
digital download sites) are offering a BIGGER variety. HMV should have been
diversifying...which partially to their credit they did with the inclusion
of the DVD format (preventing bankruptcy early in the game)....but audio
products that communities are specifically looking for.
Bah....I'm tired of this idiocy.
As I said before....our sales are up....even at retail because we're
releasing what people asked us to release. Even with HMV racking our stuff
at the ridiculous price of $21.99 we're moving CDs.
Here's how to save the music biz:
GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!!!
Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
http://www.bullseyecanada.com
Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPages
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