By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
The Internet age has killed the retail star. Large or small, some operations can not compete over the ease of purchasing online. When a consumer is uncertain if they want the product or not, the option to preview it does not always exist when buying from the Internet. When music (CDs) and videos (DVDs) are concerned, I prefer taking a look at the back of the packaging to see what the bonus content consists of before buying.
With the recent news about HMV Canada closing all its stores by April 30th, their website to buy products and Pure Rewards program will no doubt follow. To have an operation not clearly catering specifically to the collector and/or mass consumer can make or break a business. This conflict explains why some audio video outlets are not around.
Liz Braun of the Sun Times wrote, “As fewer people invest in CDs and DVDs, and are able to stream or download the music and movies they want, retail outlets such as HMV will continue to move toward extinction.”
Continue reading “What’s Next to Fall after HMV Canada’s Departure?”