Is it me or is 'Boots' going to be the next 'Woolworths'?

[GillyT]

Just wondering if I'm the only person who wouldn't be surprised to see Boots 'go under' this year if they continue their policy of not spending Points & Gift Cards online.

I've got a total of £30 to spend at Boots (and have had for 3 months!) and simply haven't found a way to spend it. I looked at perfumes - cheaper to buy at The Perfume Shop though; I looked at hairdryers to no avail; I created a Photobook online - only to discover that I can't use my Points & Giftcards online to pay for it!

I've a feeling they have finally lost me as a customer altogether - 20 years ago, a week wouldn't have passed by without me buying something from Boots...not any more, I'm sad to say :(

Big boots tend to have the 'posh' makeup brands, £30 worth of points is some nice makeup from Chanel or Clinique or Benefit and it will feel even better for getting it for free!

I don't think they will go under as they have the chemists in them, so while I'm in there picking up a precription, I'll go pick up wipes/nappies/shampoo/cotton wool etc we need, ok, pretty much all of that is available in the supermarket for a few pence less, but while i'm in there I'll rather spend a quid or so more in total than make another trip to the supermarket.

And their mint chocolate shapers bars are lush.

I love Boots but agree it's expensive. Their meal deal has to be the best on the high street.

BHS home is great but the clothes side is dreadful.

Smiths is terrible now, stock all over the floor, staff haven't a clue what's in the store or where to find anything.

I still miss Woolies as well.

You can spend points on goods online. You have to note item number and do a boots direct order in store and can then redeem points.

I'm an old school bootster- I use to get bargain galore in glitches/deals.

It would be lovely to always support smaller high street businesses but can any of us afford to?

Boots and WHS often have good offers on. My local chemist is frequently a few pence cheaper than Boots but never does the two for one type offers where I spend most of my money.

My local bookshop will get me any book I want, has a better range than WHS and does do good offers now and again, but I feel guilty getting a bargain from them for some reason!
I am also surprised WHS is still here!

I agree re Boots meal deal. It's particuarly good value when you're waiting for a flight,as there's no markup on the food,unlike every restaurant and take away in the airport.

Pooka - the chairmen of both Boots and M&S recently signed a letter encouraging the Coalition to make lots of public sector employees redundant. Hence my bone to pick with these shops!

YABU.

I think Boots depends on your local branch. Mine is awful and is so small it is hardly worth being there.
I gave up using it years ago when I worked out things were so much cheaper elsewhere that even the points reward wasn't worth it.
Mine doesn't sell food or drink either so can't even get a meal deal.

I have found boots the cheapest place for pampers active fit (2 for £14) - tesco is 2 for £17 - and anyway its in their interest that you can't spend your points!!! their 3 for 2 gifts were very competitive.

Lettherberock are there no Greggs in your airport then !

No,I don't think we have a Greggs anymore in Glasgow Airport.

Besides even though I like Greggs,at least for their sausage rolls and cakes, it's a little too heavy a meal for my liking, before a flight.

i love Boots, on all my baby stuff i get 10 points per £1, i got £5 of points today, their offers are great, all original source stuff is £1 at the mo, their weekly offers on gifts were fab up til xmas, soap and glory set was £60 and xmas week went to £25 commented in my local one about how many they must sell and they said they average a 1000 per day thats per store! all their gift sets are half price, i spent my £100 in vouchers in 2 trips if you cant spend i could for you

Our BHS has just given shop floor space to Evans, Dorothy Perkins and Wallis. It means what was a really crappy half empty shop is now full again. They also have a mothercare in there. Its the only thing keeping it going in our town I think.

I use Boots occasionally, but not often. Mainly for Maxfactor makeup as they do good offers.

YABU

As has been said, you can order instore and as points are "free money" it shouldn't make any difference if an item is a couple of ££ more expensive elsewhere.

Disagree with comment about it being so expensive that their employees shop elsewhere - not my experience at all.

Yes, the meal deals are good value: unfortunately they don't sell a single sandwich or salad that I would actually eat.

i buy a lot of stuff in boots,i love it!

their 3 for 2 offers are good,i done a lot of xmas shopping in there,
if im looking for a hair dryer.straighteners i go there,last time i got a set that were £99 in argos for £22 and got 500 points with them (worth a fiver),
their returns policy is also great,my mum bought a shaver for my brother in the sales last xmas,it packed up after 10months,she took it back and they swapped it for a brand new newer model(much better) one which they said was the equivalent model:)
i also like the points system.
if you order the online stuff instore then you can use your points/giftcards,then you can get it delivered to your home or local store the same as if u ordered online:)

looking at our small rural town, Boots are safe,...
but WHSmith!
God knows what is going on with that company but they should hand the local branch over to me.
It has a captive market, there is no other newsagent on the high street (think choccy box, full of tea shops)
they're not open 1st thing, they're not open on Sundays, the staff all appear to be spotty teenage boys who don't give a shit,
it's full of crap, when we need more basics,
and all they want to do is push cheap chocolate at the checkout.. Unbearable.
And you should have seen the queue on Christmas eve,
said spotty boys just stared gormlessley ... is that a word even?

The only decent thing about Smiths is that they often have good deals on cookery books.

Lego in smiths was £37. Elsewhere around £25 it less. That a shop that will go under- not boots!

Oh yes, I hate that about WHSmith when they try and sell you cheap chocolate at the till!

I'd prefer our highstreet to have a Smiths over the Boots we do have!

Yabu. Boots is fabulous. Points system by far the best and they have fantastic multibuy deals on loads of stuff now. Agree if it's not on offer then almost always cheaper elsewhere but they have so much on offer now that what want almost always is.

Don't understand how if you are spending points anyway (so free) you woul rather spend cold, hard cash elsewhere just cause it's a bit cheaper?

if you want to spend points on things that are online then take a note of the item code and go into a store and do a boots.com order with your points.

I love 3 for 2 at Christmas and the thursday late night mega points events. Can't beat it anywhere on the high street. Last year I bought 3 body lotions from No7 counter, a half price perfume and 3 toys for about £50. As a bonus I got a 1200 points, one free toy, one free No7 body lotion and a free No7 gift.

eer they are 'rewards' so if you spend them, albeit a little more than asda etc youre still saving hard cash. Also bear in mind theyre 'proper' dispensing chemists with small stores aswell as bit gifty ones, & not huge global supermarkets who hire cheaper pharmacists (ok no hard proof on that one...)
You dont have to shop there either, never quite understand when people 'hate' stores but still shop there.

You must have spent a fair bit instore to have racked up that amount of points? What did you buy to get the points and can you not just buy the same stuff again? I imagine the majority of their business comes from the 3for2/£1 promos, just buy some shower gel and toothpaste when you need it every couple of weeks...