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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

195 replies

GillyT · 02/01/2011 19:58

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 :(

OP posts:
zukiecat · 02/01/2011 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hephaestus · 02/01/2011 21:45

Having worked as a Christmas temp in Boots for two years running now I have no idea where you are coming from. I don't have any kind of agenda or loyalty, by the way (they've pissed me off somewhat by failing to give me any kind of permanent position, after all, and are otherwise staffed by middle-aged harridans with a chip on their shoulder Envy) but the amount of profit the store was making says it all.

Christmas 3-for-2 is a great deal, everything being half price from Boxing day onwards even more so. The points events in the run-up to Christmas gave you £12 for every £50 you spent. Meal deal still works out a bargain even now it's gone up. 3 for 2 on all vitamins and dental, until recently on all men's toiletries too, £5 No7/£5 eye test voucher on at the moment, 4p back for every pound you spend...

As someone said, there are odd glitches with reductions/vouchers and so on occasionally if you know where to look. In the run-up to Christmas I sold a woman four £120 electric toothbrushes for £60, somehow.

Also, it's the only place on the high street to pick up a mooncup. Grin

Firawla · 02/01/2011 21:46

i doubt boots would go under, they are always quite busy. i find them so much better than local pharmacies, whenever i go to the small local ones they never have the full range of nappies or milk so cant find the sizes or stage of milk you need for your baby, has hardly any variety and choice in it so tend to end up leaving empty handed and walking down to boots anyway, and ours is only a small boots but it is pretty good and has all the necessities in it so atleast can get what you need. superdrug is not good @ all for baby stuff, i dont think they even sell nappies, so as far as i'm concerned there is no competition for boots, i wouldnt want to queue up in supermarket every time so not bothered paying a bit extra in boots.

but as for wh smith i agree, wtf is even the point of them! have not been in for years, wouldnt be suprised if they disappeared soon

JodiesMummy · 02/01/2011 21:51

Everything you can get in Boots you can get from a local Chemist or Home and Bargain much much cheaper. Even Poundland do most hygiene products and baby wipes (brand names) now. Id never shop at Boots. And Superdrug has the same makeup cheaper.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 02/01/2011 21:59

YABU - I love Boots, the rewards scheme is very generous, they have plenty of offers on and most of all they have excellent customer service, the staff in my local store are all absolutely wonderful :)

JodiesMummy · 02/01/2011 22:00

They are snotty as hell in ours.

zukiecat · 02/01/2011 22:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissQue · 02/01/2011 22:08

Boots is the only place you can get decent low fat meal deals, and they're reasonably priced and have a good choice of stuff. Apart from that, it's quite rare I go in Boots, because their prices are higher than supermarkets and stores like Savers.

Saying that, I spotted lots of people coming out of there with huge pink bags a couple of weeks ago, so I went to have a look out of curiosity and nabbed a huge Soap and Glory gift set for £25. When I got home, I checked the prices of each item online and it came to nearly £70, not including the cute bag and fab storage box they came in. Their post xmas sale is good for gift packs of smellies too.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 02/01/2011 22:20

WH Smith is the biggest book retailer in the country.

People marketing main stream books only really have two customers - Amazon and WH Smith.

TheSecondComing · 02/01/2011 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Himalaya · 02/01/2011 22:34

Wasn't Woolworth's the biggest music retailer in the country?

AliBellandthe40jingles · 02/01/2011 22:37

I love Boots. Can't stand Superdrug, it is always crammed with teenagers and doesn't have as nice brands. And I love Protect and Perfect so that keeps me shopping there!

I almost always buy things on offer, and if you remember to get your advantage point vouchers and use the ones they send through the post then the points really stack up.

OP - why don't you just use your points to buy your normal toiletries rather than needing to search for something specific?

pythonmum · 02/01/2011 22:39

Little late but have to disagree with you Oggybags re pharmacy staffing. I worked for Boots as a pharmacist for many years (no longer there though). Over recent years pharmacy staff numbers have been cut and many foreign pharmacists brought in as they are cheaper. A few years ago they had loads from Spain, the latest lot are from Poland and Czech Republic.

Some of them are excellent but some do struggle with the language and different professional expectations.

MissQue · 02/01/2011 22:42

Himalaya I doubt Woolies was the biggest music retailer in recent times, not with HMV on the high street.

Francagoestohollywood · 02/01/2011 22:44

Oh I love Boots. I still miss it, now that we aren't in the UK anymore. But lots of Italian pharmacies have started to sell Boots anti age Serum!!!

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 02/01/2011 22:44

Himalaya - Aye, but people still buy books, whereas noone buys cd's any more.

BelligerentGhoul · 02/01/2011 23:14

Well I saw plenty of people buying CDs in HMV the other day - it was absolutely heaving in there!

mellicauli · 02/01/2011 23:29

I try not to buy in Boots since I read about their elaborate ways to avoid paying tax.

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/09/tax-gap-boots-chemists

jellybeans · 02/01/2011 23:38

I love Boots and WH Smiths. I miss Borders and Woolies too!

KangarooCaught · 02/01/2011 23:44

Db was offered the job to manage Boots online shopping but turned it down. It's a bit better than it was, but stock availability is still poor and the site freezes too often, so other online high st. stores put it to shame. But was looking for a ionic hairstyler today and price wise was v competitive - just out of bloody stock, as usual.

KangarooCaught · 02/01/2011 23:44

I miss Woolies

singingcat · 02/01/2011 23:48

Oh come on, Woolies was shit

And I had a thing against Borders

BelligerentGhoul · 02/01/2011 23:52

I thought I was the only person who doesn't miss Woolworths!

I used to go to Borders a lot - but only for coffee, not to buy much tbh.

Carnival · 03/01/2011 00:00

I was a bit gutted, as I was a regular customer, and then read this:

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/09/tax-gap-boots-chemists

it seems like they may be avoiding paying tax in the UK, which sticks in my craw.

Carnival · 03/01/2011 00:01

Sorry, just realised I cross-poted, great minds, lol!

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