A IBU to predict which shops will close next?

[muttimalzwei]

I am pretty sure I won't be allowed to name them on here but it seems to me that the places where customer service is poor or resting on its laurels are the shops that will be closing down before those where staff actually try to engage with their customers and find out how they can help them. In my town it seems to be well established high street stores (going since at least the 80s) who are just not doing what they could to offer good customer service. And they.ll be next to close....

[monkeymoma]

Past times haven't changed their stock in about 10 years from what I can see, the same tacky amber necklaces!

[Emo76]

I think Past Times is a front for money laundering. There is no other possible explanation as to how else they remain in business.

[WetAugust]

BHS - always empty, nothing I'd want to buy

[TartyMcFarty]

Smiths at stations - I was going to buy a pack of Hula Hoops and some Rowntree's randoms at Crewe the other.day (last of the healthy eaters, me), but when the total came to £1.79 I said I'd leave them, thanks.

[MrsGuyOfGisbourne]

(TartyMcFarty - love your name!!!)

[GiantPuffball]

I thought past times had already gone.

[VodkaJelly]

I thought Past Times had gone also.

Blockbusters - still love it and use it all the time and my local one is always busy, all the time, always a queue in there

Bodyshop - Never used it myself but used to buy my nieces stuff, havent been in for years but went in to buy my MIL something and I couldnt believe the prices, so expensive and nothing out of the ordinary. Shop is always empty

BHS - Massive one in my town, only shop for Christmas presents and school uniform but is always busy

TK MAxx - just opened a massive one in our retail park, always has people in and busy

Boots - closed the small one in town and opened a large shop at the retail park, love Boots, is always busy and loads of people in, love being able to sample the perfumes (superdrug always has them behind the counter and you have to ask to sample)

There was a shop called Sugar Shak (I think) opened up and a month later closed for refurbishment but is still closed 3 months later,

[curiousgeorgie]

Massively disagree re WH Smiths! They have the monopoly of train stations and airports. They must make a fortune!

[knowotumean]

at v. first glance i thought this thread was a bit sick but I think it could be very good if the powers that be of organisations look at it for market research.
I'd always found the staff in clinton cards so friendly and it makes me mad that the marketers and whoever else in the organisation weren't pulling or influencing their weight...lazy, greedy buggers.

[LaWobble]

Definitely WHSmith. I took 2 kids birthday cards to the tills the other day in my local Smiths. The assistant asked for nearly SIX POUNDS. After checking the cards to see whether they were gold plated, I told her that I couldn't afford to spend six pounds on 2 kids cards and went to Tesco. 2 cards later, 50p spent.

Yes, I know that Tesco is the work of the devil etc etc etc but seriously, SIX QUID for 2 crappy birthday cards

[sarahseashell]

sorry not read whole thread but just in case anyone from WHsmiths should ever read it please for heavens sake stop giving me those feckin bits of feckin paper at the till every time I want to buy so much as a newspaper! there's always about 3 big bits, 25% off books next week or whatever I don't even bother to read them any more I don't want them please stop!!!

[LaWobble]

Totally agree sarahseashell, it always strikes me as a desperate bid to avoid bankruptcy!

Trying to sell massive chocolate bars with every purchase too. Just very bad customer service IMO.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

fuckwittery

I think Blockbusters is part of the National Amusements group that owns controlling stakes Viacom and CBS as well as loads of cinemas in the US and Europe.

I don't know if it would work as a stand alone business but might still work as a part of a much larger group.

[Brandnewbrighttomorrow]

Gap kids used to be my absolute favourite place for kids clothes - last three times I've been in I haven't been able to find anything - I have 3 kids aged 7 and under. The older girlswear has been getting increasingly tarty (really, why do retailers think we want to dress our children like hookers

Agree Wh smiths need a massive re-think. Our local store looks like a bombsite. I hope that they do, I used to work for them and loved the store. I miss being able to buy a DVD or cd on the high street.

Kew has lost it's way entirely.

Our local town has just lost two of my favourite independent retailers, one of them couldn't afford the risk of signing up to the only lease the owner would consider - minimum term of 9 years - this for a company that has been in situ for at least the last nine. No wonder our little town is starting to look increasingly empty - affluent part of the country so I guess we've been fortunate enough to be insulated from the recession thus far.