Is On-line shopping killing the High Street?

[purpleronnie]

I remember when vinyl record shops were shutting that was sad, I couldnt imagine something coming along to shut down shops selling cd's....I still don't really understand the love of the download...never will....but theres plenty of places I can get vinyl from....unfortunately they're all online.

[Guest MattP]

I remember when vinyl record shops were shutting that was sad, I couldnt imagine something coming along to shut down shops selling cd's....I still don't really understand the love of the download...never will....but theres plenty of places I can get vinyl from....unfortunately they're all online.

Are you in Leicestershire? Go to Rockaboom in St Martins Sq, loads of vinyl, I always go up on Record Store Day, people are literally queuing out the door.

[Rincewind]

There was a record fair in Leicester last weekend. I was going to go but was asked to go into the BHF shop to volunteer. Probably wouldn't have bought anything but want to see some memorabilia..

[ADK]

Only part that bothers me is the tax loopholes part, the rest is just progress.

[purpleronnie]

Are you in Leicestershire? Go to Rockaboom in St Martins Sq, loads of vinyl, I always go up on Record Store Day, people are literally queuing out the door.

Been, its good but if I'm after specific records its much easier to go online, but if I had time just to browse I will go.

I was reassured to read vinyl sales continue to grow.

[kingfox]

It's a real shame about HMV, I still go in there quite a bit when i'm in town, brought numerous CD's from there in the past couple of months, along with some games.

It's a massive retailer, and sell loads of stuff, upstairs and downstairs, of the places gone bust or gone into administration, HMV is the one i'm most sad about.

[foz.foz]

I reckon in 20 years time it will be mainly residential buildings that are in towns, a few pubs/night clubs and the odd burger bar. Think about it, almost everything is going digital in one form or another so "retail companies" are not going to need bricks and mortar as much as they have done.

Your music.. You could blame Steve jobs for the main part. How many of us that used to buy an album/CD when 3 or 4 of the songs on it were decent. We took a gamble on the rest of the tracks but on the whole, you parted with your cash. Along comes Mr Jobs with Itunes and voilà, your now getting more one hit wonders than ever in the charts before because of a click or two on Itunes. Even the way the charts are worked out now incorporate digital sales. Ok P2P doesn't help but it can't be totally to blame for the downfall of the music industry. There will always be a need for vinyl sales but, look where Ainleys went.

Photos... Started off quite a few years ago with the demise of "film". Kodak went tits up more or less and has had to seriously restructure to save itself. Your camera firms will have to look at what markets they are in. I saw an earlier post saying about mobile phones with cameras built in, against Pro/Semi-pro DSLR's. Your average user will be fine snapping away with the mobile and only your enthusiasts and pro's will be buying the "big boys " stuff.

Your Games and DVD's... the next generation of game consoles are going the way of digital downloads only. This means that the 2nd hand games market will decease. When that happens, you can say goodbye to Game, and the numerous indie game shops that are up and down the country. There will be a few spare isles in Tesco and Asda but that will fill up with some other cheap crap imported from abroad. Why should Microsoft or E.A.Sports etc. pay someone to produce, package and distribute a Game like FiFa 15 and have to pay for them to do it? Put it out as a digital download ans cream in the profit yourself.

Unemployment is really another word for leisure time (although most of us would sooner be working). Robots were invented to do jobs for us and that is what they are doing in a lot of industries from welding to picking. The downside to this is you don't need to pay a human to do the job when you have a robot

I think you get the jist in what I'm trying to say but, unless something gets sorted we are all going to be feeling the pinch a lot more than we are now.

A century ago we had the industrial revolution and we were one of the world leaders in it. Now we are going through the Digital revolution .Time to pull our fingers out.

[Rocket-Ron]

You will still need City Centre shops for people that do not have cars. How and where I don't know. Would smaller shops spring up? HMV are going but what about small shops specializing in genres of music? OK they may not have stuff that you want instantly but if you order online it would take a week. Also smaller shops would mean friendlier and more personal service.

