to think we can come up with good ideas to save M&S

[FleurDelacoeur]

M&S definitely on the skids. Profits down, stores closing, Chief Exec saying radical transformation required. Fairly clear that this has happened because they're not listening to their core market, which I'd wager has a fairly large crossover with the MN demographic. So Steve Rowe, if you're listening, here are a few bullet points.

1. Scrap the Sparks card.
   
2. Sack your womenswear design team. All of them. Now.
   
3. Ditch the Per Una brand.
   
4. Rethink your over generous returns policy.

[SD1978]

Expand the supermarket. Food is lovely. Stick to underwear and kids clothes.

[FleurDelacoeur]

But food sales down too according to today's figures.

[finks100]

Bring in decent basics with simple designs. I went to buy a navy woollen cardigan, MandS were my first stop but they have raced to the bottom and only sell rubbish acrylic cardies.
Let primark do that, start selling simple basic capsule wardrobe items that are good quality. I want to pay more for items that last- don’t chase the fast fashion crowd!

[LifeBeginsAtGin]

Clothes we want to wear not what some wacky 'designer' thinks we do.

[EatMyShoes]

Sack your PR team and stop using bloggers that don't make any sense at all in terms of your audience.

[KirstenRaymonde]

They could teach their staff how to fit a bra properly and start stocking a bigger range of sizes instead of assuming the smallest a women will be is a 32.

[LifeBeginsAtGin]

exactly finks let Primark and Matalan sell the cheap, one season stuff which is their USP.

Target the 'woman' who wants to pay a bit more for better quality items which last longer.

[SnookieSnooks]

1 cater for the tastes of the under 60s
2 cater for the sizing of the under 60s (smaller waists, some clothes with longer arms and legs)

[noeffingidea]

Reduce prices in the food hall. The food used to be seen as a luxury, it isn't now that most supermarkets sell similar food.
Clothes - stop trying to be different, and sell the same kind of clothes that other shops sell. The things that people want to buy and wear.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Bravissimo has cornered the market in large cup sizes but I want to wear the whole Rosie silk range in my size - so please do sizes up to K cup!

I second Classic’s in lovely fabric. I want a wool cardigan, a silk shell top, a silk tunic, Capri trousers in stretch cotton in lots of colours.

If you could also bring back the Clementine cake too!

Things you do well - women’s active wear, I’ve bought loads. You have lovely linen shirts. Your men’s suits are very good. Your children’s clothes are great even though I don’t have young children now.

[VladmirsPoutine]

Sell quality staples: Wide and skinny leg trousers, cardigans, shirts.
Go back to the colour wheel and choose appropriate colours.
Sack the design team, especially the designer that came up with the bright fuchsia frilly dress.

[FleurDelacoeur]

I think they also need to look at what Uniqlo and the likes are doing.

So for example a simple tailored cotton shirt in 8 or 10 different shades. Same for cardigans, trousers, jackets, dresses. Less variety of styles overall, but more depth within the range. I was shopping for a tunic dress to wear with leggings - M&S could produce a range of even 15 similar dresses - all cut exactly the same, but 10 plain colours, a couple of polka dot options, couple of stripes, a floral. Easy.

And stop putting silly frills on everything.

[QuiteChic]

I suggested to them that they open cafes where you collect your M & S order, try it on and if it didn't fit, you could return or re-order.

If they were set up in areas out of town and in villages it would boost local economies too.

Obviously wasn't a good idea as I've not heard back

[Mookie81]

The clothes are awful for anyone under the age of 60 (yes I'm sure there are older people who like younger styles too and I'm generalizing!)
Everything nowadays seems really patterned and flowery (not just M and S).
The Per Una range is supposed to target the younger woman but I was in a branch on Sunday and the clothes are no different!
Love the food, agree with it being expanded.

[ShovingLeopard]

Over generous return policy?! It's only 35 days! They reduced it years ago.

[Invisimamma]

My local store and the one near my work (central Edinburgh!) never have sizes in stock just a selection of odd bits and pieces, so I end up ordering online anyway, I’ve given up on checking in store first. The store is so badly organised it just frustrates me.

Or many items are online only like slim fit school trousers, asda/Tesco etc all stock these in store for half the price so it’s easier just to pick them up with my food shop.

I use them for school uniform, shoes, underwear, basics like leggings and vests but would touch any of their ‘fashion’ lines.

[Akire]

Make the odd top that’s long enough to cover your ass.

If you are making “big granny pants” it’s because we want lots fabric, don’t change a range so next batch is about 1cm smaller on crotch and bum cover. If we wanted a bicini fit we would have got. It’s just you saving money on fabric, and they now just uncomfortable.

[FleurDelacoeur]

And yes to the school uniform - great value and hardwearing. Look at your stock levels of that through the year though as children do grow and sometimes you need a few new pairs of trousers in February.

[NotMeNoNo]

Start doing petites and tall in store. Virtually nowhere else does. I have clothes dating back 25 years that are M&S petite.

[ThisIsTheFirstStep]

fleur yes Uniqlo are doing what I’d expect m&s to do. Plain white shirts, sensible cardigans etc. that are a decent price and good quality. If I want something flashy, I’ll go to h and m, topshop etc, but sometimes you just need basic stuff.

Not sure why they’re failing so badly at that.

[ShovingLeopard]

Agree the clothes are awful. The styles are wrong, and the cut is always frumpy. Not sure what they are doing to achieve that, but clothes never hang right, even when they try to copy more successful high street competitors. Waists are too large, trouser legs too short (and I'm only 5'3"!!), tops too boxy. Whatever is in fashion, they seem to do the opposite, e.g. High waist jeans all the way when low rise were in, now the opposite, etc etc. They just miss the mark every time.

I agree that a selection of good quality, well-cut basics in a range of flattering colours is what they should aim for. They should probably poach Uniqlo's team. And yes, ditch Per Una pronto. The food's lovely, though. They should do deliveries.

[angelnix]

Sort out their range of bras. I would buy in there if I didn't have to decipher their sizing (they skip some sizes) and they had a proper range of sizes. And sort out your bra fitting team, there is no need to +4 on bands and offer the most poorly fitting bras.

[AgentProvocateur]

Scrap the Sparks card.
Stop making everything in acrylic and other sweaty man-made materials.
Get more staff on the floor, especially at lunchtime when it’s busy and there’s never anyone to ask.
Do more petite sizes.
Scrap per Una.

[GinUnicorn]

Get food delivery like other supermarkets.
Scrap the sparks card and replace with a normal reward card
Have more basics like shirts, cardigans etc

[Murane]

Agree that Sparks is rubbish and women's clothes are awful. But they've had this feedback repeatedly and chosen not to listen to it, so I can't see them doing anything about it now.