What’s going on with Paperchase?

[Lalallama]

I’d not been in for years, but went in recently to look for presents and they seem to be really going for the hard sell. I’d picked up a notebook which had bees on it and an assistant came up and noticed it and said ‘ooh are you buying for someone who likes bees? We have lots of others in this theme. If they like bees they might also like this one with flowers on, is it for a birthday, have you got a card? Why not buy them this one with bees on, etc, etc’.

Then when I got to the till they really pushed the loyalty card, which I ended up agreeing to because it got me £5 off my shop, but then ended up with a really long and convoluted talk about the fact that I really should go and get another notebook as that would bring me to the price total that will get me another discount, and I can get a free bag, and I should come back on my birthday because I will get another discount if I sign up to something or other.

I was so close to dropping all my purchases on the counter and walking out, it was making me so stressed.

Their shelves all seem a bit sparse as a well, are they struggling and making a last ditch attempt to cling on? I doubt it will work - I can’t face ever going back in again!

As someone who has worked in a store where they have loyalty cards as an employee it’s a nightmare. One of my jobs was to tell people off if they didn’t sign up enough people. Or they didn’t get anyone to do one of those praise things online. I had people crying at me about it. It was horrible. This is why they are so persistent.

Our paperchase left town and went into Next. Doesn’t have any members of staff and u pay at the normal tills which is better. But their stuff is so expensive for what it is. So I don’t buy it anymore. I’m not spending £15 on a notebook anymore.

Nope, the flagship store in Tottenham Court Road has closed down. Was quite shocked as I only realised when I went there to buy some ribbons. I'll miss that place very much even though I didn't go often.

Thanks for letting me know, a pity as I liked it there, there was a cafe at the top I remember.

It's really gone downhill. There's far too much gaudy, tacky tat which is usually always reduced ( wonder why?!) but their actual stationery lines have been much reduced in quantity.

The pushy sales pitch is very off putting too.

Such a shame, used to be a lovely shop to browse in on a Saturday afternoon.

Yes, there was a cafe upstairs, but right at the top was the handmade paper and craft materials section for serious artists. It was quiet and neat and I enjoyed being able to have a wander without feeling l was out of place. There was indeed a section with unusual books and magazines with a couple of armchairs. And a separate counter of fountain pens, next to the bag selection. The run up to Christmas was fun because of the glittery and colourful Christmassy displays. Hope that brings back some rather more pleasant paperchase memories!

Last time I went to a Paperchase, refusing all the extra bits at the end was the longest part of my visit. In the end I asked the assistant to please stop & let me just pay for the card. I haven’t been back since and emailed head office to tell them why.

I stopped shopping there a few years ago after they printed some crappy apology for advertising in the Daily Mail.
Hate The Fail as much as anyone but just cannot be arsed with shops trying to get political. No thanks Lush, Body Shop etc.
They all seem to be the one with the pushy sales assistants too.

There was a nice big store in Glasgow that I visited reasonably often pre covid when visiting family. I bought most of my occasion cards from there. They were high quality and a good selection for whatever the event was. I was disappointed a couple of years ago when their Christmas card selection was the same as the year before though. I felt that I had bought the ones I liked the previous the year. Anyway, last time I was in Glasgow maybe 6 months to 1 year ago, the shop had moved over the road, it was much smaller and barely sold any cards, it mostly just had notebooks and the cards that were on offer, were very disappointing. I cant stand card factory cards and I didnt know of anywhere else locally I could buy a card so I bought one but it wasn't what i would have picked had they had their usual big selection. It was quite a big standard card at their usual slightly higher price (fine for a special looking card but that was not this). It is a shame as I used to really enjoy their card selection and the shop generally. The last batch of wrapping paper i bought from them wasn't great either. I think they must have money troubles as even their website has reduced lines.

Bog standard*

I tell any assistant’s in any shop that I would like to look in peace and quiet.

The only persistent bugger was a few years ago in a Lush shop where an over the top effeminate boy who spoke ten times louder than was necessary and spouted the utmost crap whilst making incorrect assumptions about me, my lifestyle and what products I need.

He was oblivious to my hard stare which usually turns people to stone, my polite rebuffs and even when I raised my hand in a stop gesture he did a hop and a skip and carried in.

Insufferable little twerp who must have lost the store a lot of money as at the time my daughter and her friends who spent a small fortune in there (typical students) found him so over the top they avoided going in there.

I can’t stand hard sell and intrusive customer service. If I want help with a product I will ask.

Brighton brach closed down. I was disappointed as liked many things about their products

@LesLavandes Lewes is still open if you ever go over there( well, it was before Xmas anyway)

I remember talking to an assistant in Paper Chase some years ago and he said they had a company policy of no CCTV and suffered a lot from shoplifting which must have affected their profits.
However, as I said, this was some time ago so their policy may have changed.

It always astounds me how wrong some shops and brands get it. There are hoards of people around these days with degrees in marketing, business, and psychology. Why can't brands hire them and listen to their expertise?

Ah thanks Mrs Mop😊

I needed a pack of plain card last time was in there- the guy told me they didn’t stock things like that and to go to Ryman’s 🤦🏻‍♀️

I went into the Peterborough one just before Christmas, whilst my DH was getting his booster, and I had a lovely Assistant who left me to shop in peace, I did sign up for the loyalty card but I told her I would only do it if I was not bombarded with emails, and so far none have arrived.
There was certainly no hard sell which was great.

@user1471462428

I avoid the York branch as most of the staff don’t wear masks or socially distance.

Oh do get a grip. 😂

I got a gift from there as a Secret Santa. It was a suggested £10 spend and I was really disappointed when I opened my present, especially as I had given a lovely gift for my Secret Santa. I actually thought that whoever had drawn my name had been really mean and couldn’t believe it when a friend told me that the Notebook I had got had actually cost £12!! I’m not surprised that they are closing stores, as their stuff is very very overpriced.

I refuse to own any loyalty cards (except Nectar) and will just leave things on the counter and walk out if they start to push me to sign up. Same goes for wanting to email the receipt.

Paperchase used to have nice things but it's overpriced tat and I'm done with buying anything like that. There are plenty of other places to buy nice cards.

It’s turned into smiggle for adults and the stuff isn’t that nice anymore :-(

I think that they've gone into administration

They are continuing to sell artists' work, but are not paying them. If you do go into a Paperchase and see designs that you particularly like, see who the artist is and try to buy directly from the artist as most will have a website.

amp.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/07/paperchase-has-been-rescued-but-greetings-card-artists-are-losing-thousands

Poetic justice they have gone into administration after shafting all their suppliers/ artists when the business was sold previously.

Unfortunate for any shop staff but I have nothing but schadenfreude for the directors.

DD wanted a bee pencil case for her birthday (£12, Smiggle would have been cheaper) thankfully no hard sell for all things bee as my DD was already asking for it all 😟