When will it all end?

[doorframe]

And now..... Blockbusters! 4000 jobs!!

Who next?

Will the last person to leave the country please turn off the lights.

 

[marcros]

sad as it is from a jobs perspective, the demise of blockbuster is no shock- most people were suprised because they thought it had gone bust years ago.

HMV, again sad because of the jobs, but people want cheap media rather than high street availability. if wanted quickly, it was downloaded...

 

[RogerS]

Quite a few, maybe ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20262282

 

[Chems]

Just before I go on here, I should say I feel for anyone who has lost their job but this is aimed more at the business side rather than the people impact.

Blockbuster deserved it, never has there been a better story of a company forced to eat humble pie! They could have bought Netflix in 2000 for a tiny fee but Blockbuster laughed at the offer and couldn't understand why anyone would want to download films. Now they've gone from the market, and good riddance. If cinemas don't buck up and stop showing ads - why are you watching ads when you are paying for the film - and stop inflating prices and charging for things like booking with a card they too hopefully will go the same way. Blockbuster refused to evolve with the times and the darwin effect of business has seen them gone the way of the dodo.

However if Netflix don't up their game and start increase the rate at which upto date content is added to the site they could be in Blockbusters shoes in a few years!

 

[Mike.S]

- why are you watching ads when you are paying for the film -

I tend to agree. However, people seem willing to pay subscriptions to Sky and still have to endure adverts and, I believe, Sky is thriving.

I assume that without the ads the entrance price/subs would be higher still.

 

[devonwoody]

It appears Microsoft did not have a stand at Las Vegas this year for the exhibition. Watch this space

 

[RogerS]

....and stop inflating prices and charging for things like booking with a card ....

Don't get me started on that one! Ticket agencies like TicketMaster have a virtual monopoly (and if that useless Quango - the OFT had any balls they would do something) and so they can get away with ripping us off at every opportunity. I will grudgingly pay one booking fee...but not a booking fee per ticket. And it really sticks in my craw when the bas*ards charge me to print out the bloody tickets using My computer on MY paper with MY electricity and in MY own time :twisted:

 

[misterfish]

There may be some hopes for parts of Blockbuster - they did report last night that the mail order service and half of the shops were profitable.

Misterfish

 

[Graham Orm]

Just before I go on here, I should say I feel for anyone who has lost their job but this is aimed more at the business side rather than the people impact.

Blockbuster deserved it, never has there been a better story of a company forced to eat humble pie! They could have bought Netflix in 2000 for a tiny fee but Blockbuster laughed at the offer and couldn't understand why anyone would want to download films. Now they've gone from the market, and good riddance. If cinemas don't buck up and stop showing ads - why are you watching ads when you are paying for the film - and stop inflating prices and charging for things like booking with a card they too hopefully will go the same way. Blockbuster refused to evolve with the times and the darwin effect of business has seen them gone the way of the dodo.

However if Netflix don't up their game and start increase the rate at which upto date content is added to the site they could be in Blockbusters shoes in a few years!

Cinemas must make huge profits from the food alone. Ours local has just introduced a stand offering re-mortgage facilities next to the pick & mix and a machine for ticket payment that has a special slot to accept the shirt off your back. All the staff now wear masks and stripped jumpers. #-o

 

[devonwoody]

High streets will die a death of a thousand cuts.

I refuse to go to the high street and pay parking meter charges, then a couple of pounds extra for petrol getting there and I only want a mgazine or something from W.H Smiths (watch out). I can download to my Kindle. (I think)

 

[thomvic]

The rise of Blockbuster caused the demise of many small independent video shops. I didn't see much fuss about the loss of jobs (and investments) then.

Richard

 

[Losos]

And it really sticks in my craw when the bas*ards charge me to print out the bloody tickets using My computer on MY paper with MY electricity and in MY own time :twisted:

Roger and not forgetting your INK (Ink cartridges are not cheap especially if you buy the Cannon or Epson ones :roll

Do you get the feeling that more and more companies are switching the work burden on to the customer and getting away with it. It's a rip off and what amazes me is that no one seems to notice and trillions of people are growing up thinking this is normal - It is NOT normal, when you deal with an organisation you should not have to do half the job yourself.

Personally I lost interest in films ages ago, never ever used Blockbuster, and don't need or want to download stuff, if it's any good it appears on TCM at some point which is free to me since I am one of Murdochs 'captive' customers, but as I say he gives me TCM for free which suits me just fine :lol:

 

[andersonec]

Just before I go on here, I should say I feel for anyone who has lost their job but this is aimed more at the business side rather than the people impact.

