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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think shops are not helping themselves?

51 replies

Changebagsandgladrags · 17/07/2013 18:27

Went shopping today for holiday clothes for me. These were bin high street shops and department stores.

Spotted some nice shorts, longish rather than bum cheek skimming. Four racks of size 6 and one size 8. Although bum cheek ones available up to size 20.

Then spotted a nice dress, there were six of themin size 20 and 22.

Would it not be sensible to stock a range of sizes? So now my money will go to Asos or similar online 'shop'.

OP posts:
ClaraOswald · 17/07/2013 19:36

Buyers will do what they want to.

I think that partly it would mean having to order more full sizing sets just to get the extra in the more popular sizes. So do they take a chance and end up with too many of the sizes at either side of the ratio pack and end up not making a good profit, or do they take a chance that perhaps the customer might go for a different style?

I wouldn't want to be a buyer.

HarrietSchulenberg · 17/07/2013 19:48

One of the many reasons why I don't shop on the high street. I don't want to buy clothes 3 months before I can wear them. They all look the same anyway.

whatwoulddexterdo · 17/07/2013 19:55

@lynette. Try H&M. I just bought 3 pairs of shorts size 13-14 at £7 a pair for my DS.

littlewhitebag · 17/07/2013 19:58

Actually - yes i do expect to be able to buy shorts when the weather is nice. I never buy in advance, i buy what i need when i need it. Drives me mental. I need shorts for my holiday in two weeks but i can't get any.

Erato · 17/07/2013 20:04

This is why I buy everything online. It's cheaper (even with postage) and it's less annoying - I can filter by my size and not have to wade through mountains of crap to find what I'm looking for. Of course, I do keep Royal Mail in business with the deliveries and returns!

Lj8893 · 17/07/2013 20:07

Erato,

If you are buying from an online store that also has high street shops it shouldn't be cheaper! The shops should match the price for you.

Also think of the stores that keep closing down because they arnt making sales because everyone keeps buying online instead. Lots and lots of job losses.

I buy online a fair bit but try my best to buy in store as much as possible to keep people in jobs!

Original poster
Changebagsandgladrags · 17/07/2013 20:35

But if you can't buy it in the shops because it's not there then you have to buy it online. I'm now on the websites of the stores, they have stock. But tempted now to just get it all from one place so I get one delivery.

OP posts:
Erato · 17/07/2013 20:36

Well I usually only look in the sale section, and you're more likely to get the thing you want in your size on sale online than in store. And since the high street is depressingly samey I can only find interesting smaller designers online.

Technically, yes, I suppose IF I could find it in store it would be the same price. But that's hypothetical since I can never seem to find what I want in store.

I don't think there are really that many job losses, do you have evidence for that? Lots of high street stores are still making profits, it's only the ones that are a bit crap or ones that sell things that no one buys any more (CDs for example) that are going under. Which is no bad thing.

And in any case, retail sales isn't exactly a job people train for years to do, so surely they can find another unskilled job to do? I know that sounds unsympathetic, but things have to change and move on otherwise we'd still be stuck in the industrial era with stinky factories and 18 hour days...

perplexedpirate · 17/07/2013 20:42

I'm afraid I find online shopping the only way to get what I want these days. Fast, convenient, cheap.
YANBU OP. I fear the high street is dead. Sad

Lj8893 · 17/07/2013 20:44

I work in retail so erm thanks for that I guess!

In regards to evidence, yes the company I work for is still doing well but because many customers now choose to buy online (from the company's website) it means that some stores are suffering and have either been closed or are at risk of closing. I know other people who work for other companies who are experiencing the same thing.

Absolutely if the store can't provide what you want, then I understand buying online, but I always ask if the store can order it in for me first as that order will go against the store (And in some cases the employees) sales targets.

