Play.Com's Multinational Parent Company Blames Tax Changes for Job Losses

Play.com used to be a great store, then Rakuten bought it and you could tell pretty quickly things weren't looking good, starting with the brand being overshadowed by a name that few in Europe had heard of.

And they can STFU about closure of the VAT loophole - it's been on the cards since before they bought Play.

Probably doesn't help that their reputation for customer service has been plummeting in the past couple of years, and increased price competition from The Hut Group and HMV online. There's no denying they have competitive offers, but sometimes the prices are closer to HMV High Street - and that's not just the VAT difference!