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.

M&S has opened again here in The Hague and it's fantastic! On the day there was a huge queue down the street.
The food hall is always busy with ex-pats and locals alike, I love it especially at Christmas!
My husband can get work shirts and we can order in uniform for our DCs school.

I get jeans from there - they do different lengths, which is handy is the land of lovely tall people! And underwear, sometimes shoes.
Best of all, the staff give customer service, as in smile and talk and be generally helpful, which isn't typical ( but getting better ) here.

I like the jeggings. They are cheap and fit me really well. Also like the baby clothes, got dd a gorgeous dress with animals printed all over. Can never find bras to fit though, and fed up of seeing things that look nice but are made out of synthetic materials. The cardigans are ok to look at but make me sweat! ????I did miss m&s when I lived in the US, mainly for food and underwear!

No idea why those question marks showed up, I didn't type them.

I haven't even looked at the adults clothes for years but do like the food and swear by the school uniform. Also bras, I've currently got several of the best fitting bras I've ever had from them (fitted myself).

I think their food is really disappointing these days. It's all bloody ready meals. And all very ordinary. It used to be somewhere you went for really imaginative, unusual foods, and now it's like any other supermarket. In fact, no that's not true - Waitrose has much more innovative stuff. And food you can actually use to cook rather than just assemble!

With their clothes, they can never keep everyone happy and I don't think they should try. You can tell that they're trying to offer pieces that follow latest fashion trends - that's why you get all those odd colours! - but it doesn't really work. The result is too much stock and no sense of what they're trying to do.

In bigger stores it works better - they can clearly delineate their different brands, which do feel as if they have something different to offer - Autograph, Limited Edition, Indigo, etc.

But I agree that a section that focuses on basics would be a really good idea. The same cardigan/jumper in a wide range of basic as well as 'fashionable' colours, for example. We're not always looking for stuff to go with the latest fashionable colours, but to go with what's in our wardrobes!

My local one is lovely. The staff are so pleasant and helpful. I like their food. I like their basics, jeans, tops, jackets, socks etc. I like their underwear, nice quality. I wouldn't get measured for a bra there, (tried the service once), but I do buy bras there.
Yes, they do stock some fairly hideous stuff, but I just pass that by, and smile to myself when I see it reduced shortly after it first appears.

I like their 100% cotton school trousers. My children can't get on with Teflon coated polyester.

I can't really shop in M&S anymore due to vanity sizing - usually even the size 8 is too big. And there is very little to interest me anyway. I remember when Per Una came out and I got some great pieces then, but now it's just yuk. I also hate the children's clothes - different sizes scattered around the shop and no basics/choice. This is in a large store too (maybe it will be better when she's old enough for school). The food used to be nice, but the sandwiches aren't a patch on pret. I wouldn't be sad it it went, tbh.

Their food is pretty good. Imo they surpass Waitrose on quality of both fruit and veg, fresh meat and cured meats by a long chalk. If I have to eat ready meals or sweet treats I'll always choose M&S over Waitrose if I can.

I wouldn't buy sandwiches from either.

Clothes wise I buy school uniform and knickers, their ladies clothes are very poor quality, I sometimes find a few gems but it's a rarity.

I remember taking a pair of M&S shoes to a cobbler in Australia, they were positively gushing over having a pair of M&S shoes to heel - they are so shit now they are barely worth heeling.

Agree re the sizing. That is defintely a bug bear of mine! At university, so 15 years ago, I was a size 8. I'm the same weight now but in most UK shops I've miraculously become a 6. In M&S I positively drown in their size 8, and even in the occasional 6. I actually need them to bring in a 4 (or the equivalent of their 8, going back in time!).

Their flowers are much better than Waitrose, and I agree that their Prosecco is good.

Think they have tried to do too many things which have struggled to sell, i.e. stationery - something you would never associate with M & S. Must say the beauty range has vastly improved, have bought the Nuxe skincare and the offers and range stocked is very good. Like the fit of Roma Per Una jeans, much better than the Next pairs I used to buy. A lot of clothes very samey as is jewellery/scarves etc. Like the cafe and homeware.

