// HMV will reopen 93 stores on June 15 in England & Northern Ireland
// Stores will comply with health & safety guidelines and also offer new “List and Leave” and “Ring and Reserve” services
// Remaining 15 stores across Scotland & Wales due to reopen pending further guidance
HMV has confirmed it will reopen its stores from Monday with a series of measures to ensure it is Covid-secure for shoppers and in full compliance with government guidelines.
The music and entertainment retailer, which also operates Fopp, said it would first reopen 93 stores across England and Northern Ireland on June 15, and the remaining 15 stores across Scotland and Wales will reopen pending further guidance.
Hand sanitiser stations will be made available to all customers, who will be required to apply it before handling merchandise in the store to prevent the spread of the virus.
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HMV has also put in place a number of additional measures to assist with the reopening to ensure customers can shop safely and efficiently, including new personal shopper services.
The new “List and Leave” service will enable customers to drop off a list of the items they wish to purchase and a shop floor staff member will select the items from the shelves and have goods collected, packed and ready for collection.
Meanwhile the “Ring and Reserve” service will allow customers to call their local store to reserve in-stock items to be paid for and picked up later that day.
HMV and Fopp staff will also suggest recommendations based on customers’ tastes to enhance the personalised shopping experience.
They also already offer a click-and-collect service for those who want to select and pay for their items online and pick-up at their local store.
In line with other high street retailers, staff across the two retailers have undertaken training in how to maintain social distancing for customers while they are in store, as well as instruction on hygiene, the use of PPE equipment and till processes that will shorten queues and make for a more efficient in-store experience.
HMV confirmed that till screens and social distancing signage have been installed across its whole store estate, and once reopened they will enforce a customer limit inside the stores at any one time.
Meanwhile, any undamaged returned items will be quarantined for 72 hours before being they are placed back on to the shop floor.
“Our teams have been working on plans to reopen since the day we had to close our doors,” HMV owner Doug Putman said.
“We’ve redesigned our store layouts so that customers can make their way through the stores, buy what they want and pay seamlessly, while maintaining spaces for those who want to browse while maintaining social distancing.
“We’ve sought to keep as much of what people love about the HMV and Fopp experience intact and build on the experience whilst ensuring that customers can shop with us comfortably and confidently.”
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