Anyone else not surprised by this?

[KitKat1985]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38497998

For those who don't want to click the link, basically it's a BBC article stating that Next has reported disappointing profits recently. I'm not surprised. I really used to like their clothes 5-10 years ago, but recently I've found it all really drab and uninspiring. I'm not really sure who their target market even is anymore, whereas previously I would have thought I would have been a target customer for them (professional in their 30's).

[imjessie]

Nope .. not at all.. I hate their clothes but do buy kids clothes and use my account for buying the label stuff . I have no idea who their rafter audience is but she isn't hourglass because I am and everything looks rubbish on me. I think it's designed for women with tummies .

[PurpleDaisies]

I just knew this would be about Next. I haven't bought clothes from there for years. It's expensive for poor quality.

[lurkingfromhome]

I remember when the Next sale used to be such a thing and I would bring home bags of clothes from it. And that was when I was in my early 30s. Fast-forward 15-20 years and I can't remember the last time I bought anything there - it is all so dreary and the quality isn't up to much. It suffers a bit from the same problem as M&S - it should be the go-to place for reasonably priced, well-made basics, but everything is either not quite right somehow, not great quality or just really dull. I think fashion has moved on but Next hasn't really moved with it.

[Softkitty2]

I go into next and think they have a few nice clothes. Childrens clothing always very nice. When sale comes all the womens clothes are rubbish. I really dont know where they come from, its like they have a stash of sale clothes.

[MadHattersWineParty]

I used to work in Next and they had a HUGE stockroom; a lot of the unsold sale clothes would come out time and time again.

[FilledSoda]

It used to be fab , until they cut too many corners.

[KitKat1985]

That's interesting MadHatter. Though I never really understood those people who used to be queuing outside next for 5am on Boxing day!

I think they need a massive over-haul and some fresh designers.

[CheeseAtFourpence]

I used to shop their all the time for work dresses but they appear to be designing for someone without a waist now. And it all seems so expensive for what it is. The jeans remain great however and I do pick up children's clothes from time to time, but again very expensive. H&M much better value for kids clothes.

[CheeseAtFourpence]

*there

[MadHattersWineParty]

Me neither! Madness, I never understood the excitement for their clothes at all.

[thatone]

You used to be able to find some real gems in there but lately everything has been dull and just plain odd. Children's clothes are horrible too.

[AmeliaJack]

I used to buy lots of basics in Next, partly because I'm petite and they had a good range of jeans and trousers

I stopped buying any women's clothes in there about 8 years ago. I started to find that seams weren't straight and hems were poorly sewn and always needed restitching.

I've stopped buying children's clothes now too as I find the quality and designs are nicer elsewhere.

After having been a customer for years I actually closed down my account as that seems to be the only way to stop them sending the bloody catalogues.

[DustyMaiden]

Charging for catalogs offends me, pay for your own advertising.

[MadHattersWineParty]

Quality hasn't been great for a while- we had to wear the clothes as uniform obviously (this was about 8-9 years back now) and the hem would always come down off my skirt, buttons would fall off really easily, and I always used to have to get the tips on the heels of the shoes mended at the cobblers.

[AmeliaJack]

I didn't mind paying for them Dusty but I do object to them continuing to be sent when I had asked for them not to be!

I kept getting emails saying, "we know you don't want to pay for catalogues but we sent you a free one as a treat". Arghhhh!

In the end the only real way to stop them was to close my account.

[imjessie]

I will add that they have logistics and customer service nailed in my opinion . That's the only reason I use them . I can try before I buy Ans get label items ( I realise a lot of isn't designer but warehouse , oasis etc) without putting any money on my credit card and worrying if it will get lost in the post when I return it , then waiting for credit card refunds etc ..

[AmeliaJack]

Yes jessie their logistics are fabulous.

[FrillyFimbo]

I've thought their designers have been way off the mark for sometime now. I swear it's not just my age

[chemicalCat]

Heard this on the Radio this morning and found myself adding "...because their clothes are shite" to the report.

Haven't bought anything in there for years. Very dull and uninspiring.

[Aderyn2016]

I think Next is a mix of good and bad. Have bought lovely long line ribbed vest tops, which have kept their shape and not shrunk in the wash. Their perfumes are also great for the price.
I still like their kids clothes, although I think they are overpriced and have bought some lovely thick material t shirts for ds from there.

[CaraAspen]

No I am not surprised. Their stuff from homewares to shoes is dire.

[CaraAspen]

"KitKat1985

That's interesting MadHatter. Though I never really understood those people who used to be queuing outside next for 5am on Boxing day!

I think they need a massive over-haul and some fresh designers."

Nor me. I think they must actually pay people to queue up.

[TeaAddict235]

Agree, next is very drab now. It seems to be heading down the BHS M&S route à la grave. They obviously need to re focus their designs and not try to be the boring Boden/Seasalt.

[mumsnit]

This article didn't surprise me and nor did the explanation that people are spending less on clothing and more on going out/technology.

The quality of clothing generally has really declined which I know is something regularly bemoaned on here! I think people are questioning why we should pay increasingly higher prices for sweaty polyester shite that is knackered after one wash?

Next kids clothes are often good and I do buy there for dd but even then they're using more polyester and acrylic than before and most of the shoes are synthetic.

Agree too about Next women's clothes seeming oversized and shapeless recently - what's that all about