businesses that won't be around for that much longer?
Discussion
folks,
was thinking the other day that there are some businesses that are just not going to last that long on our high street
Blockbuster video: I just can't see how they can stay in business. the other day, I went in to rent a video, it was £1 for three days rental [was a film that had been out on DVD for about a year] - I just don't see how they can contnue to make enough money to stay in business when they are charging that much. yet - when you can BUY the same DVD on amazon for 3 or 4 quid - I can't see how they can raise their prices either!
High street record shops: Just think that continued price pressure on DVD's and CD's is going to force these places out of business - I went down berwick street in london the other day (which used to be to be heart of the second hand CD/record shops) - most of them have closed now, I guess as you buy chart CD's for a 6 or 7 quid in amazon or HMV - there is no point buying i second hand! - but I still think that HMV/zavvi are going to struggle though
Travel Agents: again - their travel information systems that they used to look up hotels and flight have been totally replaced by the internet now. I think aside from the cost saving, people just like being able to design their own holidays online.
Bookshops - shame this one, as I really like browsing - but amazon is so much cheaper, that I can't see them lasting much longer
High street electrical shops like Curry's/PC world - I think that these might stay around a little longer, as I think that there are enough people who still don't trust the internet who will buy things from these shops - but I think that they are going to be dependant on their warranties and ancillary stuff to make money
Curious to hear other's thoughts.
Cheers,
-Ace
was thinking the other day that there are some businesses that are just not going to last that long on our high street
Blockbuster video: I just can't see how they can stay in business. the other day, I went in to rent a video, it was £1 for three days rental [was a film that had been out on DVD for about a year] - I just don't see how they can contnue to make enough money to stay in business when they are charging that much. yet - when you can BUY the same DVD on amazon for 3 or 4 quid - I can't see how they can raise their prices either!
High street record shops: Just think that continued price pressure on DVD's and CD's is going to force these places out of business - I went down berwick street in london the other day (which used to be to be heart of the second hand CD/record shops) - most of them have closed now, I guess as you buy chart CD's for a 6 or 7 quid in amazon or HMV - there is no point buying i second hand! - but I still think that HMV/zavvi are going to struggle though
Travel Agents: again - their travel information systems that they used to look up hotels and flight have been totally replaced by the internet now. I think aside from the cost saving, people just like being able to design their own holidays online.
Bookshops - shame this one, as I really like browsing - but amazon is so much cheaper, that I can't see them lasting much longer
High street electrical shops like Curry's/PC world - I think that these might stay around a little longer, as I think that there are enough people who still don't trust the internet who will buy things from these shops - but I think that they are going to be dependant on their warranties and ancillary stuff to make money
Curious to hear other's thoughts.
Cheers,
-Ace
To be honest with you I try and avoid shopping in town for ANYTHING!
Appart from food and the odd can of paint etc I simply dont see the point in going wondering around the shops..
Online you can find what you want in about 30 seconds, read hundreds of reviews on the product and then find the best price,.....
If you go into town you have to wonder around pushing past fat smelly people, put up with sales people who wont leave you alone and get wripped off.....
Appart from food and the odd can of paint etc I simply dont see the point in going wondering around the shops..
Online you can find what you want in about 30 seconds, read hundreds of reviews on the product and then find the best price,.....
If you go into town you have to wonder around pushing past fat smelly people, put up with sales people who wont leave you alone and get wripped off.....
Totally agree with you on Blockbuster video. There is a reasonably large one in my town and it is always totally empty and the opening hours seem to be cutting down too. Their 2002 peak of about $30 is now down to under $3 per share. Insolvent within 2 years...
A lot more pubs will be going to the wall, so too will estate agents.
Focus DIY don't look to be in a particularly healthy position.
Does anyone know a site where you can see the worst performing shares by sector over the last 12 months?
A lot more pubs will be going to the wall, so too will estate agents.
Focus DIY don't look to be in a particularly healthy position.
Does anyone know a site where you can see the worst performing shares by sector over the last 12 months?
king arthur said:
Internet cafés. How do they make any money? Let's say they have 20 machines available, and they generally charge £1 an hour. The most they can make is £20/hour. I can't see a business there, or is there something I'm missing?
There's no money in the PC time, it's all in the coffee and snacks I think.
The amusing thing is that as part of my degree, I did a module in marketing - it was about 10 lectures. The thing the the guy kept saying over and over was "you can't compete on price, any fool can lower it" - but that's what I see tons of companies doing.
HMV/Zavvi seem to depend on eternal discount sales to make money - I can't believe anyone every buys a full price DVD/CD anymore.
I do feel like a hypocrite - I would dearly mourn the loss of the high street, but I can't justify the huge ( in %age terms) premiums that they command...
HMV/Zavvi seem to depend on eternal discount sales to make money - I can't believe anyone every buys a full price DVD/CD anymore.
I do feel like a hypocrite - I would dearly mourn the loss of the high street, but I can't justify the huge ( in %age terms) premiums that they command...
Not so sure about bookshops, certainly the ones i go into are ludicrously busy, you get the 'coffee shop' experience and a free graze of the magazines etc. Seems to work well.
Estate agents as mentioned elsewhere have always seemed to me to be an expensive and pretty meaningless middleman in the already expensive house moving process. Would they be missed - i'm not really sure.
Newsagents: the world seems full of Tesco expresses ... shame really I like the quirkyness of the little corner shop.
Milkman do they still exist?
Estate agents as mentioned elsewhere have always seemed to me to be an expensive and pretty meaningless middleman in the already expensive house moving process. Would they be missed - i'm not really sure.
Newsagents: the world seems full of Tesco expresses ... shame really I like the quirkyness of the little corner shop.
Milkman do they still exist?
Muncher said:
king arthur said:
Internet cafés. How do they make any money? Let's say they have 20 machines available, and they generally charge £1 an hour. The most they can make is £20/hour. I can't see a business there, or is there something I'm missing?
There's no money in the PC time, it's all in the coffee and snacks I think.Edited by rolex on Sunday 15th June 23:37
Bing o said:
phatmanace said:
I do feel like a hypocrite - I would dearly mourn the loss of the high street, but I can't justify the huge ( in %age terms) premiums that they command...
But what will the high street be replaced with?It's an interesting question. I concur about Blockbuster and the like. This evening I spent ten minutes perusing Sky+ and have programmed a dozen movies to be recorded. I've got another dozen which I've already recorded and haven't watched yet. The next time I fancy watching a movie I won't be going to Blockbuster.
When you look round the shops to see the level of 'busyness' at the tills I find it tends to be:
Coffee shops
Card shops
Book shops
Shoe shops
Mobile phone shops
When you look round the shops to see the level of 'busyness' at the tills I find it tends to be:
Coffee shops
Card shops
Book shops
Shoe shops
Mobile phone shops
Muncher said:
A lot more pubs will be going to the wall, so too will estate agents.
Estate agents I'd agree with, at least in the short term, but pubs? Most of the pubs I know of are still doing a pretty damn good trade. When times are good, people want a drink. When times are bad, guess what... people want a drink!I think a few of the private Photography Studios are suffering in the digital age.
No one wants to pay £100s for Wedding photography, or studio portraits, when everyone can be a pro taking photographs and then develop, manipulate, print their own photos at home with todays technology.
No one wants to pay £100s for Wedding photography, or studio portraits, when everyone can be a pro taking photographs and then develop, manipulate, print their own photos at home with todays technology.
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