HMV on Grafton Street closed as voucher debate rages on

HMV on Grafton Street, traditionally one of the heavyweight high street shops in the country, is today closed in the wake of the company entering receivership in the UK.

We reported yesterday that HMV's UK operations were at a standstill due to a severe downturn in trade in recent years, rendering the business model entirely unprofitable in the wake of the emergence of online streaming and internet downloads (both legal and illegal).

HMV yesterday issued a company-wide directive that they would no longer issue or accept gift vouchers, but the National Consumer Agency (NCA) has since stated that vouchers should still be valid in Ireland given that the chain's Irish operation, HMV Ireland Ltd., isn't currently under receivership or examinership. The NCA have called for HMV Ireland to honour its "contract with consumers and accept all gift vouchers with immediate effect."

Now, a bit of editorialising: I heard yesterday evening of the situation that HMV staff across the country were being faced with in the wake of the company's imminent closure and it isn't a pleasant one. Understandably consumers are pissed off that the company has declared all gift vouchers invalid, especially with Christmas just a few weeks ago, but this isn't something which should be taken out on the staff, as happened in at least one HMV chain yesterday.

Staff members were faced with irate customers, many of whom were attempting to spend gift vouchers. Some customers shouted at staff, others even threw CDs at staff in one Dublin branch.

HMV's staff members might seem like good scapegoats for this but remember: they're likely losing their jobs and certainly don't need to be humiliated or verbally abused as a result of this.

UPDATE: All HMV branches across Ireland are now closed.

Image by @seanear1ey

Story by John Balfe | 11:16 | Wednesday 16th January 2013 | Music News

Comments

MickH

I feel sorry for the staff but to hell with HMV, they were complicit in the overpricing of CD's and were the architects of their own downfall. Support independent record shops, those few that still remain.

Posted 11:39 | Wed 16th Jan 2013
Sara Carr

I no longer work there, but was present for the adminstration of Zavvi. It is not the fault of the staff that a customer cannot use their voucher or return their faulty item. It is the fault of the higher management who will not only not allow customers to use their vouchers but who also allowed the staff to hear about the unsteady future of their emplyment through various media outlets. With everything that is going on for the staff of the many HMV stores, I am sure it is appreciated that at least the writer above empathises with their situation and understands that it is not their fault, unlike some other articles that I have read.

Posted 12:07 | Wed 16th Jan 2013
Brian

I always found the CDs for stuff I was interested in to be reasonable and their deals were good. recently not so much. I always liked to browse and staff were always helpful. so sad.

Posted 17:11 | Wed 16th Jan 2013
Rainbow

I remember going into a HMV a few years back. I was looking for a CD box set that had a RRP of a certain price in sterling that translated to 50euro. HMV were charging an extra 20euro. I asked for the management to point out the problem and was practically sniggered at by him. Good riddance to a bad lot.

Posted 12:48 | Wed 16th Jan 2013
Snug Head

f**k them, the staff were still giving out vouchers and taking peoples dvd collections for store credit the day before. They should at least have encouraged people not to buy vouchers or bring in their dvd collections but they didnt. Zeero sympathy, and as for the staff in Liffey valley....shockingly rude all the time. Ill never spend a penny with those b**tards again.

Posted 20:13 | Thu 17th Jan 2013

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