Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried about House of Fraser

366 replies

Viviennemary · 06/01/2018 23:20

Seems this is the next chain to be in trouble. And Debenhams hasn't been doing to well either lately according to the news tonight. I don't buy a great deal in either of these but would be really sad to see them go. Woolworths gone and then BHS. Sad at the thought they might disappear

OP posts:
TatianaLarina · 08/01/2018 21:23

So for example - I selected 5 dresses from ASOS, delivered next day, (yesterday) chose one I liked, returned the others today.

It’s 48 hour returns, and I get my money back within 7 days of receipt.

Timefortea99 · 08/01/2018 21:23

Returns are not all about the Post office nowadays. Lots of local stores like newsagents allow you to pick up from them or take returns to them. Makes it so much more convenient.

TatianaLarina · 08/01/2018 21:24

It would have taken me a whole morning to get to, find and try on all those dresses if I’ve been to the shops.

I really don’t have time to do that.

LoniceraJaponica · 08/01/2018 21:25

"My local post offices are open 7-7 Saturday and Sunday."

I repeat we don't all live in London or have access to the services that you do. Our local post office is open 9 - 5.30 Monday to Friday and 9 - 2.00 on Saturdays.

mirime · 08/01/2018 21:26

@rememberthetime it's been a bit like that for years, though we did have proper training when I started, it was basically the same training as when they were part of the Burton Group. They've been bought, asset stripped and sold since then.

TatianaLarina · 08/01/2018 21:28

Yes I understand that, cf the couriers.

I’m not actually in London at the moment I had it delivered to me on holiday (in the U.K.)

Pluckedpencil · 08/01/2018 21:30

I have never shopped at either. I just feel ripped off as soon as I walk in. Debenhams less so, House of Fraser is full of clothes I can't afford. I am not on the breadline but for if you are not fussed about having branded everything then I doubt you go there.
I prefer the clothes in Sainsbury's half the time!

mirime · 08/01/2018 21:30

@NoMudNoLotus, @PuppyMonkey I quite like Debenhams Nottingham, it's quirky and reminds me of David Morgan's that used to be in Cardiff.

Howell's in Cardiff will always be Howell's and never House of Fraser.

woodhill · 08/01/2018 21:53

It is a pain to online shop but I buy the odd thing. You miss the post man etc then have to pack it up again.

I like looking in a shop and things online are often disappointing

PoppyCherry · 08/01/2018 22:28

Fuck em. I hope they do go bust. They once accused my mild mannered, WW2 veteran grandfather of shop lifting, which he wasn’t.

Yes it was over 30 years ago but grudges stick in my family.

I’m pretty sure your Grandfather will have faced worse Hmm

Wishing 18,000 people out of work is utterly fucking despicable, whatever your ‘reason’

Gbtch · 08/01/2018 22:49

Debenhams, house of Frazier they are as sad as BHS became. BHS was good , in my opinion, for home ware and lighting. I miss them for that. I get nothing from the other two. Surprised they have lasted this long.
If Marks and Spencer don't get their act sorted soon (what ever happened to their classy affordability?) they will follow the same path. Sad but inevitable.

lololove · 08/01/2018 23:00

My little corner of the country is already losing everything, loads of our shops in our tiny little precinct have gone, including our (always busy) WH Smiths approx 2 years ago.

Allegedly it's the same price to rent here (back end of nowhere) as it is in Meadowhall so no wonder noone wants to open anything where the only footfall is essentially the locals! Particularly as the preinct isn't taken care of despite the high rents and has buckets collecting leak drops and the floor up in several places.

For a proper 'shop' you have to go out of town here - no John Lewis, Debenhams etc. Our M&S is tiny and mostly food downstairs (though you struggle to do a 'proper' shop in it of anything heavy as it's a trek to the car park/taxi rank)

Personwithhorse · 08/01/2018 23:32

We are very lucky with shopping in our area of Hampshire. There are three JLs we can get to, several Waitroses and a fantastic small town with only independent shops. I avoid Amazon, and I prefer to buy clothes in real shops (and don’t mention the trade stands at big horse shows - serious credit card use!)

RavenWings · 08/01/2018 23:49

I don’t know why people say this. You feel the material see the colour, but in your house, rather than having to schlep to the shops, into changing rooms with loud music blaring out, and then carry it all home.

