Rawns Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 BBC News - Blockbuster goes into administration Not sure if I'm surprised about this or not. I know there are lots of online streaming services but none of them really have all the latest mainstream movies instantly available like Blockbuster seam to have on their shelves.
rich_tech Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 doesnt come as a suprise this one either, given the shift to online movies and streaming services, even game rentals are going that way.
LosOjos Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 [before I start, just want to say that I was about to start a thread with that exact title until I saw yours. Weird!] Yet another company who refused to move with the times. Drive out in to the sticks somewhere to pay £5 to rent a movie I have to return the following day, or stream it from the comfort of my armchair for the same price or less? No competition. 1
Gatt Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 This really needs to serve as a wake up call for all high street stores - move with the times and don't wait to see what happens.. Netflix, which is the main online rival to Blockbuster, is barely out of nappies, Blockbuster has made no effort to move with the times and this is the inevitable result.
Pyroman Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 This really needs to serve as a wake up call for all high street stores - move with the times and don't wait to see what happens.. Netflix, which is the main online rival to Blockbuster, is barely out of nappies, Blockbuster has made no effort to move with the times and this is the inevitable result. Even as a kid Blockbuster always seemed to me to be massively expensive (with what little financial knowledge i had at age 5) compared to other video shops and just seemed old fashioned, i'm surprised it's taken this long to be honest
fiza Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Shame - My son loves going in there. He uses his pocket money and rents his XBOX games from them. its better than buying them outright and he normally gets bored of them after a week. Does anywhere else hire console games like this?
Pyroman Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Shame - My son loves going in there. He uses his pocket money and rents his XBOX games from them. its better than buying them outright and he normally gets bored of them after a week. Does anywhere else hire console games like this? Lovefilm do game rentals
Oaktech Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Not sorry to see them go... Our local ones were always expensive, had a poor selection and employed film-nerds with no customer service skills.
sonofsanta Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 The news on Radio 6 just said they had 500 stores in the UK - not bloomin' surprised they went bust with all that rent to pay. As with HMV, my only surprise is how long this took. Commiserations to all those folk who've lost a job, though - not their fault. Never their fault. 2
fiza Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Lovefilm do game rentals Problem is dont you have to pay a subscription for Lovefilm? With blockbusters he just went along when he had the money. I am hoping someone like Blinkbox start doing games as you only pay for what you use. I dont really want to be tied in.
Rawns Posted January 16, 2013 Author Posted January 16, 2013 Always awful for the staff who end up loosing their jobs. We popped into Comet when it was closing down and the store was just a shell with about 30 iytems dumped in the corner. All the staff were in too stood around looking depressed (which is not really surprising). Any predictions who (if any) could go next? Not sure how Argos is doing exactly, but I could see them closing a few stores in the future if the high street continues the way it's going...
Bromcom_John Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Well according to the quotes they claim the "Core business is still profitable"... read into that what you will. To be honest the only firms that appear to be making money at the moment are accountants and firms (like Delloitte) who administer bankruptcies.
LosOjos Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Well according to the quotes they claim the "Core business is still profitable"... read into that what you will. "People are still renting films, just not on discs, from us, at our prices." 1
localzuk Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Always awful for the staff who end up loosing their jobs. We popped into Comet when it was closing down and the store was just a shell with about 30 iytems dumped in the corner. All the staff were in too stood around looking depressed (which is not really surprising). Any predictions who (if any) could go next? Not sure how Argos is doing exactly, but I could see them closing a few stores in the future if the high street continues the way it's going... Argos' profits have fallen somewhat, but they are still in profit as far as I know. They were reportedly closing about 75 shops from their 749 a while ago. The group as a whole, the Home Retail Group, made a relatively small profit last year too, so that chain doesn't seem to be imploding. (It was a bit of a pathetic profit, of about £70m on £5bn+ sales though).
sonofsanta Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Any predictions who (if any) could go next? Not sure how Argos is doing exactly, but I could see them closing a few stores in the future if the high street continues the way it's going... I reckon WH Smiths will implode sooner rather than later, get gutted by administrators and be left only as a newsagents in train stations and airports.
LosOjos Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I think Maplin's days are numbered. Ludicrously expensive no matter what you're buying from them. It'll be a shame as all the Maplins I've been in have had at least one very helpful and knowledgeable member of staff on shift to give advice and find exactly the component I'm looking for even when my descriptions have been flaky at best, but when you can buy the product half the price elsewhere, why wouldn't you? Add to that the fact they're a fairly specialist store anyway and you have a recipe for disaster I think...
Netwacky87 Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I think Maplin's days are numbered. Ludicrously expensive no matter what you're buying from them. It'll be a shame as all the Maplins I've been in have had at least one very helpful and knowledgeable member of staff on shift to give advice and find exactly the component I'm looking for even when my descriptions have been flaky at best, but when you can buy the product half the price elsewhere, why wouldn't you? Add to that the fact they're a fairly specialist store anyway and you have a recipe for disaster I think... I half and half agree, they are expensive but where else can you find "bits" that you need? ebay...amazon...?
Oaktech Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I half and half agree, they are expensive but where else can you find "bits" that you need? ebay...amazon...? Well, excluding the tat (kids toys etc) yes, ebuyer, amazon, ebay, RS, Farnell, CPC (who are essentially farnell) Rapid... It will only be a problem when you need a bit in a real hurry and like me, your nearest RS counter is 50 miles away.
GREED Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 How on earth did Blockbusters not pioneer the LoveFilm or Netflix route of internet-streaming movies... talk about fall on your own sword!
mattlynch Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I'm not sad, blockbuster's opening shut down my local video store when i was 9, she used to give me free popcorn
hardtailstar Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I thought they went last week, our shop had a notice in the window saying about it being in administration.
gshaw Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Maplin would be stuffed if RS / Rapid Electronics would sort put their ludicrous postage costs. Priced up some LEDs from Rapid... about a fiver for the LEDs with £8 p&p?! Lovefilm is useless for games, the new releases are always conveniently out of stock. GAME must still be on the edge as well...
Arthur Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Any predictions who (if any) could go next? What do you reckon... Arcadia Group (BHS, TopShop, TopMan, Miss Selfridge, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Evans etc.) « This would wipe out a good chunk of the high street! GAME (for the second time) Maplins W.H. Smith Build-A-Bear Workshops Games Workshop Holland & Barrett / Dr & Herbs La Senza The Perfume Shop The Works Bookstore Thomas Cook and/or Thomson
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