Or did all this just happen in the good old days?

I think you might be right. It will be interesting to see how well Rockaboom does when/if hmv goes.

[MooseBreath]

Last time I checked you didn't need a car to be able to shop online

[Mack]

We are certainly heading for a different retail landscape.

Place like Fosse Park still seem to be doing well.

And I think big out of town retail parks with Free parking will always draw customers in markets such as food, leisure and clothing.

People like to see clothes and try them on, and I also think many people enjoy clothes shopping as a leisure activity.

As for the high street you'll be left with fast food, convenience stores, restaurants, tattoo shops, knocking shops, the odd bank, cafes the odd bakery and that's about it.

And to be fair this isn't only the internet's fault. Local councils have insisted on charging for parking and then employ little hitlers on commission to enforce their parking rules and that diverts people away from the high street and into free supermarket and retail car parks.

In addition the internet is not the all bad news. It keeps prices keen and honest for starters and I can remember the days of the big retail cartels inflating prices of electronic goods for one.

It also makes locating exactly what you want far easier. As someone who can remember a time before the internet long fruitless trips to city centres are a thing of the past thankfully.

[yorkie1999]

in 10 years time we won't be buying cd's, dvd's or any other electronic media online or from the shop, it will be all stored in the cloud....woooh.

The only thing that will still be in the shops are those leicester we love you scarfs

[Fox92]

Think it's harsh to blame Steve Jobs for the downfall of cd's/music. At the end of the day, he is a business man (was a very good one at that) with all these ideas, that worked, and are now massive. Apple are the best company in the World, in my opinion.

[Captain...]

Think it's harsh to blame Steve Jobs for the downfall of cd's/music. At the end of the day, he is a business man (was a very good one at that) with all these ideas, that worked, and are now massive. Apple are the best company in the World, in my opinion.

It's not Steve jobs fault, it is the high street's fault for not adapting, and the music industry's fault.

Shop leases/rental prices need to be slashed, otherwise more and more will close then greedy landlords will realise they have expensive retail space and no bugger to fill it.

No one has picked up on my minimum wage comment, is it time we reduced it, having that fixed means that flexibility over costs is reduced and prices remain high, there are other ways, better ways to reduce costs, but that involves land owners and the music industry letting stores like hmv have a bit more of their profit.

[Webbo]

It's not Steve jobs fault, it is the high street's fault for not adapting, and the music industry's fault.

Shop leases/rental prices need to be slashed, otherwise more and more will close then greedy landlords will realise they have expensive retail space and no bugger to fill it.

No one has picked up on my minimum wage comment, is it time we reduced it, having that fixed means that flexibility over costs is reduced and prices remain high, there are other ways, better ways to reduce costs, but that involves land owners and the music industry letting stores like hmv have a bit more of their profit.

Are you sure you're not a Tory?

[FoxyPV]

It's not Steve jobs fault, it is the high street's fault for not adapting, and the music industry's fault.

Shop leases/rental prices need to be slashed, otherwise more and more will close then greedy landlords will realise they have expensive retail space and no bugger to fill it.

No one has picked up on my minimum wage comment, is it time we reduced it, having that fixed means that flexibility over costs is reduced and prices remain high, there are other ways, better ways to reduce costs, but that involves land owners and the music industry letting stores like hmv have a bit more of their profit.

Let's reduce the minimum wage to help the business owners.

Top trolling

[Fox92]

That's what I thougt. High street shops cannot compete with online retailers. Online companies don't have a closing time, only have to pay bills for their warehouse and people don't have to move from their bed to purchase stuff. The only key advantage that high street shops have is that you can buy something, get in there and then.

The likes of Amazon, play.com and eBuyer have progressed significantly and will continue to do so, especially when everybody is computer-savvy and can find their way around online shops.

