Zavvi - anything we should know?

[gyzmo]

Just done a search for a couple of DVDs and had a look on Zavvi's website.

 

Now it was my understanding that they were in administration and closing down.

 

Why then, did they put by this DVD "Release date May 2009. Pre-order now". Asides the fact that the DVD is on general release, just how are they planning to deliver it? Bloody slow closing down if you ask me. Or have I missed something?

[godpikachu]

seems like they are pulling, or attempting to pull, the same trick that empire direct are doing at the minute, as in taking peoples money and then refusing to give it back because they dont class something to "belong" to the customer until it has been delivered to them.

 

of course any money they [problem] from it will go striaght into the bankrupcy fund.

[patdavies]

My understanding is that Zavvi's problem are not lack of sales or the economic downturn, but the fact that Woolworths (as EUK) were their major supplier.

 

They have closed some stores and if they have managed to negotiate a new supply then they are continuing to trade normally.

[ForestChav]

The whole idea of using a single supplier is flawed anyway.

[patdavies]

AIUI, EUK wasn't the sole supplier, but it was the major supplier.

[Yorky2008]

Hi,

 

I was chatting to the staff in Zavvi as if you go at the mo they have between 20-30% off everything!

 

He basically said that Zavvi buy all their stock on credit, when EUK went uder due to Woollys they called in their credit notices. Zavvi didnt have the funds to cover it hence why they went into administration.

 

I wouldnt preorder anything , however get yourself down one of their stores - bargains to be had!

 

Y.

[ForestChav]

Hi,

 

I was chatting to the staff in Zavvi as if you go at the mo they have between 20-30% off everything!

 

He basically said that Zavvi buy all their stock on credit, when EUK went uder due to Woollys they called in their credit notices. Zavvi didnt have the funds to cover it hence why they went into administration.

 

I wouldnt preorder anything , however get yourself down one of their stores - bargains to be had!

 

Y.

Yes, I picked up some CDs the other week... As for the credit situation I can see why they do that, since if they don't sell the stock they don't make anything on it (so they aren't losing money by having it on credit - so they can return it - as opposed to paying for the stock then reselling it) but if the debt is called you're looking at a huge problem...

AIUI, EUK wasn't the sole supplier, but it was the major supplier.

Yeah, it's still a bad idea to be almost totally reliant on a single point for all your stock. If a label's distributor goes down it only makes that label unavailable. If you get someone to get in all (or most of) your stock and have no supply links with other distributors you are messed up...

[389shell]

I thought HMV were buying about 20 stores?

Just because a company goes into administration, this does not necessarily mean it is going to go bump, the administrators will try to sell bits of it off to save it, so there is hope for Zavvi yet if HMV step up.

 

Unfortunately I work right near a Zavvi, and much of my wages is handed over each month, especially lately, I'm spending far too much at the moment

Edited January 24, 2009 by 389shell
Damn thing went crazy!

[gyzmo]

Well, and this is me, I used to like it when it was Virgin.

 

I only listen to classical music (I'm really snobby on this - only a couple of period orchestras that I will listen to). HMV and Virgin were the best in Manchester, along with some small shop, just off China town, that sadly closed some time ago.

 

Zavvy's classical section is sadly lacking, and HMV's is getting worse by the year.

 

Still, my flatmate, an avid film buff, also dislikes Zavvy for their prices. He usually goes to Fopp, CEX or Amazon and gets his goodies much cheaper. Even Zavvys discounted prices now are somewhat more than what you can get them elsewhere.

[ForestChav]

Well, and this is me, I used to like it when it was Virgin.

 

I only listen to classical music (I'm really snobby on this - only a couple of period orchestras that I will listen to). HMV and Virgin were the best in Manchester, along with some small shop, just off China town, that sadly closed some time ago.

 

Zavvy's classical section is sadly lacking, and HMV's is getting worse by the year.

 

Still, my flatmate, an avid film buff, also dislikes Zavvy for their prices. He usually goes to Fopp, CEX or Amazon and gets his goodies much cheaper. Even Zavvys discounted prices now are somewhat more than what you can get them elsewhere.

Zavvi used to have a whole rack of proper music in Nottm, HMV have about 5 CDs and the rest is this crossover nonsense... I usually buy online now, MDT usually have some labels on special offer and I just got some Naxos discs for £4 a CD at Europadisc (Still listening to all the Rheinberger sonatas). Period groups win though!

