[_dark_blu]

Just been told by a friend that works for Zavvi that they're on the verge of announcing they're going in to administration. Apparently it's been known but kept quiet by the big chiefs for a while. Haven't found any news stories to confirm this 100% but I think something will be announced soon.

[loz]

BBC NEWS | Business | Zavvi placed into administration

Music, games and DVD chain Zavvi has gone into administration, Ernst & Young has announced, threatening 2,500 jobs.

The troubled chain has been badly affected by the demise of Woolworths, which forced it to stop taking new orders via its website.

It was also forced to cancel existing orders. Zavvi's main supplier is Woolworths' unit Entertainment UK.

[C225]

Breaking news on sky at the minute

I was in yesterday and you could tell someting was up as the latest family guy and american dad boxsets were in the clearout section even though they were only relased a month or so ago. Also the fact no giftcards were being sold was a biy ominous

[_dark_blu]

Originally Posted by loz

BBC NEWS | Business | Zavvi placed into administration

The story is dated 22nd February 2007? Obviously an error.
The wiki page for Zavvi has been updated saying in administration as of December 24th 2008.

[loz]

Originally Posted by _dark_blu

The story is dated 22nd February 2007?

perhaps the BBC could see the writing on the wall even back then

[_dark_blu]

Originally Posted by loz

perhaps the BBC could see the writing on the wall even back then

[_dark_blu]

Originally Posted by C225

Also the fact no giftcards were being sold was a biy ominous

I though the same when our local Zavvi stopped them as of Monday (same day the Clearance Sale started).

[craddock]

Not surprised at all, I believe I read that Zavvi owed Entertainment UK 100 million for stock and that was months ago.

I reckon next will be WHSmiths, Currys digital and Comet.

I had read that Currys were to shut 77 of it stores to try and help it's finiancial situation but I reckon the lot will go, internet electricals are sooo much cheaper.

How Nostradamus of me.

Anyway apparently 10 well known high street chains will go by the end of January according to a web news report I read last week, could be anyone.

[Ian182]

Despite their being no giftcards on sale, I would assume they will honour ones that have already been issued ?

I, like thousands of others, will no doubt have one waiting under the Christmas Tree for me tomorrow morning.

Had a similar situation with Music Zone a couple of years ago and they were honoured, so I hope Zavvi do the same........

Ian.

[nheather]

Whittards and Officers Club just had 11th hour reprieves when buyers were found but I will expect quite a few rationalisations - store closures and job losses.

Cheers,

Nigel

[JAMFish72]

Never did like Zavvi. Stupid name. And their online DVD prices were EXTORTIONATE, compared to Play.com. And why change from Virgin Megastore to such a stupid name? Did I say the name was stupid?

[moby125]

Richard Branson actually sold Virgin Megastores to a management buyout, hence the name Zavvi. So he has nothing to do with it, now. But his group still own Virgin Mobile, which will also now disappear from the highstreet aswell. As they rent shopfloor space off Zavvi!!

[Beany31]

I knew this was the case, I said this in another thread. Where I live/shop there's a Zavvi and it's not really had any clearout sales apart from the Xbox Arcade going down to as little as £99.. There's also a Whittard's and are they staying open or are they going completely as well? It's ridiculous how many shops are going, high streets are going to be empty in the near future. I agree with Comet could soon be going, but I doubt Currys will, even with their losses announced a couple of months ago.

[martin10]

Just been into my local store to work, Bishopsgate, London

Bought Lego Star Wars and Assasins Creed on PS3 for £15 and £10.00 respectively

But like Woolies felt like a vulture stripping a company of its assets, each to their own !!

[wormvortex]

Only decent Zavvi I've been in is the one in Oxford Street and it was stupidly overpriced except for certain CD's.

[_dark_blu]

Originally Posted by martin10

felt like a vulture stripping a company of its assets, each to their own !!

Why did you feel like a vulture? As I've posted in another thread;

Looking at things from a different perspective, what would Woolworth's (and maybe Zavvi in a few weeks) prefer?

Everyone to steer clear of it's stores out of respect, just so not to be labelled a vulture?

No.

I'm sure that the administrators are happy that people are flocking to buy up the last of their lines, it's money they need.

So these vultures are actually helping the business tie up loose ends and ease the pressure on other companies in turn.

If everyone (customers old and new) kept away from any sale due to the store going in to administration, how would said company clear the rest of it's stock? They need people to go in and buy. It's a shop. It sells things to the public. End of!

[Steven]

Any good deals?

[Geege]

I think the likes of Virgin Megastore back in its most popular times were so over priced. I used to go in for certain CDs and see them for sale for £16, what a rip off. No wonder people decided to shop at play.com. Also when the management buy out happened and they changed their name to "Zavvi" I initially didn't know what the shop was as there wasn't anything to identify it. Virgin Megastore was such a big brand name. Zavvi is just stupid. I'm not surprised the company has gone into administration.

[Ed Selley]

I picked up three cracking bits of vinyl for £21 in Zavvi a while back. The Milton Keynes one was surprisingly good if the music you were after wasn't new release. I hope to spend my gift certificate in a similar fashion.

[James Baker]

Another big dinosaur bites the dust -

Next to go should be:

HMV - far far to expesive on the high street
WHSmiths - What do people from them these days?
Comet - Dodgy sales practices means that joe public is ripped off daily
Game - Worse customer service than Gamestation (however gamestation staff do wiff a bit!)
Sainsburys - Again why shop here when they are more expensive than tescos/asdas for the same stuff?

[JackFord]

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Game - Worse customer service than Gamestation (however gamestation staff do wiff a bit!)

Unlike your other examples I don't think this is something GAME have 'direct' control over. Maybe just in your area customer service is bad, I've never had any problems.

