Comments on: Flopp

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 18:52:22 +0000

How odd. I went to Exeter city centre the Friday Fopp and Music Zone were ‘closed for stocktaking’ to get myself the new Simian Mobile Disco and Justice albums. Ended up having to get them from HMV.

A shame, though. While it was great in Cardiff, I could never see them working in even Exeter (at least not in the location they were in). They will be missed though.

By: Scottish Roundup » Blog Archive » Brown, Bombers, Brzezinski, the BBC & Even a Bit of Blair

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:43:34 +0000

[...] possibly, into permanent recess is Fopp and Doctor Vee discusses the flopp that was Fopp here. With the news of depressing results at HMV and the fact the Prince is giving away his new CD with [...]

By: FFE2

FFE2 — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:56:06 +0000

Former Fopp Employee has hit the nail on the head. I am one as well, btw. EVERYONE in the company knew we shouldn’t have taken on the Music Zone stores except one person. We had a brilliant business, everyone loved us (customers and suppliers), and it’s been totally f*cked up and 800 people are going to lose their jobs, to say nothing of not getting paid the last month’s wages. Not just a pity, it’s scandalous.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:04:40 +0000

The Edinburgh stores are always mobbed, but the new one in Horsham, Sussex (where Al’s from) that we visited this week (after getting over our “why the HELL is there a Fopp in little old Horsham?!” dizzy spell) was deserted.

Plus the Modern Toss cards were covered by a big sign that said “not suitable for children”. Never a good sign!

By: duncan2

duncan2 — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:36:16 +0000

First I’ve heard about their problems… I did notice the Glenrothes branch being shut for ‘stock taking’ at lunchtime a few days ago, which I thought odd. The Rose St. branch in Edinburgh was open on Sunday with no obvious problems. I guess they’ve just over extended themselves. I remember when they just had the one shop, in Glasgow. I guess some of the smaller independents will be glad to see the back of them, like Avalanche.

By: Former Fopp Employee

Former Fopp Employee — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:15:22 +0000

I was a Fopp employee until yesterday. I can tell you now, but probably shouldn’t, that last weeks closure for “stocktaking” was a load of BS. We all sat about in our stores and did nothing (although i believe two 6ft cardboard box transformer robots were made by bored workers at one of our english branches).
We were told very little other than bosses were in talks with the bank. For the last week we weren’t taking card transactions (official reason “card authorisation system was broken” RUBBISH!! It was because any money taken via card went straight to the bank and Fopp would never see it again due to rising depts.
The company had been having problems with all the major suppliers for months with the likes of Universal and Pinnacle refusing to stock us.
I believe that taking on Music Zone was a huge mistake and said so at the time, the company stretched itself too far and just wasn’t making the cash to sustain it. The MD had far too ambitious plans for us, we were quite happy being a medium sized independant and we loved what we did. Its been a real shame the suppliers didn’t cut us some more slack given that the industry as a whole is struggling so badly.
I doubt somebody with deep pockets can come in and rescue the company or that the Chairman Gordon could do some kind of management buy back.
We’ve been told we may not even be paid this month never mind get redundancy pay.
Stores have been told not to open and keys have been sent to head offices at old Music Zone headquarters in Stockport.
It was great while it lasted, BYE BYE Fopp
Thanks to all our loyal customers and those who just liked a good bargain and hated the big corporate music stores.