Retail seems to have dropped off a cliff?

[Neverendingdust]

Went into Manchester City centre yesterday and couldn’t believe how quiet it was even for a Monday especially as it was a lovely sunny day, the shopping centre and Selfridges were rather lacking in customers which given the current economic climate isn’t a shock I know but still…

I have a few friends in retail and they’re all saying how quiet it is in the city.

Obviously the rising cost of living issue is having a widespread impact but I’m wondering if those on here who work in retail (not just supermarkets but fashion, home, entertainment etc) have seen a massive decline the last month or so too around the country? Has everyone simply stopped spending?

It’s still busy in the streets of my local town and the food shops but I don’t know about the other stores. The bike racks are almost as full of bikes as they ever were.

It’s usually full of tourists from China/Hong Kong and the USA, judging by their accents, but now the visitors are from the UK and Europe.

My local city is best part of a £5 for two hours parking, for that I get hot noisy shops with no air conditioning a gamble whether they have my size or anything I like or I can sit on my sofa and order online. Another thing is online often have better discounts than in the shops. I really want to like shopping like I did 5 years ago I would go all day but it seems to be being made more and more difficult to enjoy.

Outer London borough but with an always decent shopping center. Now a lot of shops have closed, some have so little in store that it's pointless going and some fashion ideas are just awful.

I went last Saturday with my teen DD and prepared to spend money as she needs a lot. We came back with 1 top, 1 pair of jeans and 1 dress. 2 hours and 5 websites later she is now waiting for deliveries.

High Streets need new apporaches, I don't. want second hand phone shops or vaping shops or the 10th charity shop in a row.

I no longer aspire to clothes, or household items. If I have one and it does the job thats fine by me. I will replace when it is no longer serviceable.

I went into Birmingham city centre for work last Friday. Usually Friday's are dead but it was really very busy.

Same here! We live near a mid-size town where Debenhams have closed, M&S have not reopened the floor they closed in the pandemic and various shops have closed. Our nearest retail park has lost Outfit (which contained Wallis, Evans and other clothes stores), Mamas and Papas and a couple more so there is far less available to buy.
In many of the stores the range of items and sizes in stock are poor

In the big town near where I live, you could buy parking by the hour. Post pandemic it’s minimum three hours so I have to be fairly sure I’m going to buy something if I have to lay out almost £4 to park. Unless I want something I don’t go into town. Plus so many shops have closed down. I also have friends who no longer want to go out post pandemic so less need for different types of outfits and shoes. I would rather wear out what I’ve got until it’s ruined now. Im trying to get down to two pairs of jeans for example.

sad really but life has changed somewhat since covid.

Re fashion this has been a perfect storm. Anchor department stores have pulled out of many shopping hubs leaving big husks, eg John Lewis in Aberdeen. Other retailers have consolidated their stores, eg in central London there used to be quite a few Next stores, now there is effectively just one, so some areas have been left with very few ‘names’. New Look is another one who have closed lots of stores. Whole swathes of Arcadia shops have gone.

Supply issues have left shelves empty, especially make up which is dire. Retailers want to keep prices as low as possible but it’s just not possible so the quality is bad whilst the prices still rise. Why would you want to go shopping? People who hadn’t tried online shopping gave it a go during lockdown and although it has frustrations, it is often easier for people with busy lives, kids or no real interest. People wfh need less clothing, your clothes don’t get as sweaty and you don’t need to worry so much about being seen in the same thing.

It would be great to see a correction in the fast fashion market really, if there were shops selling quality items which people bought less of. I also think it’s probably on balance better to have a few good big stores, like the Pantheon M&S and the Next on Oxford Street than to have lots of small branches. You can plan a day of it and order loads of stuff ahead online if you have a credit card and return on the spot. Because ultimately retailers stock too many lines and will never be able to match stock and demand with shops.

Its a vicious circle of shops not stocking enough variety of products, buyers being forced to shop online, which is then killing the shops. I can never get my sizes off the peg in shops anymore. Items like books are far cheaper online.
Add into that parking costs and now the cost of living crisis, it's a perfect storm to hit retail.

