To ask which shops are on the verge of failure

[curiousbeak]

I'm so depressed with the uk high street. Specifically British companies. The likes of Arcadia group, new look (already on its way out), next, oasis , Debenhams etc etc

The clothes are just terrible quality and most stores and staff and just tired, uninspiring and lacking any kind of chicness.

The wave of European brands seem to be killing our home grown business with their beautiful stores and chic offerings.

Who do you think is on the way out?

I was only thinking the other day what a turnaround Superdrug has done. Fantastic make up ranges these days and always heaving with teens at my local ones. I think Boots and Debenhams will be the next to go, they're just not keeping up with the times. Although I have just done a big debenhams online order, much better than what's on offer in-store.

I wonder if WHSmith will continue to do well at train stations if the actual train services improve?

I do find them handy, but usually because I get to the station to find my train is yet again delayed, so knowing the food options on the train are abysmal I go to WHSmith and get a snack and possibly a magazine as I have no idea when I'll get home. If we actually had an efficient train service that didn't result in people hanging around in stations waiting for hours on end, I wonder how much their captive audience business would dry up.

Agree about Holland & Barrett and their ilk- it's all available online and cheaper. Our local independent version which was always empty has just shut down and is now a florist.

Next- I buy jeans from there and know several other people that do too- the good thing is their sizing is extremely consistent and they have the same designs for years, so once you get a pair that fits, you can go back and get more of them in different colours/as those wear out. I'm not sure this strategy will save them though from bankruptcy- everything else is terrible!

I just am not feeling positive about the High Street at all, I went into town with a (slightly stocky) 12 year old recently and we really struggled to find teen tops that weren't extremely skinny (H & M, most of Primark) or nylon and flouncy (New Look). She's an awkward age, not quite adult shaped, but not child-shaped either. We couldn't give our money away. I'd like to have gone in Gap, but having bought a pair of yoga leggings for my other child for 30 gazillion pounds recently, I didn't actually want to pay their prices.

Not sure about Boots Pharmacy having been truly messed about by my local store. They use a limited no of suppliers based on their purchasing power deals. If a specialist drug or dosage can't be met through them they can't supply it. Not helpful when they have dispebsed half the prescription and can't fulfil the other half and can't return the unfulfilled script because it's half done. Another prescription required to take to a more flexible pgarmacy and £8.70 to pay twice.

Going back to the Thorntons discussion, they have a second part to their business making private label chocolate for other retailers - there was a big hoo-ha a couple of years ago when they were found selling pretty much the same egg for £15 as a Thorntons egg whereas the private label version they'd done for Aldi for £3. I think they do a lot of the M&S chocolates as well.

I think a lot of retailers are still struggling with the impact of the Brexit vote - most goods manufactured in China/Pakistan/Bangladesh are bought wholesale in US dollars, so when the pound plummeted against the dollar it had a huge effect on costs. For example, Fat Face knickers, which I love, went from £7.00 a pair pre-referendum (expensive, but just about okay if bought on 3 for 2 tax free at an airport shop or at £3.50 in the sale) to £9.00 a pair now.

wowfudge Oh and Bodyshop I owned by L'Oreal - so no longer run under the same ethos as Anita Roddick.

It's been owned by Natura for a little while. They are a Brazilian company that also is very much founded on ethics and The Body Shop was seen to be going more back to its roots when bought by them. It's a shame that people aren't seeing any difference.

Also, it's really difficult to make judgements on whether a particular shop is going under when we only see the British perspective. If I asked anyone British how they thought C&A were doing, they would probably think they're in trouble or already gone. They're actually still strong in Europe and South America.

DGRossetti

yeah that’s what I meant, Sainsbury’s have a bigger selection & offer to entice the MC shoppers away from Waitrose.

Our warehouse, peacocks and dotty p's went a while ago.

The local music shop has just closed. I bought my instruments there as a kid and so have my kids .

I only buy books in Waterstones and charity shops. Ours seems to be doing well.

Amazon will ruin the high street. I'm sorry I used them when they first started, and apart from a couple of annual emergencies I don't shop on line anymore. I can't bare the thought of no more face to face shops.

Primark isn't that bad quality. I'm wearing a 10 year old lumberjack shirt that has been washed hundred of times. Got lots of Primark stuff that's years old and still going.

