HMV - Worldwide Operations

Worldwide Operations

The group operates 273 HMV stores across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong and Singapore. Of these, two are in Singapore and five in Hong Kong.

Stores in the UK and Ireland use a logo featuring a silhouette of Nipper the dog from the His Master's Voice painting. On 1 April 2007, HMV Group announced that Gromit, the animated dog of Wallace and Gromit fame, would stand in for Nipper for a three month period, promoting children's DVDs in its UK stores. HMV Hong Kong formerly used the same stylised gramophone as HMV Japan, although now use the same style of the logo used by HMV in the UK.

In 1994, HMV began operating in Hong Kong. HMV began relocating their store locations to shopping malls that are newly opened. HMV in Hong Kong appeals to the crowd that enjoy organized and free-sampling environment which many other records cannot match. However, the prices on their products especially those without promotion and discount are often higher than many independent record stores. HMV Hong Kong is the second place after the UK that launched in-store digital kiosks. It is also the first in Asia.

HMV was the second international music store to set up shop in Singapore, after Tower Records (which later closed down). It currently operates 2 stores in Singapore at 313@Somerset (which replaces one formerly in The Heeren), after closing the other at the CityLink underground mall, with a second one at Marina Square. It is generally higher priced than other independent shops, and local chains like Gramophone and That CD Shop pose a serious challenge in terms of price competition. HMV, however, is the only store that also sells games, T-shirts, books and audio gear in addition to their music and video collection.