[Jimothy]

That's what I thougt. High street shops cannot compete with online retailers. Online companies don't have a closing time, only have to pay bills for their warehouse and people don't have to move from their bed to purchase stuff. The only key advantage that high street shops have is that you can buy something, get in there and then.

The likes of Amazon, play.com and eBuyer have progressed significantly and will continue to do so, especially when everybody is computer-savvy and can find their way around online shops.

That's kind of why I think Boots will be ok, and this talk of them going is rubbish. The things they sell are things you need now. People pop into Boots to buy toiletries, medical supplies and drugs, make up and lunches. People aren't going to buy that stuff online and then wait 3 days for it to arrive.

[Monk]

There's part of me that wants HMV to succeed, but I do feel as if they have wasted their chance to reinvent themselves. They chose to go head to head with the likes of Amazon, iTunes, etc - and they could have changed their approach to something more specialised, more niche. Get people in the store listening to music, engaging people. Music is not a commodity, but to an extent HMV seem to treat it as one, or have done for a few years. Shame really.

[digitalalba]

You will still need City Centre shops for people that do not have cars. How and where I don't know. Would smaller shops spring up? HMV are going but what about small shops specializing in genres of music? OK they may not have stuff that you want instantly but if you order online it would take a week. Also smaller shops would mean friendlier and more personal service.

Or did all this just happen in the good old days?

To a degree thats true, but not everyone that shops outside the city centre drive, many buses carry hundreds of people to and from fosse park and beaumont leys, more people are moving to those areas aswell. The problem seems to already be affecting the town centre as you never see boarded up shops in the outer suburbs, albeit there is a smaller amount.

One major factor could be the pockets of the shoppers. 'Townies' tend to spend less, people who live in greener places tend to earn more, could explain the success of the £1 shops. When push comes to shove in our globalist utopian society, the likely victim is closer to the Clock Tower The Shires could be keeping the town centre running.

There have been many small music shops, the one in Martins square? near mcdonalds used to be packed, i remember going in there and having to wait to view the stock, not like that now, even on december 22 when i went in. The indoor market used to have a bloke selling records daily, he hardly opens now and he sold very cheap cd's.

You're right about personal service, the bigger the corporation the less you get a good service. You're more likely to have a good rapor with a local pub landlord than a weatherspoon version.

[Captain...]

Are you sure you're not a Tory?

Not a Tory, and try not to class myself as anything, but my views tend to be more liberal.

One of the costs that give amazon an advantage over the high street is paying for staff, if lowering the wage bill in hmv by paying everyone a bit less keeps it going them surely it would benefit both parties, hmv doesn't go under and the low paid workers still have a job instead of benefits, the alternative would be no hmv and no jobs for anyone.

I don't know whether the savings on paying £5 quid an hour instead of £6 would keep hmv going, but if it did then I see no harm in it. Anyone living below the minimum standard for living will get the shortfall made up in tax credits and benefits, if they aren't then surely the minimum wage is too high.

Obviously I would prefer savings to be made by reducing manufacturing costs, cutting huge record label cuts and actually making cds and DVDs worth the money by improving content, I remember when they used to come with hidden extras, secret tracks, booklets with thought put into them, videos and content you could play on the computer, posters. I haven't seen any of this kind of stuff for a while, maybe I'm wrong, I don't buy as many CDs as I used to.

The same with DVDs I don't know why they don't put more effort into the package, why not have a booklet, with credits and actor information, a bit more background to the film, it is a missed opportunity, even DVD extras have become less and less of a selling point, and often seem tired and tacked on.

[Guest]

There's part of me that wants HMV to succeed, but I do feel as if they have wasted their chance to reinvent themselves. They chose to go head to head with the likes of Amazon, iTunes, etc - and they could have changed their approach to something more specialised, more niche. Get people in the store listening to music, engaging people. Music is not a commodity, but to an extent HMV seem to treat it as one, or have done for a few years. Shame really.

