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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:
GreyMorning · 07/01/2018 18:35

I love the HoF stores but HATE their website, it's like a jumble sale, they could learn a thing or two from John Lewis.

PickleFish · 07/01/2018 19:07

I'm surprised there isn't a HoF in my city; it is the right sort of area, and I can imagine there are things I'd have used it for. They tried and click and collect place for a while, but it didn't work out, so I suppose they won't be expanding any time soon in this direction!

Shame, as I think they'd be a useful competitor and keep JL and Debenhams upping their game. JL has a huge captive market; Debenhams is the other side of town and does OK as the only department store in that area, but I don't find that much there.

JL customer service (online at least) has gone right downhill in the last few months; staffed mainly by non-English speakers who simply don't read the emails and give generic and irrelevant answers, often missing the point entirely. Repeatedly. Through endless iterations of trying to sort something out. So many things have been a farce with them, from lost items to trying to find information about things or trying to check stock or whatever. And that used to be JL's strength, really good customer service. So if HoF really wants to survive, they could start putting effort into customer service, and then they could have a USP again.

Welldoneme · 07/01/2018 19:15

I was in Debenhams cardiff yesterday and the place was one big jumble sale.
Rails upon rails of mismatch clothing, left without spending any money.

woodhill · 07/01/2018 19:17

I think JL online is separate now

The stores are still excellent

Jassmells · 07/01/2018 19:28

I haven't been into house of Fraser for years, my nearest would be the Birmingham one and it's so big I can't frankly be arsed to search for what I'm after. However... I have recently started buying off them online and think it's awesome! Great ranges and not bad prices. My concern for them would be they stock too much and holding that stock must be very costly.

Chattymummyhere · 07/01/2018 19:32

Unless it’s diy or something random I always just shop online. Got our new washer from JL the other week over the phone as the website wouldn’t book delivery, brilliant customer service from a lovey man.

Going to town is a hassle, it always smells and just looks so meh. Much nicer experience to search online click it, pay for it and have it arrive or collect from a convenient pre booked collection place.

Arborea · 07/01/2018 19:50

I haven't found Amazon to be particularly cheap for books lately. I ended up ordering some Christmas presents from my local bookseller for exactly the same price as Amazon. It took a couple of days to arrive, but was still pretty quick. I have resolved to continue to buy books this way, unless there's a huge price difference. Funnily enough WH Smith has also been cheaper than Amazon on a couple of other books that I have ordered recently (using gift cards). I suspect that you have to preorder them, as I think it would have been RRP if I had just gone into the store.

Want2bSupermum · 07/01/2018 20:29

The USP of HoF used to be that I could walk in their store (Kendall's in Manchester) and they had fab customer service. I got what I needed at a reasonable price compared to Selfridges, Harrods or Harvey Nichs. Now you walk into HoF and if you can find someone there they won't know what stock is in, what styles would be appropriate for the occasion I'm shopping for or how to manage a customer in terms of relationship management. When paying a premium I expect a premium service. I want the store to have an in house alteration service (which of course you pay extra for) and for shopping to be sent home if not in stock.

JL is able to motivate and pay their shop assistants well because of their business model. As consumers we need to be much more realistic about what things cost. Primark and the like are filled with cheap rubbish made by people who are being exploited.

Sunbeam18 · 07/01/2018 20:33

Jenners in Edinburgh was taken over by House of Fraser and has really gone downhill. The Glasgow HOF is still looking good.

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 07/01/2018 20:56

I’ve found amazon significantly cheaper for books, and 2nd hand v cheap
I have ordered books at significantly lower cost than bookstore
Won’t pay more to purchase in a book store,Amazon ever time as it’s cheaper

Fresta · 07/01/2018 21:55

I liked department stores in the days when each department had a designated sales assistant attached to it. I recently went to the Chanel counter in four different department stores on a busy shopping day (the Friday after Christmas) and only Harvey Nichols had staff on the counter. Debenhams didn't have anyone except the girl from the neighbouring counter who was too busy chatting to her friends to see me, and when she had finished they were out of stock, same story at John Lewis, and H of F didn't even stock Chanel. Thank God for Harvey Nicks!

