Tower Records is getting liquidated

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

If you're willing to wait a couple of weeks for a used CD, Half.com has some pretty good deals even considering media mail shipping costs. I rarely purchase CDs but do buy DVDs and books at that site.

Oh yeah. Half.com is a great place for bargain hunters.

I was bummed when eBay acquired them and did away with their "standing order" feature (that wasn't the name of it, but I can't recall it right now). I used to have dozens of books and CDs on standing order at super-low maximum prices. Most of the time, sellers would list their items at higher prices and someone else would buy them. But every so often, when someone would list an item I wanted at a really low price, I'd automatically scoop it up for a song.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

Too funny! We'll give that the acronym S-D-R. I've done my share of wasting money on new release LPs and CDs (mostly from the Keeaumoku Towers) due to being suckered by cool looking cover art masking S-D-R content. Of course, that's an issue with the band/producer, not the retailer.

Yeah, I remember one album in particular. I *really* liked the song I heard on the radio. So I took a chance on the album. (Also, I'm not sure as the single was available). The song I wanted was the first cut on the first side. The rest of the album? Ugh. That probably had a SDR of 10 maybe 12.

Of course, that's an issue with the band/producer, not the retailer.

Yes, but the poor retailer is the one to takes it in the shorts when things don't sell.

The downside though is that you don't allow the songs to grow on you. There's a few albums I didn't really like the first time though, but when played as a album grew on me. With the 30 second sample, that's not going to happen. As for compilations, well, it all depends on who's doing the compiling. Chances are I might like something left behind. For example, find a Beatles compilation that includes "Boys".

[tutusue]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

[...]I was bummed when eBay acquired them and did away with their "standing order" feature (that wasn't the name of it, but I can't recall it right now).[...]

I don't remember that feature but it currently has the 'wish list' feature. I've had good luck with that and like the convenience of not always having to check the web page.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

Is anyone sad that one of the best record retailers is going bust ?
Yea, sometimes they were overpriced, but they really dialed in the record store experience, and made it a great one, IMO.

Also, is anyone sad that the state of music is such that, the art of creating a "long playing album" is now dead ?

Yea, I'm happy that I can go buy some CD's cheaper, but the big picture is a sadder one, to ME anyway.

Oh the times, they are a changin'....

[TuNnL]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

As often that I pass by Tower Records on Ke‘eaumoku Street (it does, after all, sit in a prime spot), I rarely go in there. Unless you’re a collector (liner notes and LPs) or are there to rent (Tower Video), there’s no reason to.

Music theft is rampant. I really amazes me that these mighty entertainment corporations selling music haven’t figured out how to clamp down on pirated MP3 downloading. I mean really when you get up into 320+ Kbps range, how many can really tell the difference between the download and the CD version?

The real question is: how many brick-and-mortar music stores are left in Hawai‘i? I mean shops like Sam Goody, Hungry Ear, JR’s. Time’s a ticking, in my cynical little book.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

The real question is: how many brick-and-mortar music stores are left in Hawai‘i? I mean shops like Sam Goody, Hungry Ear, JR’s. Time’s a ticking, in my cynical little book.

You are absolutely on the mark here; a separate physical store for CDs is just not the destination of most music buyers these days. Even if you aren't primarily an on-line buyer (of either physical discs or electronic files), you can now get a large selection at many other retailers, like chain bookstores or general-purpose stores. It's the evolution of the market.

Doesn't mean I like it that way, though I accept the reality. I'm a HUGE buyer of CDs & DVDs still - over 300 a year on average. Tower is within walking distance of my home, yet I've rarely bought anything there in the past two years; they fell behind so many other options. The real sadness for me is in wondering what will happen to their great employees, some of whom have been with the local store for over twenty years.

[Linkmeister]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

I've ignored Tower except for gift certs for birthdays/Christmas for my nieces ever since I went into the Pearl Kai store when I was in a classical music phase and was told they didn't stock any. "None?" I said. "Nope. Doesn't sell," I was told.

So I left. Sam Goody's at Pearlridge is pretty bad for classical too. It's online or nothing much for Hawai'i aficionados, I'm afraid.

