Mothercare. Another one bites the dust.

[TheQueef]

Another 2500 job losses.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50287153

Sad news.
The high street is amassing job losses not unlike the mining and steel industries did.
We need to start trying to counter the unemployment now.

I think Mothercare is horrendously expensive for most things.

Although I did get the full Tommee Tippee steriliser and bottles etc kit for £60 in April, so that was nice

They also bought ELC which was already falling and couldn't make it work. I think it was inevitable.

Another thing they failed to take account of is that there are some things people really like being able to buy from somewhere with a personal touch- that's why (locally, anyway) independent bridal and nursery stores tend to buck the retail trend. These are big life events and often consumers want a service that reflects that. Anyone I know got their pram from a local nursery store- it's not always cheaper but it's nice being able to deal with the same people when you go in to make payments, ask for advice or if you have any issues.

If you can't offer that level of service then you need to have another pull, like price or product availability. As people have pointed out, mothercare were dear except when there was a sale on, and even though the product range in their website appears broad much of it shows as "sold out". I was looking at strollers online but 2/3rds of the products listed were out of stock and not available to order. It's been like that for a while.

Never found it a good shopping experience, but my thoughts to all the affected staff and their families.

I used them when pregnant with DS1 (who's now 30, yikes), because there was no internet and not much else available for pregnant women. It was good to have all the baby stuff and the maternity stuff under one roof back then, saving a lot of driving about.

But now, when you can get baby stuff, maternity clothes etc in supermarkets with the spuds, why would you go to a 'special' shop? If you want something out of the ordinary that's a bit more pricey you either go to a specialist shop - JoJo Maman Bebe or such - or buy online.

They needed to bring something new, original, that couldn't be got anywhere else to the High Street. And they haven't.

I remember the bliss that Mothercare feeding rooms were thirty years ago.
Wall to wall tits and more latching advice from strangers than is decent!
Good times.

Wasn't there a thread on here a while ago where they requested feedback on their stores from MN users? The general theme was that significant improvements were required...

Not surprised at all their customer service was shocking. Asked if they planned to close local store as they had a suspiciously great sale on, said no just they weren’t to keep large items in stock rooms anymore (not a sales assistant mothercare hq customer service), went in bought a pram.. used it 4 times! Handle keeps popping out on one side, the break sticks on and it’s obviously unsafe if it’s no break or handle.. their answer.. take it to your local store.. it’s feckin shut! I don’t drive, would be 4 hours on public transport with at the time a newborn with health problems and specialist milk (couldn’t nip into boots for a spare premade if we ran out) and they couldn’t guarantee what type or if any loan prams were available (turns out it’d have been a filthy old umbrella fold thing which would’ve been totally unsuitable). Multiple emails later the damn things still in my hall cupboard, ended up cheaper to buy a second hand pram than taking it back for a repair.. since again I’d have to pick it up.. no option of a courier or any alternative.

Clothes might’ve been cute but so are Tesco’s.

Help I have a cot bed ordered from Mothercare being delivered during the week,
Does anyone know if we will still get it? It's paid in 3 monthly instalments, of which only which one has been paid.

Only think I went in a couple of times.
Let’s face it if you are heavily pregnant or have kids in tow,the last thing you want to be doing is standing in a long queue at a check out because they don’t employ enough staff

That's sad. I like a lot of their clothes. Spent quite a bit in their over the years. They've changed the layout of our nearest one recently to make it.much easier to navigate with a buggy which was much appreciated.

I had DD in 2018 and bought most of her baby things in there while i was pregnant. I loved testing out the prams and the staff were super helpful. I went with my mum, to the same store she went to with her mum when she was pregnant with me. I feel sad about them closing.

I remember the one in our town had a giant talking tree in the middle when i was a kid. It was such a treat to go in.

Went to local store a few weeks ago to purchase double pram so quite an expensive item

Staff were over stretched and seemed reluctant to answer questions and help

Went to independent store who were very helpful and bought there for same price.

Nothing special enough in there to make it worth the drive. Little Bird had some nice stuff but small range of sizes available.

Bit overpriced and not enough staff around. Usual stuff.

Oh god yes the checkout speeds were always shit.

