How would you make Woolworths successful again?

[expat]

The kindest thing about this recession is that it put Woolworths out of its misery.

Companies that don't work are supposed to fail.

We tend to think of those companies that were always around when we were young as being part of the fabric of society, but they are not. Few companies survive as long as the shareholders that own them or the customers that use them.

[DodgyAgent]

It is also keeping the Chavs off the shopping high street.

[tim123]

Probably unrealistic (knowing how councils like to clamp down on new ideas that may be successful) - but I'd convert the stores into indoor markets, open 7 days a week. If you want a stall you pay 70 a day. collect £7k daily from 100 stores. Would that cover the rent and rates?

Of course some days would be less popular than others, so maybe not the best idea???

Yep!

Wollies problem for the past 15 years has been that their stores are too f-ing big for the low cost stuff that they sell. They should have got into franchising out their space to other people. Too late now

tim

[Trev16v]

I don't think it's right to compare WH Smiths with Woolworths, because WHS do have a range of stock that you don't really find elsewhere. WHS is the first place you go to (or at least I go to) if you want a large range of magazines, or if you need to buy some Jiffy bags, and so forth.

[Sysman]

I don't think it's right to compare WH Smiths with Woolworths, because WHS do have a range of stock that you don't really find elsewhere. WHS is the first place you go to (or at least I go to) if you want a large range of magazines, or if you need to buy some Jiffy bags, and so forth.

And you have just reminded me that WH Smith are wholesale newsagents, i.e it is quite likely that they supply your local newsagent.

[SueEllen]

Yep!

Wollies problem for the past 15 years has been that their stores are too f-ing big for the low cost stuff that they sell. They should have got into franchising out their space to other people. Too late now

tim

Woolies main problem is that they didn't have a focus. You can sell cheap goods but you need to pile them high, sell them cheap and not have empty shelves for more than an hour. Woolies had empty shelves for weeks.

Where I live and have lived in London because there have been Wilkinsons and/or independent department stores there has been no need to go into Woolworths to get random things.

Also their stores where/are located in the worse positions on the high street - away from the centre so unless you were going to a specialist shop nearby you had no reason to go there.