KEY POINTS:
In America, leading CD retail chain Tower records has disappeared. Now comes the news that long-established Auckland retailer Marbecks has changed hands.
With the other changes going on in the music industry -especially with music downloading both legal and illegal, is the CD store as we knew it on the way out?
Here is the latest selection of your views:
Jim
I have to disagree with the Warehouse CD expressed by "Dan" - in my experience the music counter staff at several Chch Warehouse outlets has been great. More than once I have spent time searching the racks for specific CD titles - gone to the counter and the staff knew where to find my CD without even checking their computer. I have found music more affordable through the Warehouse than any other CD outlet in this area - long may they continue.
Dan
Specialist CD stores hopefully will survive, as the offer something the Warehouse can't - product knowledge and service. You walk into a Warehouse and ask for anything that isn't top ten on the Edge or ZM that very week, and the staff will look at you as if you've asked for a rare Frank Zappa b-side from 1965. The biggest challenge is getting people to realise the Warehouse sells CDs at prices below cost - specialists can't compete with that. Continuing to support the Warehouse will end up with them as the only retailer, with staff and service that don't even warrant the minimum wage they get paid.
Asra
Change of tune, and the name may remain the same, but some long time customers at Marbecks are already see the effects of this change, and alas in a negative way. Corporate discounts which made Marbecks superbly appealing have been reduced, and staff instore less communicative and "happy to be of service." Marbecks felt like a store for the fans, but being taken over by a bigger chain is already reducing that feel.