Totally agree they aren’t selling anything that next doesn’t do better tbh.

Mass produced, overpriced shite.

I agree that high street shops need to offer “an experience” - coffee shop, mother and baby groups, in house health visitor etc.

@Shinesweetfreedom I can honestly say I've never had to queue.

My local store generally has 2 people standing at the door greeting people and jumping on tills as and when required. There are always more staff than customers by far.

My ds is 13, and tbh I thought Mothercare was at the end of the road then.

I do however have a fond memory which was that as ds was born 5 weeks early, and due to multiple miscarriages we had bought only a very few things (all that was in our house was a cot in its box and some second hand cloth nappies), DH went into Mothercare the day ds was born and just said to a staff member that he needed clothes for ds, nursing bras for me and anything else they could think of as urgent and they were lovely and sorted out the necessities

I have so many memories of heading into Mothercare when I was a child with my mum, getting new toys and clothes from there! Then when I outgrew those clothes I remember heading there for my younger sisters' clothes etc. It was always such an exciting store.

I guess that is why, each time I have been pregnant, I have found myself heading there first to make a list of things I would like to buy or be bought as gifts for us. I would spend at least an hour in there daydreaming at the clothes and even after our baby losses I would still find myself there as a place of comfort to look at what my daughter and son might have grown up wearing or playing with.

Most of our baby stuff is from mothercare and I loved the help we got when buying new car seats too.

I am sorry to see Mothercare go.

I can't justify their prices usually, but when I was pregnant with DD I found her "coming home" outfit in the sale. It's the only thing I've ever bought in there, even though I like the clothes. She's 5 now and I've still got the whole outfit, including the hat, in my memory box. (By the time DS came along, 4 years later, our branch had closed and I couldn't get him an outfit in there.)

I like it in there, but too expensive especially for clothes when you have the likes of morrisons, tescos ect doing clothes that are just as good

To be honest, I thought they'd disappeared years ago. I can't remember the last time I saw one. Are they all on retail parks now?

It's sad that people will lose jobs but I can't say I'm surprised. Mothercare has been on the way out for years. Our local store turned into a clearance shop a couple of years ago and it's always been known for its poor service and shabby store even before then.

When we were expecting DS (who's approaching 9 now) my parents bought us his nursery furniture from there and I'm pleased to say it lasted for years and we gave it away only a few years ago, still in great condition. We've since had DD who is 14 months and we didn't buy anything from Mothercare. I had a browse on their website when expecting but everything was more expensive than anywhere else. And if staff instore can't offer great customer service, then people will continue to shop online and the high street will continue to decline.

Sorry of course for the job losses but as someone who had DC1 this year and a big local Mothercare superstore I’m not surprised. The clothes from Tescos were better quality, their stock of maternity/nursing bras was poor and a lot of the small things I popped in for they didn’t stock. Staff outnumbered customers 5:1 yet were too busy joking around behind the till to serve you.

I'm saddened by the news, and after 3 kids I have found memories of mothercare. I loved their clothes and their home / accessories for the nurseries. One of the rooms is kitted out in the little bird by jules range. Never had a problem with customer service, though never had a problem with any items, and never really had to queue either. I was sad to see our high street shop shut previously as I don't buy clothes online, though have ordered other stuff from them online. Shame.

I'm not surprised I'm afraid. You couldn't get a buggy around ours and the range was v. poor. If you're going to do 3 for 2 offers on children's clothes, you need to always have at least 3 of each item in the same size out on the shelves. The offer doesn't quite work if I can only get 2 out of the 3 sets in the child's size. I put them back and go to Asda instead. Having ELC toys instore seems a good idea but, in practice, they're not what they used to be either, very gender branded and less imaginative play toys, so both brands go down together.

Lol when I got pregnant we went to Mothercare to see something that appeared online, but it wasn’t in stock so the shop assistant said if we wanted to buy it online she could arrange for us to have a demo in-store . It was so cheeky especially considering there’s a John Lewis just five metres away and a mamas and papas 3 miles away. I just replied saying I’ll ask John Lewis and they not only ordered it in for me especially - they price matched with another retailer without me even needing to ask. It was a no brainer really.