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Hot Topic has had a long, slow decline. They used to be a store for the goth subculture. They carried not only goth fashions but also goth music. They built a

by amyjess 11y ago

Hot Topic has had a long, slow decline. They used to be a store for the goth subculture. They carried not only goth fashions but also goth music. They built a good reputation and had a distinct market niche because they were the only place in the mall you could get actual goth stuff. They actually made the subculture accessible to people. And, then, at some point, they stopped caring. They stopped carrying goth music and switched their fashions over to generic "edgy" stuff. They stopped carrying anything belonging to a subculture or anything, and they became just another Spencer's knockoff for kids to buy stuff their parents won't approve of. I shudder to think what will happen if Hot Topic applies this model to ThinkGeek. ThinkGeek has done a good job of, well, doing what Hot Topic used to do: sell products associated with a subculture and make that subculture accessible to people. I'd hate to see it diluted like Hot Topic has been...

philwelch 11y ago
The goth subculture has either been dying out or else the last remaining goths these days are approaching their thirties, so Hot Topic would have had to change up their business model just to survive. For me, ThinkGeek is increasingly catering to a kind of mainstream, pop-culture "geek" subculture that's focused around watching TV more than anything. It's already gone through the same transition that Hot Topic went through. So it's a perfect fit.
- knodi123 11y ago
  > The goth subculture has either been dying out or else the last remaining goths these days are approaching their thirties, so Hot Topic would have had to change up their business model just to survive. Not at all: http://www.aaanything.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Onion_Weekender_How_to_stay_goth_past_50.jpeg http://www.aaanything.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Onion_W...
  - 67726e 11y ago
    Maybe not strictly "goth", but I certainly fell into their market segment in my teenage years (where else does one get one of those lovely studded belts in the south?). About a year ago I was at a rather large mall up in Charlotte, NC and passed by the Hot Topic and the changes were rather noticeable. The most striking thing was the store was brightly lit. Then came the inventory. It used to be one would find an assortment of clothes, accessories, music, and a random assortment of other goods that one would associate with goth/punk/emo folk. This store had very little of the merchandise I once spent my hard earned money on. There were the shirts with Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and their ilk. Then came the meme shirts... think along the lines of the troll face. This store bore absolutely no resemblance to anything I would have ever stepped foot in as an angsty teen. Honestly, if it weren't for the signage, I likely would have mistaken the store for a Claire's[0]. The Hot Topic in my local, smaller mall retains some of the "charm" of the stores I so fondly remember, but even then the atmosphere, music, and products seem a bit more aimed at the "pop" crowd. I wonder if this was the result of a change in management, or if the store has always just followed the trends. Now that I think about it, that probably is exactly it. It's even right in the name, "Hot Topic", following fads. That said, I don't have a lot of hope for this particular acquisition. I found this photo, which resembles the aforementioned "bright" Hot Topic, but is actually quite a bit less peppy than the one I saw[1]. Contrast this with the typical Hot Topic of my youth[2]. [0] - http://www.claires.com/us/ http://www.claires.com/us/ [1] - http://www.protectshareholderrights.com/sites/default/files/styles/threshold-480/public/slideshows/hottopic.jpeg?itok=2vqubuXG http://www.protectshareholderrights.com/sites/default/files/... [2] - http://a.scpr.org/i/716075979884c2a7627a21b628ae0f77/95578-full.jpg http://a.scpr.org/i/716075979884c2a7627a21b628ae0f77/95578-f...
  - amyjess 11y ago
    ...that actually looks an awful lot like the crowd at the local goth club here. It's mostly aging goths in their 40s and 50s... I'm 30, and I'm one of the younger regulars. They're awesome, though. They've been old-school goths since the 80s and 90s, and I prefer being around them to being around the younger scene kids.
ethbro 11y ago
It's what happens when whoever is at the company wheel decides that market share / broad appeal is more profitable than niche appeal. Can't say I blame them as I'd imagine that's usually true. That's the definition of niches: they're not the majority. PS: I think it is to the detriment of the company when this "blanding" is overdone (e.g. Hot Topic) vs when mixed with a revitalizing sub-group (e.g. Sony Pictures Classics) that keeps that DNA available to the larger company (and provides a reference to measure how watered down your main product actually is).

by amyjess 11y ago

philwelch 11y ago

The goth subculture has either been dying out or else the last remaining goths these days are approaching their thirties, so Hot Topic would have had to change up their business model just to survive. For me, ThinkGeek is increasingly catering to a kind of mainstream, pop-culture "geek" subculture that's focused around watching TV more than anything. It's already gone through the same transition that Hot Topic went through. So it's a perfect fit.

knodi123 11y ago
> The goth subculture has either been dying out or else the last remaining goths these days are approaching their thirties, so Hot Topic would have had to change up their business model just to survive. Not at all: http://www.aaanything.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Onion_Weekender_How_to_stay_goth_past_50.jpeg http://www.aaanything.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Onion_W...
- 67726e 11y ago
  Maybe not strictly "goth", but I certainly fell into their market segment in my teenage years (where else does one get one of those lovely studded belts in the south?). About a year ago I was at a rather large mall up in Charlotte, NC and passed by the Hot Topic and the changes were rather noticeable. The most striking thing was the store was brightly lit. Then came the inventory. It used to be one would find an assortment of clothes, accessories, music, and a random assortment of other goods that one would associate with goth/punk/emo folk. This store had very little of the merchandise I once spent my hard earned money on. There were the shirts with Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and their ilk. Then came the meme shirts... think along the lines of the troll face. This store bore absolutely no resemblance to anything I would have ever stepped foot in as an angsty teen. Honestly, if it weren't for the signage, I likely would have mistaken the store for a Claire's[0]. The Hot Topic in my local, smaller mall retains some of the "charm" of the stores I so fondly remember, but even then the atmosphere, music, and products seem a bit more aimed at the "pop" crowd. I wonder if this was the result of a change in management, or if the store has always just followed the trends. Now that I think about it, that probably is exactly it. It's even right in the name, "Hot Topic", following fads. That said, I don't have a lot of hope for this particular acquisition. I found this photo, which resembles the aforementioned "bright" Hot Topic, but is actually quite a bit less peppy than the one I saw[1]. Contrast this with the typical Hot Topic of my youth[2]. [0] - http://www.claires.com/us/ http://www.claires.com/us/ [1] - http://www.protectshareholderrights.com/sites/default/files/styles/threshold-480/public/slideshows/hottopic.jpeg?itok=2vqubuXG http://www.protectshareholderrights.com/sites/default/files/... [2] - http://a.scpr.org/i/716075979884c2a7627a21b628ae0f77/95578-full.jpg http://a.scpr.org/i/716075979884c2a7627a21b628ae0f77/95578-f...
- amyjess 11y ago
  ...that actually looks an awful lot like the crowd at the local goth club here. It's mostly aging goths in their 40s and 50s... I'm 30, and I'm one of the younger regulars. They're awesome, though. They've been old-school goths since the 80s and 90s, and I prefer being around them to being around the younger scene kids.

ethbro 11y ago

It's what happens when whoever is at the company wheel decides that market share / broad appeal is more profitable than niche appeal. Can't say I blame them as I'd imagine that's usually true. That's the definition of niches: they're not the majority. PS: I think it is to the detriment of the company when this "blanding" is overdone (e.g. Hot Topic) vs when mixed with a revitalizing sub-group (e.g. Sony Pictures Classics) that keeps that DNA available to the larger company (and provides a reference to measure how watered down your main product actually is).