Jessops, HMV and Blockbuster - who's next?

I doubt WHSmiths will be next, they still offer things that can't be provided by the internet and offer a range of things; magazines, stationary, books, technology...
Waterstones and The Works may be more likely as they only sell books.

Although I don't think technology will ever completely replace books, I don't think a business will be able to live from purely selling books in the near future. Hence why WHSmiths should be OK because it doesn't only sell books.

At the end of the day these businesses failing are a result of 2 things. Firstly, corporation tax being crippling (also accounting for tax dodging). High corporation tax may seem 'fair' to left wingers, but from a logical point of view it loses the government money.
Secondly it's down to the businesses themselves failing to keep up with the changing markets. HMV had the chance to beat Apple to the online music business and failed to do so. They then refused to get involved in it at all and paid the price for their lack of judgement.
Jessops too failed to do anything about the fact that everyone owns a camera phone and paid the price for it.
It's nothing new. When digital cameras came out various firms went bankrupt for failing to adapt - sticking to film technology (namely Kodak). This isn't just a result of the recession. Markets are constantly changing.

I vote WHSmiths, they've already rebranded their airport shops to 'London News Company' sign of things to come?

I worry about Boots, because of the fact that the majority of things you can get from there can also be bought from supermarkets or cheaper retailers like bodycare or, to some extent, superdrug.

I disagree with those three, I'd say somewhere such as GAME/Gamestation. Too much online, same as Blockbusters/HMV. WHSmith are always really busy, Waterstones are the only big bookshop left (bar Borders) and a lot of people I know who read a lot prefer to buy from such a shop.

Argos are too unique and a lot of people use it

Think I'd be devastated if Boots closed, everything you need under one roof!

Despite what is said in this thread, I think Argos.

The government should be bailing out these British companies (take ownership/part ownership of them), instead of bailing out these American, multinational, tax avoiding banks!

pcworld/currys, GAME

soon the high streets would just be clothes retailers, 99p stores and coffee chains

What about travel companies? Thomas Cook were in deep water not so long ago

Waterstone's is probably okay, as someone else said, many readers like to have books in the flesh. But they have the same owners as HMV, bear that in mind

I know, bookshops are lovely- always nice to go in when out out shopping just for a quiet moment

Apparently blockbusters and dixons too! Neither of which surprise me tbh. Oh also, morrison's had a bad Xmas- now that did surprise me!

I vote WHSmiths, they've already rebranded their airport shops to 'London News Company' sign of things to come?
Perhaps Waterstones might struggle too.

I also have thoughts over the future of Argos since they said they were stopping producing the catalogues and going to focus more on online purchases.

Who do you think is at risk on the high street?

I'd imagine it's somewhere that is being encroached on by online retailers, that's been the common theme throughout these stories.

Maplin is probably safe, since they've adapted somewhat by allowing customers to buy online and then collect in-store, but I think in general the electronic hardware guys are going to have a rough time.

Sports direct wont go under, ****e shops but they have a lot under their belt to prop them up especially with jjb gubbed

I know what you mean as I thought about this too as Dixons online's closed, but they still have pixmania(sp)?

But they've really kicked advertising up a notch, esp in the last 6 months or so, + they've merged more stores (i.e. Currys/PC World) than seperate stores + closed some stores.



I think PC World should go as Currys sell the same things + others too