SecondSpin.com sells used CDs; I've heard good things about them.

[mel]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

The demise of Tower Records and the slowdown of CD sales in general has been acknowledged by music industry people that the market is now "singles" driven like it was in the 1950s and early 1960s.

From article on Tower Records' demise:

Other industry observers were more sanguine. With a sigh, a publicist observed, "It's a singles business now."

What goes around comes around. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the music business was a singles business, too; only later in the '60s did the album format supplant the single. In the '90s, the physical single, which had migrated from the 45 to the cassette, was phased out. But, with the rise of digital downloading, the consumer -- enamored of the 99-cent-per-track price point and alienated by high CD prices -- has returned to buying music by the song.

Source: Cycle of change leaves empty feelings, racks

The music has been very slow to catch on to this. That is why there was rampant downloading of free songs in the nasty old Napster and P2P days. It was the advent of Apple's iTunes store and now several imitators that have grown the digital download market with "affordable" tracks that consumers can selectively buy. People are willing to buy music if it is affordable.

If the music industry wants to grow or even maintain CD sales, they have to price them at less than $10 each. People hate buying $14.99 to $18.99 single CD albums.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

If the music industry wants to grow or even maintain CD sales, they have to price them at less than $10 each. People hate buying $14.99 to $18.99 single CD albums.

Well, I'd like to know the justification for that prince in the first place. Sure, it was understandable in the beginning when the technology was new. But now? Heck, people will just about give away the media. Recordable media is maybe a $2 in the store for a single disk in a case. So where's the rest of the money going. From what I hear, it's not to the artist.

For a long time CDs where priced "because we can". Now that the public has found cheaper alternatives, it's time to rethink that. But everyone has grown addicted to the high margins and are pointing fingers as to why they are dying.

[lilin]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

The sale this morning has gone down to 20% off and there are signs everywhere exhorting you to "Buy it today, because it may be gone tomorrow."

I'm going to miss Tower Records. I usually buy compilations and have found a lot of great music in the classical/world/jazz section... The only reason why I have the Savage Garden cd is because it was blaring out of the loudspeakers as I was browsing through the soundtracks. I'm similar to Dick in that the artwork and the booklets are an essential part to enjoying/understanding the artist and the music.

[DannyWilliams]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

I was kinda shocked when I heard the news that they are goin to be no mo in the next couple of weeks.....
The Tower Records down hea wea I stay is nothing like da ones I knew next to Ala Moana, Pearl Kai & Kahala Mall....
When I used to work fo Sam Goodys we where supposed to open a location there but Towers snag it from us...
Growing up as a teen I frequented Towers a lot for what was out musicwise.
I rememba da vinyls and cassette tapes and a worker standing on the corner as a vulture long before CD's was thee thing now.
But with the revolution of MP3's, used record shops and the quality of music, consumers buying habits somehow took a toll on ol Towers.
They have been able to survive murky waters with their financial situations but I guess they bubble has bursted and its time to bow out....

oh yeah the % discount goin I am gonna check out when it INCREASES....
The goin rate of 10% is not worth shelling at the moment....

[DannyWilliams]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

Sam Goody's at Pearlridge is pretty bad for classical too.

*GASP!*

I used to work there...
But left 1998

[helen]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

I noticed that the Tower Video store on Kapiolani had "Everything must go" signs on the outside of the store.

Might be worth it to just check it out.

One thing I will miss about Tower Video is that they did sell DVD storage racks at a reasonable price.

[YoungNeil]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

I worked for and with Tower for years, it's like losing an old friend. I feel sorry for the real music fans that won't be able to find and discover music that they wouldn't see anywhere else.


RIP Tower and thanks for all the memories.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Tower Records is getting liquidated

I feel sorry for the real music fans that won't be able to find and discover music that they wouldn't see anywhere else.

Sadly, a lot of us "real music fans" moved on long ago, and Tower did not keep pace with us. But I've found some of the most helpful and knowledgeable employees at Tower stores around the world; I don't care so much about the failed corporation, but I hope those people land on their feet before too long.