20/04/06: Almost two-years since i've been on here. How disturbing?! I only really remembered becaus...
20/04/06: Almost two-years since i've been on here. How disturbing?! I only really remembered because a customer at work mentioned it! OOOO how life has changed! Hope everyone is well, especially Torr. Kate xxx
Member since:20.06.2002
Reviews:33
Members who trust:25
First of all I should warn you that this may turn its ugly head into a bit of a rant, but you know what????????? I don’t care.
The second of my older brothers came home for Easter and since we’ve all grown up a bit we decided to forget the classic Easter eggs for each other (well we receive one from the Olds and another from the Grandolds-so none of us loose out (unless of course you’re the one sibling who doesn’t make it home)) and to buy something each for Mum and Dad. So off we went into Leicester City Centre, shopping…
Seeming Easter has actually gone I can say that we got Dad a book and a Zen garden and Mum a CD.
“HMV” I’d like to put this into the world of Room 101, let the place disappear, as it is surely the most shockingly crap place in the entire world-and expensive too. I’m not one to go out of my way so seeming as though we were on the High Street and just wanted to get it sorted I was happy enough to just pay a few quid extra but later
browsing I found ‘cdwow.co.uk’ was £8.99 (with the 34p Cadbury’s Crème Egg discount it totalled £8.65 to include delivery too) whereas we paid a whopping £11.99 (in the SALE plus leg ache, car park costs and petrol)
DOESN’T THAT SAY IT ALL?
~SELECTION~ HMV has a wide variety of products. In the Leicester store alone there are two levels. The ground level for games (X-Box, Playstation 2 and Playstation amongst a few others such as Games Cube and Nintendo 64). The main people who hang around in the “underground” are teenagers with far too much pocket money to spend. Also on this floor are the “other” items which can include anything; posters, DVDs and videos. I must admit if you do not know what you are looking for then the shop is good, so much variety you could be hunting around their for days.
The upper ground however is totally dedicated to music; chart, oldie, indie, rock, pop, classical, alternative, easy listening, folk, world music and these come in CDs, a few tapes, audio books and vinyl’s. There are also a few t-shirts that can be bought in this area but in this store they are very limited to one size and in about 3 different styles.
~PRICE~ The prices do vary according to the product bought but they are typical High Street store prices. Videos are at least £10, CDs typically £13.99, DVDs £19.99 and Posters are approximately £3.99 each. For myself I would consider all the above expensive especially as there are so many places these days which do such good offers (the internet surely being top of the list).
~OFFERS~ The “top dog for music” really have in the most recent years made their names upon the deals they provide with CDs. 2 for £22 which in reality could be ok at £11 a CD however with the introduction of supermarket prices for CDs which are under £10 you’re are even paying over the odds then. Personally I would not consider this the most “great” offer that they advertise it to be.
~LAYOUT~ It may be me but the lighting in HMV is weird. The lights are quite normal but are then backed up with surreal pink and purple lighting around areas, which make up the same lighting used on juke machines. Others are just in pitch black so not exactly the friendly enticing image I would assume they’d want. The layout is pretty poor in my opinion; yes all the same music is in the same areas but vinyl’s look like they’ve been dumped and resemble a car boot sale. The chart music is right at the back so meaning that typically the popular music is hidden away.
~STAFF~ Staffing in the shop really resorts to the cash desks. You rarely see anyone filling up shelves nor do you see an empty shelf, so can anyone explain that? Should you wish to listen to a CD in the music booths they will happily put one on (this is as long as the shop is not busy) and well they will answer any question you put to them but will not offer information otherwise. Apart from that the happy little chappies (which so often look so glum) go on about their working lives much like the rest of us and can be spotted wearing jeans and a black HMV t-shirt.
~ADVANTAGES~ · Lots of selection · Available staff · Quick check outs
~DISADVANTAGES~ · Price · The faces of the staff · Shops only usually available in town centres or big shopping places · The offers · The layout is awful
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I HATE HMV! How can they possibly justify charging £15.99 for a double cd album, yet Asda have just put their prices down about £3 and most cost £9.99?!? Its absolutely disgusting, why anyone shops there and not Asda or Tesco etc or even online, is totally beyond me!
TeenyB 01.08.2003 15:59
Hi - very good op. I agree wholeheartedly about the price moans. NEVER buy anything from HMV before checking other stores first. I saw a Lee Evan DVD in their for £19.99, which I then bought from Comet for just £11.99!!! Madness. Tina xx
Yeahmate 22.06.2003 15:32
Yeah it is expensive but its about the only place that sells my kinda music so I have to live with it. Nik
Advantages: A good range of CDs. You will be able to pick up semi-obscure stuff here. (I found it to be the only place who'll sell Weird Al) Disadvantages: More costly than Virgin. Queues are badly arranged.
Manx 20.12.2000 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of HMV (Shop)
Advantages: A very good selection, excellent layout, spacious well appointed premesis, superb 'Urban' selection some fantastic bargains to be had in the sales. Disadvantages: Some non-sale items are eye wateringly expensive, staff not so good with ordering or finding stock,occasional staff levelling problems, very little in the choice of alternative music formats eg SACD , not so good for rock music.
peterkinxl5 14.03.2005 (14.03.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of HMV (Shop)
Advantages: wide ranges of different products appropriately categorised - easy to navigate, friendly staff, special offers Disadvantages: Newer products are a bit expensive in comparison to other high street stores, bad lighting
Christophene 06.06.2001 (07.06.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of HMV (Shop)
Apr 24th, 2003
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