[gyzmo]

Deffo! (oh so going off topic now).

 

I remember when I first heard and recognised period instruments - I was about 17 and it was on classic FM. I thought it sounded awful. But I did start to like it and now I cannot stand the sound of modern instruments. They just sound completely wrong. They do say it's an acquired taste.

 

Bets by far is teh Academy of Ancient Music (Hogwood and Chleobury for Westminster Choir) and Drottingholm Court Theatre. At first I used to buy a CD for any period orchestra, but after listening to AAM - they are so much better and make other orchestras sound like school rehearsals.

 

Sadly, Market forces prevail and releases tend to be re-releases, with many more people going for contempory "classical" like Taverner (played funnily enough by AAM). And don't mention Goreczky or whatever his name is. And as for Pavarotti - Grrrr!

 

Told you I as a snob.

 

On Naxos, I've gone off them (probably because AAM don't record for them), but they have had some good recordings. Pity their prices have gone up though, even if they are still cheaper than most.

 

But I have digressed enough.

[ForestChav]

Whee let's take this off topic

 

I don't really like the AAM, if truth be told (they do occasionally appear on Naxos though - the New College Messiah!). They're a bit English, which is fine in English stuff, but I prefer the continental period groups... Amsterdam Baroque are probably about the best, and their conductor rules at playing the organ too! I'm a bit of a stickler for the Bach Collegium Japan as well. The English Baroque Soloists are good, but I don't find Gardiner satisfying in his earlier recordings though the live tapes are always good. I won't buy anything not period now - even later works (I have JEG's Verdi Requiem on period, which beats any modern recording).

 

I guess most of my CDs are organ recordings (mainly Bach) though... but then I like to play those myself anyway so it's always good to hear how others play it.

 

As for Zavvi: Well, they don't really have much left now, but ours used to have a load of Naxos titles and a really good range of the normal releases too. But over the last few weeks, these have been sold etc and with no or little stock coming in, it's declined to the usual crossover nonsense no-one likes...

[gyzmo]

that's weird coz I'm the complete opposite - I can't stand the European ones. I suppose it's because Hogwood goeas for authenticity and anything he touches just sounds so, well, right (Die Shopfung is probably the ebst example).

 

But here's me thinking I was the only person in the world who liked period music....

 

Bet everyone else reading this is thinking "wtf...".

 

Maybe we should start a fan club!

[Bookworm]

A fan club of 2?

 

In my younger days, I bought Mozart's Requiem played with period instruments (on an LP, so that gives you an idea of how long ago that was! ) and I remember how odd that sounded to start with and how after a while, I couldn't even listen to any other version, but then I moved abroad and never got further in my exploration. (Bookie adds yet another thing on "to do" list)

[gyzmo]

3 members - yay!

[ForestChav]

that's weird coz I'm the complete opposite - I can't stand the European ones. I suppose it's because Hogwood goeas for authenticity and anything he touches just sounds so, well, right (Die Shopfung is probably the ebst example).

 

But here's me thinking I was the only person in the world who liked period music....

 

Bet everyone else reading this is thinking "wtf...".

 

Maybe we should start a fan club!

I guess I should like Hogwood - admittedly ages before, he went to the same school I did. Mind you, I *do* like the AAM, I just like the ABO better.

 

Hogwood's recording of Die Schopfung was great though (Emma Kirkby!) until the recent McCreesh one (IMO) surpassed it.

A fan club of 2?

 

In my younger days, I bought Mozart's Requiem played with period instruments (on an LP, so that gives you an idea of how long ago that was! ) and I remember how odd that sounded to start with and how after a while, I couldn't even listen to any other version, but then I moved abroad and never got further in my exploration. (Bookie adds yet another thing on "to do" list)

Yeah, I have several recordings of that - the AAM's one is nice there because it uses a different completion to the usual Sussmayr one which I think is horrid (Sussmayr really didnt know what he was doing) that said Koopman makes it sound good enough (sadly that is out of print now).

3 members - yay!

wheeeee!

 

Shame we don't have a general discussion forum for this sort of thing.

[ronpon]

Has anyone out there actually received a refund on the Zavvi vouchers purchased after the November cutt off date for reimbursement? We asked for a refund for ours way back in early January but have heard nothing from the administrator. I have no trust whatsoever in these people and it's outragous that the regulators have not clamped down on what is downright theft.