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?

lonicera, Meadowhall is such a ball ache. It’s so badly laid out you walk half a mile from public transport before you even get in the centre. And that’s just the arse end of the centre. There’s so much walking about and the locations of the stores is so poorly thought out. All the core stores like Boots and H&M and Marks and Primark and the department stores are all stuck out as far out on the edges as they can be with the intent to make you walk past loads of other stores to get to them hoping you will spend money in them too. But it just makes me tired and grumpy and it’s a waste of time.

Shopping centres are awful places unless you’re average height and average size. If you’re a bit tall or a bit short or a bit tubby you can walk around for ages and only find one or two bits that fit you. The changing rooms are horribly lit, offer very little privacy and make you look terrible. Plus these days you’re quite likely to end up in a changing room next to a six foot twenty stone autogynaephliac truck driver with a full set of working tackle and only a flimsy too smalll curtain between you.

The clothes are just completely generic and middle of the road too. Plus if you want to return you have to go all the way back to the shop. And disinterested underpaid assistants. And queuing all the damn queuing. I don’t find shopping remotely pleasurable or ‘fun’.

I love going online and being able to get the full gamut of styles in the petite sizes I need. Being able to try them on in the comfort and privacy of my own home and just pop to the supermarket to return them by courier. Plus online I can access new designers affordable, as well as small craft type suppliers (from Etsy or ASOS). I can get things which are a bit unusual or different rather than just stuff which will shift a load just because it is generic and mainstream.

I rarely, rarely shop in actual shops and that’s normally just for kids stuff or basics from H&M for me.

Really can’t see much of a point of physical shops anymore and young people especially seem to seldom use them and don’t view shopping as a fun activity or entertainment.

Agree there is not enough distinction between different shops. I used to love New Look when it first appeared. At the time it was the first for getting copies of catwalk fashions in the high street within a few weeks. I was much slimmer then and bought a lot from there.
Now days I want a shop that does great quality clothes without stupid frills or sequins and in larger sizes. I would love to just go to one place as I do prefer trying things on in a shop, but as I would have to traipse round lots of different shops, I just buy online instead.
Marks and Spencers will be fine because of its food, although it does need to keep innovating with it. WH Smiths will be fine because of its monopoly in airports and train stations.

The first thing I do when I go to a new city is ask where the independent shops are. If there are hardly any, then I write that it off as somewhere I wouldn't want to live.

In most places the high street is pretty boring and needs new stuff - more independent shops and more international shops.

There used to be lots and lots of independent shops where I live. Sadly far far less over the last few years.

NOOOOOOOOOO not Phase Eight?!!!!!!!

Primark is doing well because it's cheep. I bought a 3x new sets of clothes for DS. Plus some odd t-shirts at 1.90 each in there for under 50 quid.

I love next however, there so expensive.

The thing about Primani is the ethics involved

If people think that primark are the only store to have questionable manufacturing ethics they’re mental. Unless you’re paying specifically for brands like frugi, there are probably ethical issues.

Premark come from the same factories as a lot of high end labels.

Matalan
Claire's accessories
Peacocks
All never have anyone in and have abysmal website layouts full of adverts
I personally love Next and have a great store locally with money off vouchers regularly

WH Smith is a shambles and has lost it's way. It's just a glorified browsing library and so expensive.

Yeah I am aware of that but Primani seem worse because they are so cheap.

There is no logic in that comment I know!

None at all! They're better because they don't massively mark up the prices.

Yes that’s a good point.

Don’t Next use the same sweat shops?

I don't know how Clinton Cards has managed to stay open when there are so many cheaper alternative places to shop for cards and similar tat!
I've often thought that, Teri. I wondered if the chain is some sort of front for .........I better not say as it might be libellous, but how does a shop which has loads and loads of cards for occasions such as Valentine's Day, or Mother's Day still for sale on the actual day, make a profit?

House of Fraser is on the edge isn’t it?

Next has a very good model that works well. They are the best if the lot I think.

HMV must be a risk at some point

My ex husband used to think it was called Clitoris Cards

Andante, presumably they make big sales on the day and put the unsold ones away for the next year. They would lose way more in terms of sales if they sold out.

I agree with you about them being a front. It’s very weird. Like all the Chinese medicine shops which never have any customers.

Hmv has been closing down for years. Everytime I've been in one its a constant closing down sale
Does anyone actually use whsmith anymore ?

I think part of the reason WHSmiths survives is because it’s shops are dumps. They are still profitable because they don’t spend any money on their stores.

Disagree about Clinton cards. Loads of people still buy cards at the last moment. That is their big market.

Our Clinton cards is opposite a shop that does 10 cards for £1 of the same quality.

I wouldn't go to Clinton cards. The stuff looks naff from the outside. If I need a 'fancy' card I go to m&s.

The 10 cards for £1 are usually poor quality or very untasteful. Clinton cards actually does some decent cards.

I can't remember the l last time I went into Clintons. I go to Paperchase or M&S for nice cards and Card Factory for more standard ones plus the balloons in card factory and so much cheaper.

I'm surprised WH Smith is still going but hadn't considered the station and airport customers. Shops that sell music and film media like HMV must have a lifespan now.

My town had a fairly big H&M open about a year ago, it's nearly always empty when I've been in. In fact most of the clothes shops in my town centre are including New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Peacocks.

Claire's Accessories is always quite busy but I think it's more browsing than buying.

I'd be surprised if shops like Waterstones last the distance too.