Hmv - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Sittler · 12-20-2007, 07:04 PM

Has anyone else noticed that HMV seems to have quietly reverted back to their old pricing after publicly declaring "new lower pricing!"?

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2007/08/28/cds-prices.html

I noticed it on one disc in particular that I paid $19.99 for (which is still overpriced, but I bit anyway as I got another 25% off that price). Anyway, I browsed some other CDs (non-top 40) and anything that was once over $20 that was dropped to $19.99 is now back up to its regular price (if not more).

HMV is going to follow suit with MusicWorld due to archaic CD business practices...

SarichFan · 12-20-2007, 07:06 PM

I'm not buying a CD the rest of my days until they're less than $10 each

HFPM · 12-20-2007, 07:11 PM

I stopped shopping there when I noticed a possibly 3-year old CD on sale for $26.

SarichFan · 12-20-2007, 07:12 PM

Some are expensive because they import them.

HFPM · 12-20-2007, 07:13 PM

Slipknot's first album is imported? Weird.

Azure · 12-20-2007, 07:19 PM

A byproduct of MusicWorld going bankrupt?

kipperfan · 12-20-2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarichFan

Some are expensive because they import them.

I guess that HMV's problem isnt it?

Certainly isnt my problem. I would love to support some artists and "buy" music, but until the prices are reasonable I will continue getting all of my music for free.

iggypop · 12-20-2007, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFPM

I stopped shopping there when I noticed a possibly 3-year old CD on sale for $26.

You have to realize, old cds is the only reason HMV is still in business. Their margin on new releases and top 20 stuff is ~3%, which isnt enough for any business to stay alive. Im not sure why people get mad at music stores for selling CDs at the cost they do, it's the music industries fault not the middle man.

SarichFan · 12-20-2007, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I guess that HMV's problem isnt it?

Certainly isnt my problem. I would love to support some artists and "buy" music, but until the prices are reasonable I will continue getting all of my music for free.

That's not the point, many of these imports contain tracks not available on the domestic releases, tracks Uber fans of said artist have no problem forking over more money to have as limited editions.

Azure · 12-20-2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iggypop

You have to realize, old cds is the only reason HMV is still in business. Their margin on new releases and top 20 stuff is ~3%, which isnt enough for any business to stay alive. Im not sure why people get mad at music stores for selling CDs at the cost they do, it's the music industries fault not the middle man.

Is that why MusicWorld went bankrupt?

Phaneuf3 · 12-20-2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iggypop

You have to realize, old cds is the only reason HMV is still in business. Their margin on new releases and top 20 stuff is ~3%, which isnt enough for any business to stay alive. Im not sure why people get mad at music stores for selling CDs at the cost they do, it's the music industries fault not the middle man.

HMV is the highest pricing I know of. I won't get mad - I just won't shop there. I'll stick to amazon and the end and such...

kipperfan · 12-20-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarichFan

That's not the point, many of these imports contain tracks not available on the domestic releases, tracks Uber fans of said artist have no problem forking over more money to have as limited editions.

I challenge you to find a song I cannot download for free. You might be able to find 1-2, but that would be about it. So yes, that is the point. I dont care how HMV gets CD's, I dont care where they get them from and I dont care in the least how much they have to pay for them.

It's pretty simple...lower your prices or you will follow Music World right into the can. And if there isnt enough room to make money after lowering said prices then do us all a favour, shut your doors and allow legitimate buisness to use the retail space...you know...buisnesses that actually sell something I cannot get for free. Music industry better wake up...free downloading will never ever stop, their only hope is to bring back people like me who would be willing to buy music, but only at a reasonable price.

There is a ton of people getting filithy stinky rich off of music, time to share the wealth boys.

urban1 · 12-20-2007, 07:32 PM

Email HMV and tell them you didnt buy a CD at there store and tell them where you bought it and explain it was because of their pricing.

Money talks. Companies will listen if consumers smarten up. HMV cant stay in business if people stop shopping there.