It's a funny old shop, really. My mum used to love it. I hardly ever go in there. I did used to like their bras and knickers but buy them from Sainsburys now. School uniform comes from Asda. The womens clothes aren't to my taste, and are too expensive anyway.
I do like their food but my kids don't generally - it's too rich for them, so I don't buy that either.
It would be a real shame if it was to close though.

Food, good
Furniture, good
Homewares, good
Kids clothes, esp. uniform, good
Beauty, esp make up is excellent

Agree adult clothes are patchy, but i like shoes, Autograph, Limited Collection, lots of their coats, some accessories.

Also had great customer service from them recently. So not over for me.

We have a simply food near us and it's not all ready meals. They have a great offer on meat. Lots of different products and some flavoured/breadcrumbed etc 3 for £10 or 4 for £12.

The fruit and veg is good quality and often on offer as well. I can't afford to shop there for everything but will pop in and buy the offers.

I think the clothes have improved recently. Obviously not the horror that is Per Una, but at 43 some of the M&S Collection clothes are well made and stylish...or maybe I'm just ageing into M&S land now!

I love the fact I can order into my local store for free, try it on and give it all back for no charge if it doesn't fit. I often have to do this as my local store has loads of smaller sizes but not many 16s or 18s on the shop floor.

I don't bother much with their food anymore. I find it overpriced and the quality isn't enough more than Tesco or Sainsburys to make it worth the hassle of town centre shopping and the extra cost. I do get bits and pieces from the Simply Food stores at garages but only when I need things and can't get to a supermarket.

Their men's suits are pretty good, as are their tailored fit shirts. I tend to get my work clothes from there (or from Burton). On the other hand, their casual clothing for men is a bit old man-ish, and frankly their pants are crap. I've never really rated their food either, you can get much nicer ready meals from Tesco.

Definitely too many rebrandings and different areas within the shop. Next do plain cardigans that are far better than M&S.

I tried to buy children's clothes last December. Everything was sparkly and looked cheap.

What's the point of asking for feedback if nothing changes for the better. It's on FB too, with complaints about the poor quality, bra sizing, garish fabrics etc etc. I agree that the website is really abysmal.

My local store is small and therefore wouldn't expect a full range, but it really is pants. The only staff around last time I was there, were on the tills, except for one chap with a badge who wandered round the shop talking loudly on his phone. Clearly a manager and clearly too high up to deal with mere customers! I wanted to ask him questions just because he was irritsting me by talking so loudly and was oblivious to customers.

I can't find an M&S bra that fits these days. I save up for Rigby and Peller in the sale and know what size I should be, but need more bras than I can afford in R&G. I have bought a reasonable fitting one in Sainsbury's though, as well as knickers.

Unless Marks change pretty quickly, improve their website, stop producing those ridiculous and expensive adverts and return to core basics, I don't think even their food sales will save them. I bought macarons in Lidl for £2.50. A very similar thing in Marks was £6. No contest!

I don't get this sakinsburys underwear thing. The ones I brought were huge. At least one whole size bigger than the packet said and the elastic fell apart and came away after a couple of washes. They don't do bras in a G anymore and again the ones I did get the elastic went in them and the lace in the cup was really too stretchy for a bra cup and over the course of the day my boobs got lower and lower as the lace stretched. It's a shame as sainsburys do fab pj's and a lot of my work clothes are sainsburys as well.

The ones in affluent Southern areas are great and stick the cream of the clothing crop that you see in the adverts. Regional ones in less affluent areas however are a different story.

I went into the new 'out of town' branch in Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme at the weekend and the stench of what Im asuming must be cleaning fluid made me gag as it smelled of urine. Awful!

The clothes were OK, some nice things in Autograph and the shoes atent bad but the Limited Collection section was almost bare.

Agree with the poster who said that the food is tasty because its full of sugar and fat though.

The bra ladies need to be let go.

I love M&S!

Oh and im a non posh southerner by the way (damn cheek)

Their food is the same as any other outlet regarding sugar etc. if you dont buy fresh, why on earth dont you know that. Tastes better and looks better though

I shop in LIDL and ALDI and Marks and Spencers. M&S is easily better for bread, ready made meals, meat and salad. Their salad pots are the best around.

I needed a white shirt and whilst it's not my usual shop M&S was my first thought and I ordered on line. It's a very beautiful shirt, 'featured in Vogue' no less. It's sort of restored my faith in M&S.