KobayashiMaru · 17/07/2013 20:47

thats whats left, not what they decided to stock!

slapandpickle · 17/07/2013 20:55

There is never enough size 12 or 14 clothes or size 6 shoes. Most common sizes bought. Bane of my existence! (usually fluctuate between 12 and 14 so really can't win!) Solution: have a French and Saunders horse riding figure... 10 top, 16 bottom!

slapandpickle · 17/07/2013 20:56

on reflection that probably is not a French and Saunders joke, now rofling away at my own dappyness.

softlysoftly · 17/07/2013 21:45

Yanbu it drives me batshit that you have to order stock so far in advance that you have no clue what the weather will actually be and no way to react to it therefore rolling out autumn crap in a heatwave Angry

But if consumers didn't expect clothes for pennies buyers might have more flexibility to order closer to home and seasons could reflect the actual weather.

Ixia · 17/07/2013 21:59

Ebay is the answer.

AmberLeaf · 17/07/2013 23:19

thats whats left, not what they decided to stock!

If people keep trying to buy things and a shop keeps not having a particular size then the shop didn't get enough in.

I know generally it is nothing to do with the staff in the shop, it's down to the buyers at head office.

If in the sale you always find the same sizes [lots of size 6-8 IME], it is because they have ordered too many of that size/that size i not in demand.

If when things are not even yet on sale a particular size is always out of stock, then they aren't ordering in enough of that size.

They don't always have to order in multiples of sizes either.

If you're a size 6 or size 22 you're laughing.

Lweji · 18/07/2013 00:37

If you're a size 6 or size 22 you're laughing.

That's not my experience on sales.
I have a hard time finding anything on 8s and 6s and often buy early in the season because later those sizes are difficult to find.

Unless shops now are stocking loads of 6s.

Or maybe it's the type of clothes I prefer that go faster in my size.

maddening · 18/07/2013 06:44

The other problem they have is once they run out they don't have an idea of what sales they are missing - as either the customer doesn't ask or if they do they get a snippy/sarcastic reply and I doubt the staff are logging it to pass back to the buying teams.

AmberLeaf · 18/07/2013 18:03

So its the fault of sales staff?

IME of being sales staff, our input to head office was generally ignored.

I was never snippy or sarcastic either.

Panzee · 18/07/2013 18:07

They can get things in quick. I forget which shop it was, something like New Look or Top Shop. One of the bosses was at a fashion show, liked something, drew a copied version of it and it was on sale within a couple of days. Obviously they don't want to do all lines like that, they need to plan their finances, book factory time etc, but it's not impossible.

maddening · 18/07/2013 22:46

amber - was responding re the "Well we do have other customers who buy sandals in size 6" comment - pretty snippy/ sarcastic - unhelpful and employers none the wiser. I didn't say YOU were snippy or sarcastic.

And not saying it is the sales staff at fault but if the shop does not create a culture of feeding back missed sales then they will never learn for next time - and more shoppers will go away from the highstreet - I don't have time to go asking people, searching for an item I want to find out my size isn't there etc and trawling round town - not to mention petrol and parking etc when I can filter out and just view what is actually in, in my size.

Mintyy · 18/07/2013 22:54

I really don't like buying online. I much prefer to go in to the shops. I just don't fancy buying autumn clothing in fucking July! I mean is it really that much to ask?

OneLittleToddleTerror · 18/07/2013 22:56

Not my experience about smaller sizes either. I am size 8 and have given up shopping on the high street. They never have 8 or XS in store.

I have much better luck with shoes on the high street as I am size 4. I guess that is small side of normal, like a 10 in clothes.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 18/07/2013 22:58

Oh and like lweji I need to buy ahead because small sizes go very quickly.

GobHoblin · 18/07/2013 23:07

I work in a shop that sells among other things, parasols, gazebo's, paddling pools & fans. I'm sick of people being so rude as all are sold out. It is not my fault there is a heatwave, it really is not my fault! We normally have loads of stock left over at the end of the season because of crap summers. Please bear in mind, this 'summer' stock came in from china in feb/march & that is it for the season. I understand the frustration, i really do. I just don't deserve to be spoken to in the way i have been for the past week because britain is experiencing a heatwave for once!
I can feedback til the cows come home, but considering they are probably already planning 2015 stock, it won't be listened to!