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Original poster

Will Marks and Spencer survive?

284 replies

MerryPortas · 17/05/2025 08:23

It’s hard to imagine the full scale of the cyber attack and the impact on their business.

yes, annoying for the shoppers, but they must be losing millions in daily revenue online, and I doubt that’s being backfilled by increased physical footfall.

stock levels are unpredictable - understandably - so confidence is low.

shoppers are creatures of habit, and change is habit forming.

So my question is, do you think M and S is at risk?

OP posts:
ssd · 17/05/2025 09:36

I think most people will be glad to get back to m&s when things are sorted out.

IDontHateRainbows · 17/05/2025 09:39

CandiedPrincess · 17/05/2025 09:28

Should have just paid the bloody ransom. I heard it was about £4m. They are losing that in online sales EVERY DAY and then some.

And agree @mummytoonetryingfortwo they've lost credibility as they initially said no customer data was affected and have now backtracked.

It may have been 4m at first. I'm sure the hackers wouldn't have stopped there.

Bridie1980 · 17/05/2025 09:40

Cyber attacks are shocking for everyone involved. The people who do these attacks are criminals. The Irish Health Service was the victim of a cyber attack a number of years ago…. Surgeries were cancelled ….it was life and death. M& S will recover…. They will be insured against cyber attacks. Doesn’t make it right but they will recover

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IDontHateRainbows · 17/05/2025 09:41

I don't think it will go bust, debenhams-style, but they will have taken a massive hit and may have to close some stores to remain profitable

Will customers trust them with online shopping again is the question.

Chiseltip · 17/05/2025 09:42

The scale of the attack is unprecedented, it's been almost a month and the systems are still comprimised.

The reputational damage alone is enough to push them over the edge.

They are having to literally rebuild a brand new, completely separate I.T system, test, install and make sure it's sterile before they can get back online. It's a huge job. Their old networks are all either dead, comprimised or encrypted by the hackers.

Never2many · 17/05/2025 09:42

Whatever the rights and wrong’s of their responses, suggesting that they should have paid the ransom is utterly idiotic.

Do people really think that paying the ransom would result in everything going back to normal?

No. Paying the ransom will result in higher and higher demands, and it’s a good incentive for these criminals to attack other shops and institutions.

The advice from those who know a hell of a lot more than randoms on the internet is to never pay the ransom.

EvelynBeatrice · 17/05/2025 09:43

I hope the Princess of Wales starts wearing lots of M& S to give them a boost.

I hope they have the humility and sense to explore all options to try to recover business. May be completely impractical but what about seeing if another retailer with superb online system can help. Eg Next. Could they sell temporarily even M&S products on their site? No idea of costs/ practicalities but they need to think out of the box.

fussychica · 17/05/2025 09:44

We have to travel to M&S as we don't have one locally so we haven't been as we didn't want to find empty shelves. On a day out this week we popped in to the M&S there and was pleasantly surprised to find it was pretty well stocked so will go prepared for a full shop at our nearest branch this week and hope its similar.
I hope they don't go under as they had only recently got their act together again, especially in ladies clothing.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 17/05/2025 09:44

If they pay the ransom then the hackers will just be back later. They will also hit ALL the other high street supermarkets too. It won't matter how tight their future security is, hackers will always get in (sometimes people from the security teams aren't quite as clean as we'd like them to be...).

So no, Nobody should pay the ransom, however much more convenient it might make life for the shopper. It's the only real way to stop the hackers.

mummytoonetryingfortwo · 17/05/2025 09:45

EvelynBeatrice · 17/05/2025 09:43

I hope the Princess of Wales starts wearing lots of M& S to give them a boost.

I hope they have the humility and sense to explore all options to try to recover business. May be completely impractical but what about seeing if another retailer with superb online system can help. Eg Next. Could they sell temporarily even M&S products on their site? No idea of costs/ practicalities but they need to think out of the box.

Why on earth would she do that. This is entirely their fault, they refused to invest in IT.

MrsPlantagenet · 17/05/2025 09:47

Woman's wear in M&S is for the short and stout, there will be plenty of custom.

I’m neither short nor stout yet buy clothes from M&S.

They’re on incredible form right now with women’s wear, so I am sure this storm will be weathered.

TallSuzy · 17/05/2025 09:49

Sirzy · 17/05/2025 09:24

they were victims of a cyber attack. How is that a disgrace from then? It’s a disgrace from the people who carry out these attacks

Show quote history

They stupidly made the decision to outsource a lot of their tech in 2018

Now they are paying the price for that

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42629522

Chicheguevara · 17/05/2025 09:50

I hope it sorts soon. I have £120 in vouchers.
They are taking an age to sort this out. They need to invest in their IT and beef up their cyber security ASAP. I think they have been quite lax.

