to not be surprised Mothercare are in trouble

[moogster1a]

Apparently they're shutting over 100 of their shops.
TBH I'm not surprised people are shunning them. Overpriced compared to tthe same quality in ASDA Tesco etc..

[gleechie]

Not suprised. Old fashioned and out dated not to mention overpriced.
Never seem to have any staff to help either.

[fatlazymummy]

I used Mothercare for my 1st baby, 22 years ago. I did like it then but I suppose there is more choice nowadays. Really I'm never surprised to hear of any retail business in trouble nowadays, competition is harsh. If Woolworths can disappear then anything is possible.
I agree about BHS. I really like it and I'm not a granny [though old enough to be.]

[SkyNewsAddict]

I feel the need to defend the staff in my local Mothercare, they are great. If I call to find out if they have something in stock they are really helpful, when I have been desperate they have even advised me of other places locally that might have what I want.

[BunnyWunny]

I used to live in Mothercare.

[MarioandLuigi]

We have a big one here but it always looks so grubby and disorganised. We only go in as they have a Clarks section in it.

I went in after I had DD and asked to be measured for a nursing bra. The owman asked me what size I had been post pregnancy, when I told her she said rather patronisingly 'Thats what size you will be now then, but we dont stock those'.

[smoggii]

Just a 'big up' for the staff in the Mothercare, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff, they are always lovely. But the shop itself is a bit dark and dingy, all the stuff is overpriced and the quality is not great. I suspect this is one that will close too because it's always empty.

[MrsRhettButler]

Am I the only one who doesn't mind mohrcare then? Our store is ok imo. Granted I usually only buy stuff in the sale......

The staff are lovely in mine (Bristol eastville)

I like their shoes also, they have a very wide range, ours is very easy to manoeuver also, no problems with boxes or excess stock... Really hope ours doesn't close

[FetchezLaVache]

I bought quite a lot of stuff there when I was pregnant, including an own-brand crib. Imagine my dischuffedness when the own-brand crib sheets were miles too small. You've got to be quite shit if you can't even make sheets to fit your own crib! The clothes (both maternity and baby) I have always found to be quite poor in terms of both quality and design, and very overpriced for what it is, esp compared to Matalan, Asda etc.

Can't say I'd really miss Mothercare, but I would miss the family room.

[ChristinaEliopolis]

I'm not surprised at all. I find the quality of clothing very poor and terribly expensive. For the first time in a long while, I popped into mine while looking for pjs. I had to leave the double buggy (not a side by side thing - an in line Phil and Ted's) in the middle of the shop as I couldn't physically slalom it around the rails and racks and boxes. The smell was hideous, the staff disinterested and the rails were like a jumble sale. And the pajamas, when I finally tracked them down, were horrible. Ditto the clothes. So we went Elsewhere.

[TheMitfordsMaid]

I only use ours for emergency birthday presents from the increasingly shite ELC instore.

Whenever I've tried to buy anything from Mothercare bigger than a shoe I've always been told it is out of stock. They never, ever have anything in my son's size. They claim he was born at a boom time yet no other store finds it so.

They are a victim of their own uselessness.

I've found the staff to be quite chatty to each other, and monosyllabic to customers.

[onadietcokebreak]

Hardly surprising.

Staff are rude and give crap advice

[Rosemallow]

Totally overpriced stuff, agreed but the staff in my local one (Leeds) are always fantastic.

[greenlime]

I am not surprised either. I have been so disappointed so many times visiting their stores that I won't ever go there again.

[PinkIsMyFavouriteCrayon]

I'm really surprised at people's view of Mothercare, we must be really lucky as ours is fab! Agreed some things like blankets are overpriced, but I bought my pram (mothercare's own), and later a lightweight stroller from there and they have been fab! Friendly staff and the store is clean with plenty of choice.

Babies r us on the other hand, filthy dirty shop with crappy awful customer service. Bought DC's cotbed from there but will never go back!

[PinkIsMyFavouriteCrayon]

Oh yes, forgot to add it was Mothercare that spent ages trying different car seats in our car to get the right one, the woman was really knowledgable and had loads of patience, unlike Halfords who just wanted to sell us the most expensive which was also completely unsuitable!

[annoyingdevil]

Don't think BHS will last much longer either. Couldn't believe the prices they are charging for summer dresses. Note to their marketing dept - 'just because you give a product a fancy brand name, doesn't mean you can charge twice as much for it' Debenhams also take note!

[LilQueenie]

got to agree they are not good. Went in with my mum to find a cot and the woman was so fricking patronising. repeated the same thing she showed me in the catalouge 7 times. Erm yes 'i got it first time thanks! wnet back with my dad (who wanted to buy the cot for us) and waited ages while they ordered it in. Then they got my name wrong and my email address so when I tried to track it online it wouldnt come up! I called and they told me it would be delivered thurs - sat. great. It came on the tuesday.

[Threelittleducks]

Staff were terrible in ours when I went to buy some stuff for ds.
I actually went through the whole process of being served without being looked at or talked to, while the staff chatted to themselves.

[Threelittleducks]

Amongst themselves.

They are ignorant, not crazy.

[smoggii]

pinkismyfavouritecrayon I agree, Babies R Us is shocking, the shop and online customer service is terrible and don't get me started on Mamas and papas grrrrr

[NonnoMum]

Where's Mylene going to sell her baby designer clothes now?

[MrsRhettButler]

seriously, no ones talking about the bristol store are they?

its light and airy and big and clean.. the only thing i agree with is that they are slightly overpriced

not as pricey as much as mamas and papas (though i am buying my buggy from there and is very reasonable actually)

[MrsRhettButler]

'not as pricey as much as' wtf was i trying to say?

[HotchpotchHoney]

pinkismyfavouritecrayon- you must livenear me? the mothercare big one is fab shop, usually pleasant staff, well laid out, lots of room inbetween aisles and racks and good stock levels. Babies r us however, filthy horrible old store with leaks in the roof, where they have wire baskets with carrier bags inside them to catch the drips!!!! stock levels are usually fine but the staff are unknowledgable and rude.
I don shop at mothercare though as as well as my children being nearly almost too old for thier stock now (youngest 20 months), the clothes styling ahs seriously gone down hill as well as the quality. i brought two maternity skirts from there and they kept falling down as the elasticated waist band stretched with wear and washing and didnt hold its tightness. maternity bras the clips broke. Internet shopping has been a lifesaver for us and we live in/near a supposedly large and thriving town.