Yes, except with Leeds.

Also, I’ve got so used to shopping online in the last couple of years, I’m more than happy to continue doing so.

Physical shops closed, plus parking charges, so what’s left is online.

I hate shopping online, I always have at least two items that don't fit or I don't like so I end up keeping them because returning them is a hassle. I'd prefer to try on in a shop but notice most clothes aren't stocked anymore. I walk in and say "there was a blue dress on your website" and they just tell you to buy online. Shoe shops are the worst, Clarks saying they can order shoes in for me - yes so can I, using the internet, to my home!

I realised that I had too much stuff and wanted a more minimalist lifestyle. So I'm trying to shop mindfully, buying only what's needed/what needs to be replaced etc. So I'm shopping less.

I'm also over fast fashion, so most of what I'm buying is more expensive, ethically produced stuff. That's all online.

I also don't really like shopping in store. I prefer to try things on at home.

I agree with you 100%.

I want more quality and classic properly styled clothes in decent fabrics.

Does anyone else not go into town due to a lingering post-lockdown laziness? I keep saying to myself: You need to get your brows done and you need some new trainers. But I just can;t be bothered an dput it off. The thought of schlepping into town makes me put up with old trainers and plucking my eyebrows with tweezers even though the shape is rubbish in comparison.

My local town seems to be at all times full of people. But the shops are rubbish. The pubs seem less busy and the train I get to and from another local town that comes from London is noticeably empty-it used to be rammed at the times I use it..
The shop I manage is doing fine.

Live in a large northern town not far from Manchester acutely ,
a lot of the shops have gone and been replaced by pound shops, pound bakery and bookies so many empty units the only shops consistently busy are primark and M and S
I much prefer to online shop these days fast delivery all the sizes and no extortionate parking/Taxi

I would quiet often go into town for a day out, but with the cost of living going up so much there isn't the spare money to do this. We would often go out for lunch too but it's more of a luxury these days. I'm only buying essentials at the moment, and I guess many others are the same.

Various reasons for me...

The sale starts end of June, normally, so am waiting for that . Also, don't really need anything.

Also, parking now costs £1.80 an hour

Also, I don't suit the current fashion (middle aged , can't wear milkmaid style, cropped tops etc)

Also, I've gotten out of the habit of shopping for clothes (pandemic)

Also, the shops I used to like are now more expensive

Also, the pandemic made me realise that I need to dress for my lifestyle (country walks, mud) and not for those rare days I prance around town

I don't think the weather has helped. I'm not buying any summer clothes this year as it's been so cold and doesn't seem worth it

@TheOGCCL you have explained it so well. However i think people have got so used to cheap ready to wear clothing, that they can throw out after one or two wears. It will be hard to change that mindset, (someone all ready commented above that the shops they like have become more expensive). Its starting and the second hand market is growing, but it will be slow I think. Better quality clothes that fit and will last do cost more. Plus every other cost has gone up so that will pass to the consumer.

I buy clothes online. The few times I've popped to the shops after lockdown, they've told me more sizes/colours or whatever are available online. Don't think they're keeping as much stock on the shop floor as they used to.

I bought a lovely dress from Joules in St Albans; and was triumphant that I actually found something nice at a reasonable price (below £30) in an actual store!!! I think that says it all about in person shopping.

The brands I like (joules, seasalt etc) seem to only be in twee market towns (or in south london; I am in north london) so I actually shop outside cities nowadays...

I don’t know how our city centre is as we’re one of the people who no longer go. We can’t afford petrol for non work journeys. I’ve already used £50 in fuel this week just for work and it’s only Wednesday. If we could, we couldn’t afford the parking, to buy anything or to have lunch or whatever. Our standard of living has massively declined this year 😭.

Since the pandemic I've found my experience of shopping on the high street has been awful. Fewer staff in store to help, bigger queues at tills, crappy stock availability and smaller ranges and choice of options. I try so hard to buy from my local high street first but often resort to going online. A few times recently I've actually abandoned things I've been trying to buy after queuing for ages or waiting for someone to type in an authorisation code on a self-service checkout.