And I don't know why people say this. I like the tactile experience in a shop, I like to feel materials, I like to test the weight, I like to check transparency. I don't like shopping online anywhere near as much when I can't compare the fabrics by hand. And I definitely don't want to order and return, when I can just head to a shop and test them out in person before buying. I rarely return anything I buy in a shop, can't remember the last time I did.

Such a shock, I know, people having different preferences and shopping styles to you.

lilypoppet · 09/01/2018 04:45

I work in retail and I urge you to go into your local department stores and buy or you will lose them. Also don't buy 30,000 things online and then return them to the store as this costs a huge amount of money to the retailer in sending it all back.

e1y1 · 09/01/2018 05:49

Sad as it is p, it’s the nature of business.

At risk of stating the obvious, but if people don’t use stores, then they will go, conversely , if stores don’t produce things that people like at prices people are willing to pay, then of course people won’t use them. Awful catch 22, but it is what it is.

The only sad part is the jobs it affects, especially everyone except upper management teams (as I don’t think we will ever see upper management walk away with nothing).

I personally thing the next one to drop is M&S (the non food) I think the food will last, they do it very well and everyone HAS to eat, yes not at M&S granted. But personally, I think M&S would be a lot better off just concentrating on food.

popcorntime1 · 09/01/2018 09:07

Stores can never really compete price wise with online only businesses. They have far too many overheads.

CiderwithBuda · 09/01/2018 09:12

I think it will be such a shame if stores continue to go. But I think with many it is inevitable. Our shopping habits have changed. And will continue to do so.

I hadn't realised Debenhams had been bought and asset stripped. It makes sense with what you see now.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 09/01/2018 09:33

lily the reason people order so much and return to shops is because the shops don't carry sufficient stock in all sizes.
Wanted to buy pyjamas yesterday. The shop had 6 million size 8/10s and 4 size 14/16!
To survive, dep stores have to sort out their stock issues, design their layout so it is easy to navigate and as said upthread all jeans are together, all knitwear etc. They can't work on the Primark model which leaves the customer to their own devices except to man the changing rooms or the till - you need helpful sales assistants esp in underwear and shoe depts. They have to make themselves a bit special, sell brands you can't get in 16 other shops on the same high street and treat the consumer well, so that buying a handbag is a nice experience and not something where you have to drag the assistant away from her conversation to help you.
They can't offer the same service/goods that everyone else has and expect to do well. M&S survives because it does some things very well and the nation still has affection for it, which maybe doesn't exist for hof and debenhams as a whole, but it can't trade on that forever - they all have to raise their game. I think they'd do better if they modelled themselves on the JL or the Fenwicks in places like Canterbury ot Liberty, who have their own 'character'.

Bodicea · 09/01/2018 09:42

Problem is house of Fraser and John Lewis sell the same stuff. You go to Manchester etc and it’s all the same in every shop plus there are the individual shops too selling it as well. I feel like I am getting dejavu! They need to segregate themselves especially as John Lewis always matches their prices.

RoseWhiteTips · 09/01/2018 09:47

The John Lewis experience is entirely different to that of House of Fraser. It is a positive one.

seafoodeatit · 09/01/2018 09:55

House of Fraser always seem conflicted, past Christmas ads looked like something for jd sports, are they actually edgy now or just trying to be?

ClassicIntercourse · 09/01/2018 10:28

I still buy some things from House of Fraser like nightwear and underwear, but I've noticed there's less that appeals to me now, even online. I've started going elsewhere (Boohoo and ASOS etc for nightwear, Lounge Underwear etc for underwear)

I'll still use HOF and Debenhams for beauty and skincare but it really annoys me that Debenhams website still doesn't take PayPal as I use that for everything online Hmm

mirime · 09/01/2018 11:06

A lot of the concessions in HoF and JL are just too expensive for me. Bought a lovely pair of trousers in M&S a few years back, they were £40, a similar pair in one of the JL concessions was £70, and the fabric was nowhere near as nice.

As for putting all the jeans etc together, they don't do that because they group by brands - which is fine by me. I know I like Mantaray in Debenhams and Indigo in M&S.

ree070603 · 09/01/2018 13:02

Has anyone been to the HoF outlet in Doncaster? I love it!! Nothing great to buy....it's all the stuff they couldn't sell at full price in the shops but it's like stepping back in time and the cafe is amazing and always quiet

Swipe left for the next trending thread