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....

Ah yes, I agree with Holland and Barrat

Whsmiths in White Rose stunk the last time I was in. Strange.

Dorothy Perkins seems to be struggling, there's always a sale on and I'm always getting emails for 25% off which is a shame as i love it.

Agree with Kendodd and others, Monsoon sprang to mind instantly. What on earth happened to it!

I hope not WHSmith.

Agree with everyone sympathising with struggling (or perceived to be struggling) stores - would much rather they existed than yet another mobile phone shop.

BUT - YY to Body Shop. Wish it would go back to the Body Shop of my teenage days - those big perfume jars you could fill your little plastic reusable bottle with, plus affordable lip balms, shower gel etc. They were way ahead of their time, and seem to have lost their way. Not to mention are exhorbitantly priced.

Holland and Barrat always seems busy to me. I would worry about Mothercare, HMV, Currys etc though. I hope Boots doesn't go. I think anything that can't compete with online/discount stores won't survive.

Posting too much in this thread but Laura Ashley seem to have some of their pitches really wrong. There is one on a random retail park near me, household and discount stuff then LA - just seems wrong from both a brand image and passing trade perspective

I don't know if it a local thing or a national policy, but our WH Smith asks me if I want to buy a bag of sweets every time I buy a paper or a book.
No, I don't want to buy a giant bag of glacier mints or allsorts with my paper. Why would I? The sweetshop doesn't ask me if I want the Telegraph when I go in for jelly babies.

Really don't want any of these shops to close, really don't! but customer service is so important in leaner times. It just needs someone in management to wake up to the bad customer service problem and try and do something rather than just let it go tits up.

I dont think Currys or PC World need to worry. They are always fairly busy and a lot of people still prefer to go into a shop, look at the item, and make a decision, rather than go online, as if there is a fault with the goods it is a lot less hassle to take it back to the shop than deal with it online.

Monsoon profits tripled last year, boots Rose by 14% & Clarks profits were over 100mil for the first time in 180 years, none of these shops are in trouble!

Our Mothercare went ages ago. Thought they'd all gone! Agree with not knowing how WHSmiths are still going.

Was just talking about this the other day, it is sad but these companies need to do something drastic if they are not to let their staff down.

WHSmith was the obvious one, what are they except railway station retailers always deparate to push cut price chocolate at the till?

Based on customer service it would have to be Currys and PC World.

Body Shop is just a bargain retailer now, you'd be mad to pay full price for anything it's so often on sale, esp through their web-site. I loved them in my teens, with all the different sizes, re-fills and truly odd products.

Monsoon stopped being exciting in their original exotic manifestation when they first became commercial and 'just another high street clothes shop', though I still liked their clothes. Maybe they could update.

BHS ain't going anywhere, it has massive backing, it'd be sold before going into administration.
My money's on HMV.

Same where I live Nevertoo, Laura Ashley is wedged between B&M Bargains and Poundstretcher - not good.

Who the heck buys from Millie's Cookies in shopping centres? It's like a pound for one, and even then, they say 'do you want 9 for £8?' Er, no. One please.

I wouldn't have thought Laura Ashley - there's nowhere else to get nice lamps etc, very few furniture/accessory type shops around

Boots will never go.

I wish BHS would - but that's mostly because I loathe Philip Green and his massive tax avoidance. I don't buy in his shops.

If anything BHS will be rebranded as a shop selling all Arcadia brands, except to shop under 1 roof. They will get rid of small wallis, Evans ECG and house them all in 1 place

I'm surprised that so many jewellery shops manage to stay in business, how much jewellery does the average person buy?

Clarks seem to be on an up, not down.

Whsmith. Bafflingly few books, everything on sale, disaffected staff and bizarre inappropriate discounts on random chocolate. Bloody awful place.

I love Millie's cookies! Would be gutted if they went. Our whsmiths is stinky as well. I miss woolworths!

The three BHS's ive been into recently are like mini dept stores, housing Tammy, DP,evans and a few more.
I reckon JJB won't last much longer with places like sports direct around. New look are filling shelves with other lables and 2 have shut near me.

The lego in WHSmith seems to be more expensive than everywhere else, even when it's on offer.

Hobbs
LK Bennett
BHS
The Kooples
Laura Ashley
Whistles
Karen Millen

but NOT Lush!

What's the situation with GAP? They're clearly dead, but do they know it?