Gingernaut · 07/01/2018 21:59

I liked department stores in the days when each department had a designated sales assistant attached to it.

Does anyone remember the days when you could only buy an item in the department it came from?

Net curtains couldn't be paid for in printed furnishing fabrics, china ware couldn't be paid for in glassware and gents' clothing couldn't be paid for in ladies' shoes.

One rarely hears the words "Can I pay for this here?" any more.

frasier · 07/01/2018 22:20

Gingernaut I still ask sometimes Blush

FlouncyDoves · 07/01/2018 22:30

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.

ShatnersWig · 07/01/2018 22:36

Flouncy I doubt anyone who was involved in that 30 years ago still works at that one specific store. To wish thousands of current employees across the country to be made redundant is pretty fucking shitty and moronic.

LoniceraJaponica · 07/01/2018 22:39

I agree Shatners

I always feel bad for the employees of companies that are struggling.

Tapandgo · 07/01/2018 22:48

There seems to be a real divide between big cities and small towns with these stores. Glasgow and Manchester House of Fraser always buzzing while Cheltenham, Solihull, Lemington and Worcester - dead as dodos. Same with Debenhams - Cheltenham one shut down last year and Stratford upon Avon one dire while Leeds and Trafford doing well.
Very little investment has gone in to the stores.John Lewis opening up in more places and will mop up their trade (though more expensive).
House of Fraser getting desperate - refunding on line shopping done with a gift voucher with vouchers that can only be used on line! (Can’t see any reason they can’t let you use them in the shop also - that is enough to make me never to shop on line with them again.)

SimplyNigella · 07/01/2018 23:01

Really Tapandgo? That’s just stopped me ordering from HoF online again too.

SimplyNigella · 07/01/2018 23:04

Actually, looking on their website, the voucher seems to be only for their extended Christmas returns period. Anything returned within 28 days is refunded to the usual payment method.

frasier · 07/01/2018 23:10

I had an issue with a House of Fraser online order (concession, don't know if that matters, they all seem to be concessions apart from their own Linea stuff). They sent me the wrong item. When I went online to check my order, I saw the item I wanted had sold out.

I took the item in store and they did have what I wanted so thought it would be a quick exchange... but no. Because I had bought it online I could only send it back via the post and get a refund (which may well have been in vouchers that I couldn't send in store, as pp have said).

The sales person took pity on me though and rang her supervisor who was coming in later that day and they did agree to do the swap for me as it was clear I had been sent the wrong item by them. I had to go back later that day though because only the supervisor could do the exchange.

AntiHop · 07/01/2018 23:12

I buy most of my clothes in the Oxford St branch of Debenhams. I hate buying clothes online as I need to try them on.

There's a really good range of clothes in Debenhams.

crunched · 07/01/2018 23:13

I loved HoF Christmas Ads for 2015 and 2016 (not a fan of the last crappy one). Anyway whilst re-watching them (I know, words like 'life" and "get one" are springing to your mind), I saw HoF has been in business since 1849. That is some good going.
Hope it stays, I like our local one, especially the footwear.

Tapandgo · 07/01/2018 23:14

No - the voucher was because I used a gift token and bought on line. Now I’m left with a voucher code for on line only. Not even a voucher to download, just a code. This was way before Christmas

ShatnersWig · 07/01/2018 23:19

Tapandgo I have to correct you. The Cheltenham Debenhams closed because the whole arcade in which it was located was flogged off to be knocked down to make way for a new John Lewis. There was nowhere available for the Debenhams to acquire and remain in town. It was generally quite a busy store, too, busier in fact than the larger Debenhams in Gloucester. I suspect John Lewis may spell the end for House of Fraser in Cheltenham (which I rarely find, as you stated, dead as a dodo).

Tippz · 07/01/2018 23:20

I really don't care about HOF or Debs as I never ever ever shop in either one of the over-rated over-priced shit-tips.Smile