Redburnett · 17/05/2025 09:50

I will not be surprised if they do not survive. Our local store has never had good clothing stock levels. In normal time they tend to stock only one of each size of dresses for example, the popular sizes sell out and shoppers used to be offered an online order instead, now not possible. The food hall had lots of gaps yesterday. I spoke to an assistant who knew the organisation was losing as she put it 'billions', she couldn't help with my enquiry about a specific garment, could not even look it up. It is a hopeless situation. And yet they persist in having a pointless person at the entrance greeting customers with a smile, just why?

IDontHateRainbows · 17/05/2025 09:52

Redburnett · 17/05/2025 09:50

I will not be surprised if they do not survive. Our local store has never had good clothing stock levels. In normal time they tend to stock only one of each size of dresses for example, the popular sizes sell out and shoppers used to be offered an online order instead, now not possible. The food hall had lots of gaps yesterday. I spoke to an assistant who knew the organisation was losing as she put it 'billions', she couldn't help with my enquiry about a specific garment, could not even look it up. It is a hopeless situation. And yet they persist in having a pointless person at the entrance greeting customers with a smile, just why?

I always wonder about the person at the front of the store. No, I don't want to be forced to say hello when I enter a store with no reason. But I'm a grumpy sod who avoids eye contact, unless someone gets in my face in which case I stare them out.

Seamond · 17/05/2025 09:53

Redburnett · 17/05/2025 09:50

I will not be surprised if they do not survive. Our local store has never had good clothing stock levels. In normal time they tend to stock only one of each size of dresses for example, the popular sizes sell out and shoppers used to be offered an online order instead, now not possible. The food hall had lots of gaps yesterday. I spoke to an assistant who knew the organisation was losing as she put it 'billions', she couldn't help with my enquiry about a specific garment, could not even look it up. It is a hopeless situation. And yet they persist in having a pointless person at the entrance greeting customers with a smile, just why?

Isn't the pointless person at the entrance the security guard to try to stop shoplifters, it is in our store, it's not a normal member of staff

socialdilemmawhattodo · 17/05/2025 09:54

Newgirls · 17/05/2025 09:29

Huge institutions like the British library took months to recover from a cyber attack. It isn’t easy to deal with one. I think I buy more from m and s than any other shop - food and clothes so I think I’m keeping it going!

Still not fully recovered by a long way. I've been needing to use academic libraries all year, and you had to email, request to book, and wait to hear back if it was available. You couldn't check your account online.

JazzyBBBG · 17/05/2025 09:55

I am a delivery pass holder and typically have something each week! It's driving me mad. Have to go to a town today I don't normally go to but has a big M&S so hoping it has some things in I need.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 17/05/2025 09:56

Seamond · 17/05/2025 09:14

Woman's wear in M&S is for the short and stout, there will be plenty of custom.

Edited

Yawn

( I would say my size 6-8 , 5'7" DD likes their trousers as they do XL length but why let the truth get in the way of what is an obviously goady post )

Julen7 · 17/05/2025 09:56

Redburnett · 17/05/2025 09:50

I will not be surprised if they do not survive. Our local store has never had good clothing stock levels. In normal time they tend to stock only one of each size of dresses for example, the popular sizes sell out and shoppers used to be offered an online order instead, now not possible. The food hall had lots of gaps yesterday. I spoke to an assistant who knew the organisation was losing as she put it 'billions', she couldn't help with my enquiry about a specific garment, could not even look it up. It is a hopeless situation. And yet they persist in having a pointless person at the entrance greeting customers with a smile, just why?

Yes what is it with the person at the entrance thing? I keep wondering if they are going to deliver more bad news when I see them there.

JasmineAllen · 17/05/2025 09:58

Hoppinggreen · 17/05/2025 09:22

I hope so, I have just bought shares at a low price to take advantage when they go back up.
Of course I also hope so for sake of all the staff

That's a good idea, why on earth didn't I think of that !!!

IDontHateRainbows · 17/05/2025 09:59

JasmineAllen · 17/05/2025 09:58

That's a good idea, why on earth didn't I think of that !!!

Show quote history

Cos it's 'if' not 'when'?

MoominUnderWater · 17/05/2025 10:00

the staff can’t even get paid properly I read. Think normal wages is ok, but not overtime.

Seamond · 17/05/2025 10:00

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 17/05/2025 09:56

Yawn

( I would say my size 6-8 , 5'7" DD likes their trousers as they do XL length but why let the truth get in the way of what is an obviously goady post )

Show quote history

I'm 5' 11" and I do find it is for the short and stout, XL is only online and limited styles, there are a very few L in the shops. None of the coats, knitwear or blouses fit me, they are short, wide and sleeves halfway up my arms. I am 67 so don't want to show my midriff.

CatsDintCare · 17/05/2025 10:03

Co-op seems to be in worse shape. Couldn't get anything I went in for, yet they've resorted to giving away milk some evenings as they are swamped with it.
We are lucky to have a really decent M&S, one of the only shops locally that has a decent clothes range and I'd be heartbroken if they went up the creek. Went in to buy food yesterday and they were fully stocked and it was busy. I don't do my main shop there, but I am tempted to just to support them.
Only walked quickly through the clothing, but it looked normal.