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Sainsburys - Again why shop here when they are more expensive than tescos/asdas for the same stuff?

Because it isn't the same stuff. It generally performs better in blind tests. Furthermore all the Sainsbury's near me are better laid out and better stocked.

I'd counter if you're prepared to eat some of the horrible guff that Asda sell, why not make a proper saving and go to Aldi?

[Hitby]

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Another big dinosaur bites the dust -

Next to go should be:

HMV - far far to expesive on the high street
WHSmiths - What do people from them these days?
Comet - Dodgy sales practices means that joe public is ripped off daily
Game - Worse customer service than Gamestation (however gamestation staff do wiff a bit!)
Sainsburys - Again why shop here when they are more expensive than tescos/asdas for the same stuff?

I shop at Sainsburys and I only rarely go anywhere else. It's not that much more expensive and the whole process from walking through the door to leaving is a calmer, nicer, quieter experience.

[johnscarlet]

Originally Posted by Geege

I think the likes of Virgin Megastore back in its most popular times were so over priced. I used to go in for certain CDs and see them for sale for £16, what a rip off. No wonder people decided to shop at play.com.

And even Play were expensive compared to other retailers this year. In fact , having referred to my buying list . I bought nothing from them this year . No CD's no DVD's No Games and no Books . They were all cheaper elsewhere

[alexs2]

Rather than opening Zavvi threads all over the forums it would be best to keep all of the issues in one place.

I.e. here.

[d3moliti0n]

I posted this message in one of the other threads about Zavvi going into administration which was closed so I'll post it here:

I have to admit I rarely, if ever buy dvd's, games and cd's from high street shops nowadays as I can't bring myself to pay the stupidly high prices they ask when you know you have seen it on the internet for much cheaper.

[domtheone]

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Next to go should be:

Sainsburys - Again why shop here when they are more expensive than tescos/asdas for the same stuff?

Absolutely no chance.

Originally Posted by Ed Selley

Because it isn't the same stuff. It generally performs better in blind tests. Furthermore all the Sainsbury's near me are better laid out and better stocked.

I'd counter if you're prepared to eat some of the horrible guff that Asda sell, why not make a proper saving and go to Aldi?

Indeed.

Originally Posted by Hitby

I shop at Sainsburys and I only rarely go anywhere else. It's not that much more expensive and the whole process from walking through the door to leaving is a calmer, nicer, quieter experience.

100% Agreed.

I popped into Asda the other day (had a works giftcard) and was surprised how expensive it was Granted I only looked at around 20 items but over half of them were more expensive then where I usually shop (Tesco/Sainsburys).

[loz]

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

HMV - far far to expesive on the high street

Clearly will be struggling

HMV Group PLC, the British retailer of music, DVDs, games and books, reported Thursday a net loss for the first half of its financial year as swelling costs offset higher sales. The company also warned markets had weakened further since the end of the period.

The company reported a net loss of 19.8 million pounds ($29.5 million) for the 26 weeks through Oct. 25, compared with a net profit of 25.9 million pounds a year earlier. Last year's figure was boosted by a 49 million-pound one-time gain resulting from the sale of HMV's Japanese retail unit. The company did not publish quarterly figures.

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

Sainsburys - Again why shop here when they are more expensive than tescos/asdas for the same stuff?

Doing really well, profits up 11%

Profits over the six months to October 4 rose to £258 million on a 3.9 per cent rise in like-for-like sales while total trading, including revenue from new stores opened during the period, increased by 7.6 per cent to £10.8 billion.

The rise in underlying sales at Sainsbury's means the retailer has now delivered 15 quarters of consecutive underlying sales growth.

Originally Posted by Baldybouncer

WHSmiths - What do people from them these days?

Doing OK

By far the star performer of the year is newsagent WH Smith, up 8%. For the year to August, it posted a 15% hike in full year underlying profit that beat market forecasts. Recently, like-for-like sales at its high street stores have slipped but it was still in line with expectations. Helped by cost cuts, its pre-tax, post-exceptional profits totalled £76m for the year to 31 August, the same figure as a year earlier.

Like-for-like sales, excluding new store openings, were down 2%, although total sales were up 4%.

[TUCKERS]

Details have been posted on the zavvi website regarding gift vouchers. I have a £50 gift card that someone bought me prior to 27 November which is practically worthless. I also bought someone a £25 Xmas Gift Voucher prior to 28 November and that is also practically worthless. I am therefore £75 out of pocket and have little or no chance of getting a refund as it is classed as an 'unsecured claim'. I suppose the quicker I submit the claim the better but I don't expect to see a penny. Those vouchers purchased after 27 November are expected to receive a refund once a claim has been submitted. Vouchers cannot be redeemed in store. I feel very sorry for all the staff who may lose their jobs but thanks a bunch Zavvi!!

[loz]

Originally Posted by TUCKERS

Details have been posted on the zavvi website regarding gift vouchers. I have a £50 gift card that someone bought me prior to 27 November which is practically worthless. I also bought someone a £25 Xmas Gift Voucher prior to 28 November and that is also practically worthless. I am therefore £75 out of pocket and have little or no chance of getting a refund as it is classed as an 'unsecured claim'. I suppose the quicker I submit the claim the better but I don't expect to see a penny. Those vouchers purchased after 27 November are expected to receive a refund once a claim has been submitted. Vouchers cannot be redeemed in store. I feel very sorry for all the staff who may lose their jobs but thanks a bunch Zavvi!!

That's disgusting.

The stores are still open, you can buy things, but you cannot redeem your vouchers. And if your voucher is month old, they won't even give you your money back.

If the store is open and they have stock, then you ought to be able to go in an exchange your vouchers for the stock seeing as you have already given them the money.

(of course, I know why they are doing it - they want more cash for that stock, not pieces of paper. But it is still disgusting)