AIBU to think M&S has had it's day?

[GloGirl]

Poor customer service yesterday when trying to return something and walking through their store yesterday was like walking through a jumble sale.

I think they're only trading off a good name now not adding to it.

But they are in a tough bit of the market ...

Exactly - they have to try to be all things to all men and women. They need to appeal to 20 somethings needing knickers and bras, older people buying easy fitting comfy clothes, parents buying school clothes, people grabbing a much time sandwich, women buying clothes for the office, men buying underwear and basics. How can they be welcoming and relevant to all those people?

I love M&S purely because it has activated the GNU in the overhead (Terry Pratchett tribute).

I find trying to find my size in its stores a pain though - lots of very smalls and very bigs, not much in the 14 / 16 / 18 range. Or in my bra size.

And talking of bras - why are all the D cups and under brightly coloured / nicely patterened / sophisticated looking, and all the over D cups pretty much of a muchness?

The food is lovely. The clothes have improved huge amounts. It helped that in the late 90s they overhauled their sizing system which had previously been based on 1950s body measurements.

But you get grumpy people serving everywhere in the UK. Its a cultural thing. Poor customer service and little reward for the workers.

I agree Pip. Its really tough.

I want it to suceed, and I want to want to shop there (IYSWIM) and I tend to start there for many things.

As I said, I did find some quite nice things today. Although the M&S I use in South London is vast, so can probably offer more than many of the smaller branches. The staff there are good too - good staff are vital.

I tell you - people who love abroad say they REALLy miss it

People who live abroad probably haven't shopped in one lately and may be harking back to the good old days before it became a fuddy-duddy Primark with M&S prices.

Their clothes just seem too dated and frumpy, and not to mention overpriced. Love their food though.

People who live abroad probably haven't shopped in one lately and may be harking back to the good old days before it became a fuddy-duddy Primark with M&S prices

This ^ Once upon a time it was the place to go then the quality of the clothing decreased (outsourcing) whilst the prices have stayed the same. There are places that do the cheap stuff cheaper and places which do better quality stuff. M&S are in the middle and are trying to be all things to all shoppers. It won't work in the long run. Something will have to give eventually.

Please God don't let it go! It's the only place where I can get trousers to fit. They always have a variety of styles and waists unlike everywhere else that seem to have the latest styles only.

I agree not too keen on a lot of their range (don't shop often) but I didn't like anything in Next, H&M Debenhams or the designer floor at House of Frazer either. Too many twiddly bits!

I am early 40's and I think the clothes have vastly improved recently - it has actually become my 'go to' place rather than Next now (really gone off Next clothes). Bought a skirt yesterday which I am totally in love with

Always get my knickers from there as they do a particular style which are SO comfortable.

And obviously the food is totally a winner.

Had a little giggle yesterday whilst I was in there. I overheard a woman (late 60's/early 70's) asking an assistant where the jeggings were - the way she asked it was as if jeggings were this new-found exotic items

I usually find the till staff really pleasant and helpful. Up till this year, I thought their clothes were OK - I could usually find more or less what I wanted. But I went into a large store a couple of weeks ago intending to stock up on tops, and walked round in disbelief - everything was just awful: either sludge colours, or else garishly bright and/or slithery artificial fabrics. I wouldn't have worn any of that if they'd paid me.

Some great stuff (agree about trousers - lots of different fits and lengths) also some awful stuff - I can walk through the new arrivals and tell you exactly what the sales rails will be full of six weeks later! I think their problem at the moment is that they've appointed a man, who worked wonders in the food department to head up ladies fashion. Also not helped by using cheaper fabrics to try and compete with Primark - why bother? If I want to shop in Primark (I don't) I'll shop in Primark. I used to love Marks because I knew what ever I bought would wash and wear well.

Depends on the branch and area demographics. There is a difference in stock based on that.

They have the occasional brilliant thing, but just can't seem to understand that if they offered fewer items in better fabrics, they'd almost certainly try to sell more than offering row and rows of tat. A reduced range of really good basic pieces would sell really well, I think.

M&S of you are reading this, you should concentrate on:
underwear
nightwear
basic cotton shirts and t shirts
silk shirts
plain cashmere jumpers (nobody really wants to spend £90 or more on a jumper with a leopard on, for example)
basic denim - skirts, shirts, dresses, jeans
nice work trousers, skirts and jackets
Basically things that won't scream M&S and that anybody could adapt to their style and wardrobe.

Yes to the food- but it's expensive and only for treats. No to just about everything else.

RedRosie, I've done a couple of those online review things. I don't think they make any difference whatsoever. Our local store is awful and even the big ones are poor these days. Too many different niche areas, poor quality and gaudy fabrics, a complete absence of style and so on and so on.

I 've moaned on FB too and had the usual 'we're sorry you feel like that ' spiel. I buy very little from there now, not even underwear any more. It must be the food that props thrm up.

Remus - you missed a couple...

cardigans in plain colours
basic court shoes

Dodo - their cardigans are always rubbish though, in that awful cashmillon stuff. H&M do good basic cotton cardigans for about a tenner, far better than anything M&S make.

Shoes I like these.

Love the food and the one we use (a Simply Food store) is miles better than our nearest Waitrose.

We did buy some garden furniture and cushions online recently and these were lovely, although we had issues with delivery....not really M&S's fault though.

Clothes-wise though, the only thing I've bought there in the last five years is knickers

YABVU

I think the clothing range has come on leaps & bounds, I buy there now & never would before

Food is generally great & much easier to find the additive free stuff I need for DD

& around here, the customer service is second to none

You could be right Foxy ... But I have a touching faith in the drip-drip method of getting my point across.

Like the BBC, I feel M&S needs my support and an opportunity to do better.

M&S food hall has some good food. And their staff are very helpful.

cardigans in plain colours

I agree. I want plain simple cardigans in a big range of plain colours. It really shouldn't be too much to ask and really should be an M&S staple.

Does anyone remember when the knitwear was folded up inside plastic bags and piled up into neat piles? My after school job in the 80s was folding these all up and putting them back in their bags and then neatly stacking them on the display counter.

Love this

The new website is shockingly bad. Just useless.

There was a day when all the clothes were arranged according to size, now it's arranged in the manner of a jumble sale. It is an absolute truth that Pirmark has more staff on the shop floor. The colours are garish and there must be a vast landfill site somewhere withs one of the crap they produce.

But, but, but once in a while they do something just right which is why I keep looking there. It's bloody hard work, though and I'm pretty sure I am their dream customer with disposable income and a keen interest in shopping. Sigh.

The food is ok.mgood but not as good as it once was. Bit like their pants.