Yeah I'd agree. Dunno if anyone saw this quote from the Guardian blog on the hmv situation

'I got to know two young entrepreneurs from Jersey, Richard Goulding and Simon Perrée who started the highly successful online games, music and video retailer Play.com in 1998, and I remember them saying to me: "We were just waiting for HMV to turn their big guns on us but we just kept on going and getting bigger and bigger, and thinking they must be going to get their act together soon and come after us but they never did." I think this comment says it all.'

HMV did always seem entrenched in their view of how best to sell media without really competing in the online marketplace.

I remember a few opinion pieces from the other year suggesting that physical music retailers should be reducing costs of physical products so that it would still cover manufacturing costs without a significant mark up but as you can imagine that really didn't take off.

Pity really.

[The Doctor]

It's not Steve jobs fault, it is the high street's fault for not adapting, and the music industry's fault.

Shop leases/rental prices need to be slashed, otherwise more and more will close then greedy landlords will realise they have expensive retail space and no bugger to fill it.

No one has picked up on my minimum wage comment, is it time we reduced it, having that fixed means that flexibility over costs is reduced and prices remain high, there are other ways, better ways to reduce costs, but that involves land owners and the music industry letting stores like hmv have a bit more of their profit.

You're kidding right? It's difficult enough to survive on the minimum wage as it is and you want to reduce it?

[Rincewind]

Not a Tory, and try not to class myself as anything, but my views tend to be more liberal.

One of the costs that give amazon an advantage over the high street is paying for staff, if lowering the wage bill in hmv by paying everyone a bit less keeps it going them surely it would benefit both parties, hmv doesn't go under and the low paid workers still have a job instead of benefits, the alternative would be no hmv and no jobs for anyone.

I don't know whether the savings on paying £5 quid an hour instead of £6 would keep hmv going, but if it did then I see no harm in it. Anyone living below the minimum standard for living will get the shortfall made up in tax credits and benefits, if they aren't then surely the minimum wage is too high.

There is already a huge number of low paid workers on benefits. It isn't just the unemployed that claim. With fuel bills and groceries rising daily a lot of people are very close to the breadline. I'm not blaming anyone it's the way things are.

[foz.foz]

"Think it's harsh to blame Steve Jobs for the downfall of cd's/music. At the end of the day, he is a business man (was a very good one at that) with all these ideas, that worked, and are now massive. Apple are the best company in the World, in my opinion."

I didn't blame him, I said you could blame him for the main part. I wouldn't say they are the best but he has put Apple near the top of the market. The fact that you are only leasing the music and apps you "buy" is in fact bloody genius. You can't sell anything on to someone else when you are fed up with it, where as, if you got fed up with a CD/DVD you could bang it on Ebay or trade it in somewhere and make a little money back or swap it for another. You're not going to be able to do that in a few years when the majority of games, films and music are downloads only.

"That's what I thought. High street shops cannot compete with on-line retailers. On-line companies don't have a closing time, only have to pay bills for their warehouse and people don't have to move from their bed to purchase stuff. The only key advantage that high street shops have is that you can buy something, get in there and then."

A very good point Fox92, so long as you can't download it i.e. DVD's games, CD's. Power tools, clothes etc you could as long as A, the shop was open and B you didn't mind paying a pound or two more (unless the shop did a price match with on-line prices)

I can actually see in the future, on-line shops like Amazon opening up warehouses like B n Q size, where you can drive up and collect your goods no matter what time of day or night it is. You order on-line and it would be ready for collection in 60 minutes should you choose.

And Captain Shrapnel. Would you work for £5.0 and hour... I doubt it, even if you did get a top up with Tax credits. This is where the country is going up the wall and we could end up like Ireland, Spain or Greece before to long, but that is a completely different topic.

[Captain...]

You're kidding right? It's difficult enough to survive on the minimum wage as it is and you want to reduce it?

Easier to survive on a reduced minimum wage than on benefits.