Blockbuster deserved it, never has there been a better story of a company forced to eat humble pie! They could have bought Netflix in 2000 for a tiny fee but Blockbuster laughed at the offer and couldn't understand why anyone would want to download films. Now they've gone from the market, and good riddance. If cinemas don't buck up and stop showing ads - why are you watching ads when you are paying for the film - and stop inflating prices and charging for things like booking with a card they too hopefully will go the same way. Blockbuster refused to evolve with the times and the darwin effect of business has seen them gone the way of the dodo.

However if Netflix don't up their game and start increase the rate at which upto date content is added to the site they could be in Blockbusters shoes in a few years!

Cinemas must make huge profits from the food alone. Ours local has just introduced a stand offering re-mortgage facilities next to the pick & mix and a machine for ticket payment that has a special slot to accept the shirt off your back. All the staff now wear masks and stripped jumpers. #-o

Does anyone remember 'Saturday morning pictures?' 300 screaming kids piling into the 'flicks' on a Saturday morning for three hours of films, singing, cartoons, 'Flash Gordon' etc, Sneaking open the emergency doors to let you pals in and all for the princely sum of sixpence, good times.

Is it any wonder that some of us are disillusioned and wondering what the modern children are growing up into?

Heard a quote from some psychologist on the radio the other day, he said that people were no happier now than they were in the fifties, 'nuff said.

Andy

 

[doorframe]

The rise of Blockbuster caused the demise of many small independent video shops. I didn't see much fuss about the loss of jobs (and investments) then.

Richard

You are correct Richard. My B.I.L lost his savings when his video shop went over 20 yrs ago. The difference was that there were other jobs and avenues to explore back then, and as he was a skilled man (time served electronics engineer) it didn't take too long to get a fresh start. I don't expect many of the 4000 Blockbusters staff will be as lucky.

 

[Chems]

Is it any wonder that some of us are disillusioned and wondering what the modern children are growing up into?

Woah woah, pump the breaks there, some of us are still under 25 here its not exclusively a 30-70 club here at UKW!

 

[newt]

Lots of folk will not get off there arse to go to a shop and prefer to sit and lounge on the Internet. Also prefer to text than speak. I guess if it carries on like this folk will get very fat, in many generations time will have no legs or vocal cords evolution tends to remove unwanted features.

 

[andersonec]

Is it any wonder that some of us are disillusioned and wondering what the modern children are growing up into?

Woah woah, pump the breaks there, some of us are still under 25 here its not exclusively a 30-70 club here at UKW!

Chems, surely your'e not classing yourself as a child?

Andy

 

[Chems]

Is it any wonder that some of us are disillusioned and wondering what the modern children are growing up into?

Woah woah, pump the breaks there, some of us are still under 25 here its not exclusively a 30-70 club here at UKW!

Chems, surely your'e not classing yourself as a child?

Andy

At heart!

 

[orchard]

Lots of folk will not get off there buttocks to go to a shop and prefer to sit and lounge on the Internet. Also prefer to text than speak. I guess if it carries on like this folk will get very fat, in many generations time will have no legs or vocal cords evolution tends to remove unwanted features.

I'd much rather use my scant leisure time in my workshop than travel to a shop that has never heard of Cutting Solutions, or closed them out of the market for a more profitable brand. I think it's fantastic that producers can sell more directly. Of course it's quite a complex issue, but, for example, some companies can be quite complacent with their profit margins if we can import Famag bits as individuals cheaper than a bulk distributor based in the UK.

 

[newt]

Lots of folk will not get off there buttocks to go to a shop and prefer to sit and lounge on the Internet. Also prefer to text than speak. I guess if it carries on like this folk will get very fat, in many generations time will have no legs or vocal cords evolution tends to remove unwanted features.

I'd much rather use my scant leisure time in my workshop than travel to a shop that has never heard of Cutting Solutions, or closed them out of the market for a more profitable brand. I think it's fantastic that producers can sell more directly. Of course it's quite a complex issue, but, for example, some companies can be quite complacent with their profit margins if we can import Famag bits as individuals cheaper than a bulk distributor based in the UK.

Orchard, I agree I don't like shopping for the normal routine things, but I used to enjoy going to Axminster to buy my tools, even though it cost more with the fuel. I do buy the occasional item on line, the point I was trying to make with tongue in cheek is the never ending stay at home and do it on line attitude. I can't ever see high street shops competing with the Internet their overheads are much greater. What I think must be hard for the shop keepers is when folk come in spend some time in the warm looking and asking about a product and then ordering on line, having had no intention of buying from the shop. Of course this will all go when the shops close and we will have to just rely on pictures and reviews.