Hack&Lube · 12-20-2007, 07:33 PM

HMV is not going to follow Musicworld. HMV is large globally and managed to diversify it's products long before Musicworld ever caught up and HMV has always been a larger company with a huge history (HMV was coined in 1899!) back to the birth of the recording industry.

But yes, with Sam's and Musicworld closing shop, HMV is starting to run amok.

kipperfan · 12-20-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urban1

Email HMV and tell them you didnt buy a CD at there store and tell them where you bought it and explain it was because of their pricing.

Money talks. Companies will listen if consumers smarten up. HMV cant stay in business if people stop shopping there.

Problem is...HMV might be charging too much(well not might, they flat out ARE) but the problem doesnt lie with them - its an industry problem that requires an industry solution - if not you will see alot of HMVesqu buisness going under in the next 10 years across North America.

rockstar · 12-20-2007, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I guess that HMV's problem isnt it?

Certainly isnt my problem. I would love to support some artists and "buy" music, but until the prices are reasonable I will continue getting all of my music for free.

Yeah, right. Sounds like you're BSing.

Comes across as being a copout, man. Your post leads me to believe that you'll get your music for free for as long as it's available free.

If prices become "reasonable" (whatever your definition of reasonable is) in the near future, and music is still available for download free, are you going to start paying for music? I doubt it.

By all means correct me if I'm way off base on this.

kipperfan · 12-20-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstar

Yeah, right. Sounds like you're BSing.

Comes across as being a copout, man. Your post leads me to believe that you'll get your music for free for as long as it's available free.

If prices become "reasonable" (whatever your definition of reasonable is) in the near future, and music is still available for download free, are you going to start paying for music? I doubt it.

By all means correct me if I'm way off base on this.

You can believe what you want. Personally I dont feel a need to post in a thread, talking with a bunch of people I dont know and start lying about what I would and wouldnt do.

I am not hard up for money, I am not scraping by - buying a few CD's wont throw me over the edge and into poverty - but everyone has to take a stand somewhere. Would you still go to Flames games if they raised the ticket prices to $2000 a seat? I dont think you would, I dont think anyone would. Extreme example, yes it is. But it describes how I feel about paying $20-$30 for an hour of music - it is not reasonable in my mind to fork over that kind of coin for old songs. I dont care if I won the $25 million dollar lottery tommorow, I STILL wouldnt buy music at the current prices. Like I said, believe what you like, but this isnt about free music, its about the principle of an entire industry screwing over its patrons - and a franchise like HMV who thinks we arent getting screwed bad enough so they turn the screws even moreso...what a joke.

As for my definition of reasonable - an average of $9-10 for a new release and $15 at most for some of the older stuff. To me those prices would be acceptable.

Burninator · 12-20-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sittler

I noticed it on one disc in particular that I paid $19.99 for

Well that's what happens when you buy your Electric Wizard CD's at HMV.

Burninator · 12-20-2007, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I challenge you to find a song I cannot download for free. You might be able to find 1-2, but that would be about it. So yes, that is the point.

Perhaps for your taste in music that is the case. But there has been music that I've been unable to find for free. But I have been able to buy for a reasonable price online. Just a small bone to pick, but I didn't think it was fair to make that claim.

kipperfan · 12-20-2007, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burninator

Perhaps for your taste in music that is the case. But there has been music that I've been unable to find for free. But I have been able to buy for a reasonable price online. Just a small bone to pick, but I didn't think it was fair to make that claim.

I would bet you arent using the right sites-software to get said music then, I stand by my claim. Most of the stuff I download cannot even be purchased anywhere in this city aside from Megatunes - alot of underground hiphop and indie rock. Not only can I find it, often I get it before anyone else and am able to download entire albums at once to save time and effort.

I dont think Jiri, Photon and the boys would want mention of any sites or softwares on the forum though so I guess I will have to leave it at that. That being said though you could be right - I have never thought to look for many genres of music country, opera, kiddie rock, jazz, blues etc etc etc. For all I know you cannot find some of this stuff anywhere - I can only speak to what I personally download.