HMV - Secondhand and bust

So I popped into the local HMV the other day to get a dvd, the dvd in question was in stock in the 2 for a tenner range, so I found a  CD I also wanted to get so a cd and a dvd for a tenner that’s very good value in my book.

On the way to the till I noticed a section of cds marked as ‘pre owned’ and in contained such classics as Pink Floyds ‘wish you were here’ and Nirvanas ‘Nevermind’ for 2 pounds a pop. 

Now I have a big concern over this HMV is the only new CD chain in the uk left everyone else has gone bust. I have seen that a lot of people are now offloading there unwanted music on web sites like music magpie where they buy in cds for next to nothing typically 50 to 75p per cd then they sell them on either via ebay, or now it would seam through shops like entertainment exchanger or maybe now HMV. 

What this is doing is in my view detrimental to the music industry on several levels. 1 it makes it harder for the few remaining second hand record shops to obtain stock where they usually pay more for cds than somewhere like music magpie and as most are  small businesses some of which also stock new music many also help support independent artists by selling direct from the artist this is not a massive part of the music industry but small second hand record shops do benefit the music community as a whole. 2 if HMV now sell cds at 2 quid a pop its going to dramatically undervalue the retail proce of a full price CD. I personally view ten pounds as a reasonable amount to pay for a new cd its been the standard proce for years, but supermarkets started the discounting of cds by importing albums from abroad and set a culture of reduced price music carried on by the likes of cdwow hmv gurnsey and so on. The consumer now feels that all cds should be priced at no more than a fiver. Thankfully people that value the music that artists and new artists make are still willing to invest in the artist and buy an album for a tenner but this is getting less and less.

Now HMV have set the bench mark price of CDs at 2 pounds a pop yes they are secondhand buy many will ignore the fact and just believe that cds are now worth that amount and no more.

What really will be the knock on though is to the independent second-hand record shop the place that will sell you a good condition CD for 3-5 pounds this subsidising them being able to afford to stock new independently released music so no only will HMV be putting themselves out of business they will also do their best to kill off what few remaining record shops we have left.

Well done HMV Nipper would be so proud.