Blockbuster joins Jessops and HMV

[Fish]

As long as there are people buying golf gear they will be ok, as they do most business these days online. Plus as long as they can offer custom fit it will give customers a reason for being there. Its when manufacturers start offering custom fit with local pro and buy online direct at discount prices that the likes of AG & DG will suffer.

But the difference with that being local Pro's would get something from the CF session. As long as people can afford to play golf, specialist retailers like AG& DG will be fine as their isn't the general market for stores like Asda & Tesco to dip into it. The problems will come when the rest of the economy goes tits up and people can't afford to play golf!

I think as manufacturers increase demo days at clubs which will include being fitted out they will start to lose any uniqueness. Quite a few pro's at clubs already get involved in fitting for specific brands so I don't think their fitting is a strong security.

 

[Fader]

I think as manufacturers increase demo days at clubs which will include being fitted out they will start to lose any uniqueness. Quite a few pro's at clubs already get involved in fitting for specific brands so I don't think their fitting is a strong security.

Possibly not a strong point, but whilst they can buy in bulk and if they can under cut Pro's they can take the customers details from a previous fitting and place the order on their behalf. But all the while they have online shops they will be ok, as you pointed out yourself they can follow other business models by removing some shops and putting it into the online market.

 

[palindromicbob]

The golf stores have the advantage of selling an type of item that many people will only buy from somewhere they can trust and they are the go to places online. Can't see them going any time soon.

The likes of HMV, Jessops and Blockbuster all have competitions from online. Amazon etc which are all trusted. Then combine that with illegal downloading which becomes even better now with the oscars etc meaning screeners are leaked of movies that aren't even in the cinema.

 

[Kellfire]

I disagree.

It isn't an opinion, it's a fact; we are NOT in recession.

We're still paying a massive financial price and look set to for the foreseeable but right now we aren't in a recession as the economy grew last financial quarter.

 

[Fish]

It isn't an opinion, it's a fact; we are NOT in recession.

We're still paying a massive financial price and look set to for the foreseeable but right now we aren't in a recession as the economy grew last financial quarter.

Yes after back-to-back negatives!

Also the alleged growth was revised down, OK still a declared growth but employment had been resilient throughout that recovery process but that has been shattered now already with thousands joining the unemployed queues.

 

[Kellfire]

And I'd definitely suspect we may slump into a treble dip.

 

[Andy808]

Another company that tried to ride out the internet "fad" and missed the boat when it was there for the taking. Diversify or fall by the wayside.

 

[GB72]

Blockbusters should have lost its high street presence years ago (I say high street but they were not normally in the middle of town). The last few years should have seen the company moving into mail rentals like lovefilm and then on to streaming etc They could also have had some online retail. Blockbuster was a strong and trusted household name and if they had been managed properly then we would all be renting and straming films from Blockbuster Online and not Lovefilm.Instead they stuck by their old business plan that become more outdated every year. I gave up renting DVDs years ago because the cost went up and the rental period went down. Last I remember I was paying nearly a fiver for 1 or 2 nights rental of a new release. How can that compete with being able to buy an older film for £5-£7 or the latest release for a Tenner. Add to that the fact that I can get the same rentals on the same day from Sky etc for less cost and no risk of heading out only to find that the film you want has been rented out. I know that this is sad for those losing jobs and I know that the economy is pretty bad at the moment but the simple fact is that Jessops, Blockbusters and HMV would have gone recession or not as they have become outdated and have missed the boat when it came updating their business models.

 

[Captainron]

If you look at all three retailers their markets all went digital a few years back but they never reacted correctly. Poor business strategy combined with a poor economy have culled the dinosaurs.

 

[MegaSteve]

Plus I find its harder and harder to find good movies, how many remakes has their been over the past number of years?

Sitting, looking at a list of films that may or may not be shot, here in the UK, in 2013 [funds allowing]... This ain't gonna change anytime soon...

The money lost to the industry due to ILLEGAL ACTIVITY impacts more on the second layer of film makers much more than those at the top of the pile... So only 'safe' films get made... Rather than chances being taken on the 'risk taker' film makers which often produce the films worth watching because there isn't the money around to filter down to them...

As far as I am concerned ALL those involved in piracy including the end user should be strung up by their.....

EDITED by myself rather than pick up another pointless infraction...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our town has the typical wide market street of many ex Market Towns which means that cars can park facing the kerb on both sides and still masses of road for two lanes even with occasional double parking as suppliers drop stuff off etc. Top end of this street (out of town end) largely residential - bottom end in the town centre and lined both sides with small shops, florists, barbers restaurants etc. Maximum of 2hrs stay. Free parking. Perfect for just nipping into town for a quick shop, haircut, grab a paper and some chocolate from WHSmith, have lunch etc. But shops have been closing, businesses are clearly suffering - Farnham is not immune.

And so in their infinite wisdom the council has, from two weeks ago, started charging 70p for a half hour park. Brilliant - just brilliant. And guess what - the local weekly paper reports that many centre of town small retailers have already seen a dramatic drop off in their trade. I for one won't be parking on that street again unless I absolutely have to.

Don't the Council realise that some free parking in a town centre like ours is an attraction and incentive for visitors as well as locals. A lot of 'through' traffic uses this road and I am sure the free parking that was available would have given some travellers a reason to stop and have a look around town - and spend some money. Coming into town on that road you pass the town's Norman Castle and medieval Bishops Palace. The street itself is beautiful - lined as it is by 17th Almshouses, old pubs and lovely Georgian houses and shops. When you drive down the street you might just want to stop to have a look - and parking was free but now it's not :angry:

Oh yes - the council gets parking money - but sure as h**k it won't find it's way into the pockets of the struggling businesses in town. Keeps business rates down for next year? Won't help if they've gone out of business before then.

 

[Rooter]

Agree on the council points above, a number of shops in Newbury have recently closed due to an alleged huge increase in rates.

Re DG and AG, i think they will be OK, typically out of town locations which are much much cheaper. buying golf gear will always need a personal touch.. cant imagine people buy online without looking, feeling, trying out clubs...

 

[Fish]

buying golf gear will always need a personal touch.. cant imagine people buy online without looking, feeling, trying out clubs...

That expression could be used within many markets but unfortunately couldn't be further from the truth. As a retail owner (past now) we saw many people at times looking at the latest items as advertised in magazines and indeed did come to look, touch & feel the new product with no other intention than to obtain as much information as possible only then to return home a surf the net and look for the cheapest deal!

Retail stores then across a lot of markets then become display cabinets for on-line only companies that may be hundreds of miles away with little overheads and as such can sell at much cheaper prices than a retail store.

Whilst this trend continues to grow at an alarming rate, more and more rental boards and empty shop will be seen along all shopping parades.

If the likes of DG & AG were to move to on-line only, then where would we all see the latest products and brands?

I think manufacturers and wholesalers need to realise that brands will have less public visibility unless they control the growth of on-line sales against retail sales and we as customers will have further and further to travel to try anything we may be considering.

 

[Rooter]

@Fish, I agree that a lot of people use physical shops to view then buy online, but typically DG and AG are the cheapest anyway. hence why i believe they will be OK...

The likes of blockbuster, HMV etc did not move with the times. I believe the golf retailers are with web shop and in store, web price match etc..

I also believe the golf industry could help secure the future with restrictive selling as per Ping for example, with their no web sales policy.