All HMV articles
HMV is an iconic British entertainment retailer of physical media, including CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, vinyl, books, toys and other pop-culture merchandise. HMV stands for His Master’s Voice and the first store was opened by the Gramophone Company on London’s Oxford Street in 1921. It was rescued in 2019 by Canadian tycoon Doug Putman, who owns record store chain Sunrise Records and HMV Canada. HMV also owned bookstore Waterstones from 1998 until 2001 and took over a number of former Zavvi stores in 2009. The retailer still owns indie store Fopp, which has also been taken over by Putman, but only a handful of Fopp shops remain open.
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NewsOxford Street overhaul given the green light
Plans to overhaul Oxford Street with pocket parks, wider pavements and better crossings have been made official.
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NewsExclusive: OnBuy ‘exploring possible synergy’ with Putman to save Wilko
UK-based online marketplace OnBuy is exploring a “possible synergy” with HMV owner Doug Putman as they look to save Wilko, Retail Week can reveal.
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NewsHMV owner Putman moves closer to rescue deal for Wilko
HMV owner Doug Putman is said to be edging closer to buying a large portion of troubled retailer Wilko.
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NewsWilko redundancies on hold while rescue bids considered
Redundancies at Wilko have been put on hold while last-minute rescue bids for the troubled retail chain are considered.
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NewsHMV owner Putman makes last-minute offer for Wilko
HMV owner Doug Putman has made a last-ditch offer to save troubled retailer Wilko after the company fell into administration.
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InterviewInterview: HMV boss Doug Putman on the retailer's Oxford Street comeback
As the retailer reverses its fortunes and gears up to reopen its Oxford Street flagship, HMV chief executive Doug Putman talks about returning to the iconic store and how overhauling its product offering has paid off
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NewsHMV to reopen iconic Oxford Street flagship
HMV is set to return to its flagship store on Oxford Street later this year following a four-year absence.
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InterviewInterview: HMV’s Doug Putman on stores, streaming and centenary celebrations
Having suffered tumbling profits and two administrations in the past decade alone, HMV has had to scrap its way to its 100th anniversary on the British high street.
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Prospect AnalysisHMV (Overview)
HMV is an iconic entertainment retailer, but has struggled to keep pace with the digital era. The business was snapped up by Canadian retail tycoon Doug Putman in February 2019, with just over 100 stores saved. Putman is hoping to spin HMV’s fortunes around by growing its share of the physical music market, which is likely to see it remain a relatively small and specialist operation.
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Prospect AnalysisHMV (SWOT)
HMV is the last remaining entertainment specialist on the UK high street. It remains the case that sales of physical entertainment has been in long-term decline, however there is an opportunity to develop entertainment stores and focus on events and experiences.
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Prospect AnalysisHMV (Strategy)
HMV was bought out of administration by Canadian retail tycoon Doug Putman in early 2019. This has seen its store network rationalised to just over 100 stores, with a refocused product offer prioritising physical music and particularly vinyl.
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Prospect AnalysisHMV (People)
Retail tycoon Doug Putman – the owner of music retailer Sunrise Records in Canada – took ownership of HMV in February 2019.
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Prospect AnalysisStores at HMV
HMV was trading from just over 100 stores as of mid-2020. It is aiming to attract shoppers to stores with in-store events and a refocus on core physical music categories. In 2019 it opened a new flagship, The Vault, in Birmingham, focused on vinyl and live music.
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Prospect AnalysisTechnology strategy at HMV
HMV has focused on improving efficiencies and the drive to improve operating costs is set to continue as the retailer battles its way back to profitability. The two areas where it is likely to be looking to invest are store technology and online.
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Prospect AnalysisHMV (Financials)
HMV posted a stellar sales performance as revenues rocketed 66.8% to £150.8m in the year ending 30 May 2022 (FY2021). “Continued investment” in its ecommerce platform as well as “offering products with sufficient exclusivity or collectability” were key levers for growth.
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Prospect AnalysisEcommerce at HMV
Online hadn’t been a massive focus under previous ownership, but new owner Doug Putman is keen to change that. The website has been revamped to accelerate the online channel, with new cross-channel capabilities including store stock visibility.
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Prospect AnalysisCustomer and marketing at HMV
HMV is seeking to re-establish the relevance of the brand as the home of entertainment by creating a human experience that online-only rivals can’t replicate.
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Prospect AnalysisSupply chain at HMV
The support of its suppliers has been crucial to HMV’s survival. HMV is working to shore up its supply chain visibility to provide inventory levels by store.