I used to love C&A. Are they still around in some parts of the UK or Europe?

Sorry - cross post (wasn't keeping up with the thread!).

Poisonoussmurf - they're German, I believe, and are in various places in Europe. They are more aware of the importance of sustainable practices than some other retailers.

I hate the idea of only a few shops surviving & then everyone dressing the same, it’s boring. Although people seem to do that nowadays anyway a 14 year old can wear the same outfit as a 40 year old.

The issue I have with the cheaper brands is the fabrics don’t flatter as much. I’m fairly tall & often dresses & skirts don’t cover my bum or things just don’t sit right.

C and A are here in Spain. Pretty much the same as they used to be in the UK.

Interesting the consensus on M&S clothes on here - the one next to my work in Moorgate is actually very good. Great workwear and the more expensive collections but it is obviously tailored to its market. The one in my home town is absolutely shocking.

The only shops I actually enjoy are Ikea, Uniqlo, Muji, H&M kids and menswear and bookshops. I do have a bit of love for Argos as well.

The Tesco nearest us, still quite far, though, just installed a huge Dorothy Perkins that takes up about a third of the shop now. WTAF? It's a supermarket, not a fucking shopping centre.

HoF is in big trouble. They're terrible employers.

Mothercare needs an international buyer fast. If it plays it's cards right it can be successful abroad as an aspirational British brand.

H&M are struggling because they never did a good job of their online offer and haven't bothered to sort themselves out. They'll be alright cos they're massive.

New Look are being eaten alive by Misguided, Asos and Boohoo.

Phase eight is doing pretty well. As is Zara.

Jigsaw is in trouble, just lost one of its senior execs - I forget which.

Oasis, warehouse, coast, French connection, Debenhams etc are all just about surviving.

John Lewis' profits were down 70% on the year which has been a massive shock to them. They'll be okay but they need to seriously rethink their strategy.

Although M&S' clothing isn't doing great it still has massive market share and the food is keeping it going.

Next haven't had a great year, they're being clobbered by the supermarkets.

The supermarkets are all flat or improving sales. They're all terrified of Amazon though.

Arcadia isn't doing great and despite his protestations it seems like Mr. Green probably will sell Topshop to a Chinese conglomerate (forget the name) who are buying everything. Arcadia has pension problems and none of their brands are doing great.

Oh and Gap. Forgot them. They're stuck in a self perpetuating discounting cycle and they just can't get out of it.

Does anyone bother to buy furniture from M&S? I always forget they do any. Last time I looked (years ago) I was shocked at how expensive it is! Why do they bother?

Our Debenhams is the big shop in our shopping mall. It's awful. The cosmetics and perfume at the ground floor entrance is a skeleton staff except for Saturday, so loads of unmanned concessions, their shoe selection is crap, if you shop there during the week it's a lonely experience with boring brands, and hardly any staff. Often I hear them moaning on, slagging off other staff members. As if I can't hear!

We’ve bought a lot of bedroom furniture from M & S tobee. 4 lots od Double beds, bedside tables, wardrobes. I think they’re comparable to John Lewis, where we’ve also bought stuff. I think they’re beds etc very well made.

Ugh I hate the likes of Philip Green, he paid himself 1billion

from Arcadia & not suprised he wants to sell it off. I think all his shops go this way.

"New Look is cheap and cheerful. Why is it failing?" It's really NOT cheap, £10-15 for a t-shirt (can get same in primark £4) jeans £20 (primark £10)

Agree with whsmiths our local one closed a few years ago, it was a dump (leaking roof, warped stained flooring) the staff were outright obnoxious and the products poor quality, limited range and expensive. Even when I'm at a train station I'm not keen. There's usually a newsagent just outside the station. The stationery - I can get far cheaper and ok quality in wilko.

Body shop - loved them in the 80's they should NEVER have sold out ethically speaking, how my local one is still open I don't know the only time I ever see customers in there is just before Christmas. Also from the displays in the window seem VERY expensive to me. Natura are still pretty dodgy on the cruelty front as far as I'm concerned.

"DD and I are cruelty free so this is one of our Go-To shops" sorry to break it to you but Body shop haven't been truly cruelty free for years!

Superdrug - lacks the quality of boots but far too expensive now, I remember when they were cheap n cheerful, that role now taken by bodycare.

