As you may know, Media Play is going out of business. Everything (excepts books) is 40% off, so the wife and I went there to see if they had anything decent left. We got a few things.
I couldn’t help but being slightly saddened. Granted, this particular store was way too big. Too much empty space, higher prices than most places, and the usual uninformed employees. Still, I felt like a vulture even though I had purchased plenty of stuff there in the past.
I heard someone ask if the discounts were going to be increased. The reply was, “depends on how sales go”. When I asked, the cashier said that they would likely be gone by January 20th.
Even if I was never a regular customer, for me, there’s always something a little sad about a store going out of business. I always imagine that it represents someone’s dying dream. I’ve even felt a flash of guilt when exploiting the huge sales, as if I’m a vulture picking over the carcass.
I live in a small town, and was elated when we got our very first book store. Sorry, Amazon, I’m buying local! It lasted for almost seven months before going under. The owners blamed the location; I blamed the idiotic townspeople who can support twelve video stores but not one little bookshop. (But that’s another thread.)
I didn’t know they were going out of business until I went in to browse. I swear, while that store was there, I bought twice as many books as usual-- and that’s saying something. We always stopped when we were downtown.
The store was fiilled with people. I was amazed, being used to being the only customer in the store. They were crowded around “50% off” tables, buying in bulk. I asked the owner why the big sale, and he told me, a hint of bitterness in his voice that they were closing in a week. I looked at the hoards of people and resented them: if only they had come before, when the store was still on its feet. Now they were here, taking advantage of its fall.
The owner thanked me for all of my patronage, and took me aside to whisper that I could have whatever I wanted 75% off-- even if it wasn’t on the sale tables yet. I felt like a bastard, but I bought, because he assured me that “all this would go in a barn somewhere” if it wasn’t purchased.
I’m over sentimental, I know, and that’s the business world, but it’s always sad.
I was there the other day when it was 30% off, I was checking out Seinfeld sets. They were $49.99. 30% off $49.99 is $38, or the regular price at Best Buy. Totally unrelated, but they also wouldn’t give me a holiday job a few Christmases ago even though I passed all their tests and gave a good interview. I didn’t have retail experience…
Yup, not sorry to see them go at all.
Of course I then went back a few days later when everything was 40% off and managed to get Cold Fear for my PS2 for like $11. Everything but the video games was seriously picked over.
Gah. Yeah. My husband and I went to the one here this afternoon. They have the ENTIRE book section cordoned off. Apparently, they want to send them to the secondary market or something. This kinda bites, as, the last time they were there, they were only 20% off. If they’d moved it to 30 or 40%, I’d’ve bought a crapload of books.
It was really picked over otherwise. I was kind of sad–it was the only store in town that carried books and music/DVDs. When my husband wanted to spend an hour or so in the movie section, I could chill out in the book section. Alas, it is no more.
I hated Media Play. Most expensive store in town for just about anything I went looking for. It’s no wonder they went out of business - no matter what they had, you could get it for less somewhere else.
I did some Christmas shopping there when it was all 20% off. The DVDs I was looking for were still a few dollars more than the prices I’d found online.
Hmm. Yeah, can’t imagine why they’re going out of business.
I was a pretty regular customer. I know I could get a lot of stuff cheaper online but I love to browse in the books. I was hoping the books would go below 20% the day after Christmas but it looks like that won’t happen.
I did have a moment of weakness and bought the Calvin and Hobbs boxed set. (Amazon is sold out)
I always loathed Media Play. A nice concept until they “mission creeped” themselves right out of business with way too many different types of product married with an obvious lack of product knowledge and absolutely HORRIBLE merchandising/display.
I won’t miss them. They did everything your local Best Buy, Borders and Staples did, only worse.