Universal is spearheading a fightback for music on the high street after brokering a deal with three leading retailers that will result in 350 extra stores selling music this Christmas.

 

The major has signed up video games operator Game, fashion retailer Peacocks and HMV-owned book chain Waterstone’s to sell CDs, with the first two kicking off the initiative today (Monday).

 

More than 200 Game stores around the UK will sell a “top 20 selection” of albums from Universal and Sony, while around 150 Peacocks stores will sell chart titles from Universal at around £9.50.

 

Few details are available of the Waterstone’s deal, but it is understood that the initiative will start from November 30 and is intended to be a smaller offer than the Game and Peacocks deals, based on attracting impulse purchase of niche products.

 

Universal managing director, commercial division, Brian Rose, who brokered the deals, says that the move is intended to grow the overall music market in the run-up to Christmas. “Our real hope is that these additional stores with new retail partners will grow the market and that sales over all will be incremental,” he says.

 

This, he explains, is more important than ever this year following the closures of both Zavvi and Woolworths, taking some 900 music retailers off the high street. This has led to suggestions that the UK is actually under-served by physical music retailers, despite a fall in CD sales.

 

“When Woolworths and Zavvi disappeared, I felt that – while we are delighted with the expansion of HMV and they are a key partner – we are moving into the gifting period with 900 less stores,” Rose says. “We felt like we didn’t have enough retail touch points in Q4.”

 

A similar logic has inspired HMV to open around a dozen temporary stores in the run-up to Christmas and during the January sales, while Domino last week announced that it will once more sell a new Arctic Monkeys single through Oxfam stores, due to a lack of high-street music outlets.

 

Universal’s deal with Peacocks came about as a result of the links that the major has with the retailer via its Bravado merchandising arm, which reports to Rose. The store already sells a range of Bravado goods such as T-shirts and will be racking these alongside the CDs.

 

“We are putting in units that are at the till points, point-of-sale. They are also putting in the music next to the merchandise, for example Lady GaGa... her merchandise next to her album,” Rose says.

 

Meanwhile, Peacocks’ managing director Tim Bettley says that the deal makes sense as “fashion-conscious customers” are more and more influenced by the music scene.

 

As for Game, Rose says that they are “excellent in selling packaged media”, adding, “We think there is a big crossover between people who buy games and people who buy music.”

 

Rose explains that he brokered a deal with Game on behalf of the four majors, although only Sony wanted to join Universal in selling product through the games retailer, with all parties obliged to move very quickly on the deal.

 

Should the experiment this festive season prove a success, Rose says that it has every likelihood of being extended next year, with the possibility of these stores even becoming chart-registered.

 

“The next stage is to sit down in January and look at how this performed,” Rose explains. “It could be three things: one, this did well, so let’s create a 52-week offer; two, this went well so let’s create a seasonal offer next year; or three, this didn’t work so well but we both tried very hard.”

 

In the case of Game, should they wish to continue to sell music, Rose says that they will want to speak to all suppliers.

 

Source: MW

great news for the music industry... :dance:

this is a great way to fight declining album sales by making physial CD's more available to the public, especially to the occasional music buyer who doesn't necessarily go to record stores on a regular basis....

 

Will these stores be equipped with the proper equipment that will allow sales to count towards the charts?

 

 

Will these stores be equipped with the proper equipment that will allow sales to count towards the charts?

 

 

I should imagine they will, I bet there will be some teething problems to begin with though, with some sales not registering ;)

http://www.game.co.uk/Films/Music/_/N-1z13fq0Z1z13frg/

 

I noticed GAME were selling music the other day. I think I might start using them! Double reward points for pre-orders, same price as HMV, but they have better delivery. If I pre-order a game, I always get it the day before release date. Only very rarely do I get it on release date... SO YAY.

 

GAME obviously give sales data for their games, so I would imagine they're more than capable of handling music data correctly.

GAME is a really big market. It should hopefully help out the music industry.

There was something in last week's MW about hut.com buying the zavvi name and relaunching the high street stores...

Will these stores be equipped with the proper equipment that will allow sales to count towards the charts?

 

Should the experiment this festive season prove a success, Rose says that it has every likelihood of being extended next year, with the possibility of these stores even becoming chart-registered.

 

If i read this correct, it doesn't sound like it will as this is only an experiment, but if it works they

will next year.

Stupid really as sales brought from these new stockists will not count towards the chart if the stores

aren't chart registered.

 

But it is great move all the same, if it works they will be selling them permanently next year.

 

There was something in last week's MW about hut.com buying the zavvi name and relaunching the high street stores...

 

I think i read that too, it sounds like it will be online only and aimed at a specialised section.

 

GAME is a really big market. It should hopefully help out the music industry.

 

I'm sure that will definately help the music industry. Both music and games seem

to go well together and appeal to the same clientele.

Oh. I was about to pre-order Rihanna's album on GAME, but seeing as it won't count towards the chart yet, I won't bother. See this is going to be the problem with this "experiment". I don't see why they don't just include the sales towards the chart at all times :wacko:

Oh. I was about to pre-order Rihanna's album on GAME, but seeing as it won't count towards the chart yet, I won't bother. See this is going to be the problem with this "experiment". I don't see why they don't just include the sales towards the chart at all times :wacko:

 

It'd be too complicated and expensive. Each shop needs special tills and computers, and to be registered with the OOC, each CD needs to be registered as chart-eligible. For a trial like this, it's just not worth it.

 

The thing that's bothering me is that it's biased towards Universal artists. But if the CD's don't count for the chart, no problem I guess.

But if it proves more popular, then more companies and stuff will follow and be interested in doing the same thing.

 

I dunno what to do. I want to buy CD's and stuff from there coz I'll support this, but I want it to count towards the charts too... Hmmm...