Peacocks I thought had already gone bust, no shops near me.

HMV and GAME I'm amazed have lasted this long. I'm an old fart and even I don't buy cd's or DVDs any more and gamers also shop more cheaply online.

Hollister - were a passing fad, dd and her friends LOVED it a few years ago, now they don't even go in there.

Mothercare - I'm not a customer, local one closed years ago, people I know who are the demographic go in to see the prams, car seats etc in real life...then order the one they've chosen from a cheaper online retailer.

Thorntons - the chocolate is naff and the only shop I know of is in nearest big city and its size of a tiny newsagents and never very busy.

"How can Poundland sell branded stuff so much cheaper than, for example Tesco ?" They do have a lower mark up BUT they also sell in smaller unit sizes (very slightly so people don't realise they're getting eg 50ml less shower gel) plus a lot of products are cheaper elsewhere but people THINK they're getting a bargain in there. Eg kitchen foil, cling film, loo roll - actually cheaper in places like wilko, home bargains and B&M

Timpsons - I disagree we've 2 in a small deprived town and they're always very busy. I still get shoes repaired rather than buy new if repair is cheaper. Also key cutting and phone repairs.

K2p2 - many of us can't AFFORD more expensive than primark. People are on the bones of their arses. Even if they're working I don't know ANYONE (and I have friends and family all over uk inc south east in various levels of employment) that can really afford £200 on a suit! The reason many shops are failing are because people HAVEN'T got a lot of disposable income and so are more choosy where and how they spend it. They're not willing to seen more for the same quality that's available in primark or the supermarkets or even h&m.

"High streets are missing out on sales by not having seats around changing areas" almost 20 years ago I came back from living in Europe and even then I noticed the difference, seating for the people you're shopping with while you try stuff on in changing rooms, fixed table toys to occupy small children, even coffee available in some shops - and still not hugely expensive. I thought at the time it made good sense as it kept customers in the shop therefore more likely to find and buy something. Much better experience.

"I used to work in fashion & one thing I’ve noticed is how a lot of the stores are the same now, carrying the same prints etc plus all the styles are the same where shops used to have their own looks." I've noticed this too. But then I also think most teens/early twenties wear the same regardless of their interests. When I was a teen in the mists of time there was different styles for different groups. Now the only differently styled teens I see are emo/goth and even then they wear the same styles just in black.

OMG yes Clarkes - local one usually empty only time I see it busy is with new school starters the couple weeks before they start, then those parents learn Clarkes are no better than anywhere else now.

"Waterstones is a good example where the personal touch makes a difference" agree - yes there's serious competition from online retailers BUT high street retailers need to recognise that and provide something NOT available online - excellent personalised customer service from knowledgable engaged staff, comfortable clean well presented surroundings, good quality changing rooms with staff happy & willing to help in there.

Supermarket wise I think Tesco. Profits have been struggling for years, our local one is a MESS leaking roof, dodgy flooring, fridges and freezers regularly breaking down (but they still use them which I find really dodgy), getting more expensive, rarely have basic range in, dreadful customer service.

"Sweat shops, child labour etc." sadly not just cheap shops that use these.

Ann summers I think will go, not only poor quality and expensive but the pornhub collaboration is a bad idea, lovehoney are better and cheaper and more female friendly, hell you can even get similar products on Amazon now.

I didn't think Benetton was still going.
Don't like places where you have to unfold clothes to look at them.

I'd be quite happy to see some shops disappear - Sports Direct, Argos, Karen Millen, Peacocks, River Island. They are grim and dated and there are two many clothes shops on the high street, all selling boring clothes.

I'd like to see more international shops, Japan and Korea have great shops. I'd love Daiso and Etude House to come here. I'd also love to see Sostrene Grene expand across the UK.

If I ruled the world I'd buy Holland and Barrett, give it a massive rebrand, do a huge marketing campaign with all the Joe Wicks / clean eating / vegan instagram stars and turn the whole thing into an aspirational healthy / foodie chain. I'd stuff the place with staff who really care about health and nutrition and put in little take away counters that offered really good treats and lunch break things that cost an arm and a leg weren't guilt inducing.

I don't understand what's wrong with them. They've missed a massive cultural marketing opportunity.