Reply to: DOOM: Thorntons

[SueEllen]

Back to the subject of chocolate, Neuhaus is the place to go to!

YES!!!

[Halo Jones]

Back to the subject of chocolate, Neuhaus is the place to go to!

[mattster]

I think most high street stores need to rethink their offering there aren't many things you can't get online or in a Supermarket.

This is true, and online is better for just about everything in terms of range, price, stock levels and convenience. I used to think that I preferred going to the supermarket over ordering online, but having gone back to the supermarket a couple of times recently, I have realised that is no longer the case. I think my preference would be for an online "basics" shop, supplemented by butchers, green grocers etc.

The only thing the high street has going for it, IMO, is that some people actually seem to enjoy the experience of shopping - a concept so alien to me, that I often overlook it when ruminating on the impending death of bricks and mortar retail.

[AtW]

I think most high street stores need to rethink their offering there aren't many things you can't get online or in a Supermarket.

Like a queue?

[vetran]

M&S are changing the clothing section. They bought Jaeger recently, and will sell their clothes.

They also will sell 11 rivals brands in store soon.

I know all this as I am a shareholder. The current strategy at M&S is literally called "never the same again". They even fired 7000 staff, once they realised they could get the same amount of work done, with 7000 less staff, during Covid. Big changes coming.

I think most high street stores need to rethink their offering there aren't many things you can't get online or in a Supermarket.

[caffeine man]

Who buys M&S clothes, they used be the place to get a decent cheap suit 30 years ago but they went downhill. Decent gents socks etc again gone cheap and nasty better in primark. MIL used be an avid M&S fan now there is nothing there she likes, its Next & Boutiques for her. Same for

The food court as you say is busy but if they don't change the clothes section they are going to become just food.

M&S are changing the clothing section. They bought Jaeger recently, and will sell their clothes.

They also will sell 11 rivals brands in store soon.

I know all this as I am a shareholder. The current strategy at M&S is literally called "never the same again". They even fired 7000 staff, once they realised they could get the same amount of work done, with 7000 less staff, during Covid. Big changes coming..

[caffeine man]

Who buys M&S clothes, they used be the place to get a decent cheap suit 30 years ago but they went downhill. Decent gents socks etc again gone cheap and nasty better in primark. MIL used be an avid M&S fan now there is nothing there she likes, its Next & Boutiques for her. Same for

The food court as you say is busy but if they don't change the clothes section they are going to become just food.

M&S are changing the clothing section. They bought Jaeger recently, and will sell their clothes.

They also will sell 11 rivals brands in store soon.

I know all this as I am a shareholder. The current strategy at M&S is literally called "never the same again". They even fired 7000 staff, once they realised they could get the same amount of work done, with 7000 less staff, during Covid. Big changes coming.

[SueEllen]

I couldn't remember if they had now started online sales during Covid but their sales model appears to be that they don't necessarily know what they will have far in advance. Online selling requires a substantial investment and pre-Covid they didn't seem to need to bother. Other retailers will let you order in any size to the store for free if it's not in stock, I presume Primark doesn't do that either. You go in to see if there's anything you want, next week it probably won't be there any more.

Primark haven't.

Lidl haven't but they are open.

Aldi do online sales of their middle aisle stuff and run out of stock of some items very quickly.

Online sales of clothing is a risk as up to 39% of your stock is returned and it can't be resold as it is not in resalable condition.

In Primark it was common to see women returning bags of clothes. So they put limits on return times and insisted you have to have receipt to limit the returns but I don't think it's worked. (I do returns when I've got the wrong size and can't find anything the same price to do an exchange or can't give the item away.)

Asos, Amazon and other online retailers will cancel household's accounts if people return loads of items to combat people returning everything.

[Gibbon]

You beat me to it. Hotel Chocolat deserve to be in the premium price point, and Thornton's barely compete with some Supermarket own-brand products on quality.

Emperor's new clothes, no better than Lindt, overpriced tat, surprised it ain't in MFs warehouse! Never ever got passed Mrs Gibbon's taste test and eventually she forbade me from ever wasting my money in there again for birthdays Xmas etc. Try Justin's Toffee Shop in Whitby.

[vetran]

I couldn't remember if they had now started online sales during Covid but their sales model appears to be that they don't necessarily know what they will have far in advance. Online selling requires a substantial investment and pre-Covid they didn't seem to need to bother. Other retailers will let you order in any size to the store for free if it's not in stock, I presume Primark doesn't do that either. You go in to see if there's anything you want, next week it probably won't be there any more.

Actually Aldi & Lidl had a similar issue with their middle of lidl etc. They are just open about it, going out of stock isn't embarrassing, its expected. In the Primark gents area there are basic items that are consistent. jeans, cargo pants, t-shirts etc.

Online selling also will bring substantial business improvements, you cant fudge stock data if its going out of the door at a rate of knots.

It didn't support ordering sizes when I asked.

[d000hg]

Primark seem to have missed the whole internet ordering thing which is mad because I would prefer to order My gaberdine slacks (odd but I like them) and cargo pants from them via the web than actually go there, its full of squealing teenagers.

I couldn't remember if they had now started online sales during Covid but their sales model appears to be that they don't necessarily know what they will have far in advance. Online selling requires a substantial investment and pre-Covid they didn't seem to need to bother. Other retailers will let you order in any size to the store for free if it's not in stock, I presume Primark doesn't do that either. You go in to see if there's anything you want, next week it probably won't be there any more.

[Whorty]

I get my jeans from M&S. Primark don't let me do mail order and return.

I get mine from Next, and I seem to be paying less now for a pair of jeans than I was 20 years ago Shouldn't complain though, they do a great line in skinny jeans that show off my cycling legs really well

[vetran]

I get my jeans from M&S. Primark don't let me do mail order and return.

Primark seem to have missed the whole internet ordering thing which is mad because I would prefer to order My gaberdine slacks (odd but I like them) and cargo pants from them via the web than actually go there, its full of squealing teenagers.

[TestMangler]

You have a warehouse full of chocolate ready for the Easter rush? Don't worry, the Borrowers WILL find it...

If he's got any sense, he'll have leftover Aldi chocolate christmas reindeer (bought at 5% of retail) ready to cover up with easter bunny wrapping and punt out to the masses.

[mattster]

I get my jeans from M&S. Primark don't let me do mail order and return.

Really? Any clothing company who doesn't allow easy returns is going to fail. It's one of the things that successful online clothing companies make incredibly easy, since there's obviously a lot of hesitancy when ordering something that might not fit.