AIBU to think that Next shops need better ideas than this?

[CrazyDaze1]

I’ve been listening to the radio (the Ian Dale show on www.lbc.com) and they always have a finance/market report on ‘Drivetime’.

It was stated that ‘Next’ stores have had a poor financial outcome, losing 8% in sales. Apparently they have plans to revamp some of their stores, including having in-store cafes, barber shops and possibly even a car showroom!

I can imagine that no women at executive level suggested the latter two (do they even have women in top positions at Next?)....but honestly AIBU to think that all they need to do to increase their sales - and this seems to go for all retail clothing stores these days - is to to have clothes made from natural fibres and to get rid of all the acrylic and polyester fabrics?

Sparkling did you try out one of their sofas while chomping on a cream eclair?!

I bought some jeans from Next last year, they do similar this year but they don't have any instore.
I looked online and there is a 2 week wait for them.
In another colour it's a one week wait.
Another style is also a 2 week wait.

Forget the car showroom, they need to sort their stock levels sorted out.

Should have said YANBU.

It needs to be better quality. Everything I’ve bought from there this last two years has been returned as it’s not fit for purpose. And at those prices, better quality should not be available at primary for a tenth of the price.

My local next already has a cafe in it (Costa obviously). Does nothing to set it apart from pretty much every rfu other shop in the complex which has also have cafes (but some of them are nicer).

Tempting metalmum. There was a huge unwelcoming sign saying you had to pay for all your purchases prior to entering Patisserie Valerie,

I bet you wouldn't be allowed to take the food out.

to be fair, I try not to buy acrylic and polyester, because it gives me horrible BO. I can wear cotton tops to exercise, I sweat but still don't smell.

Next should sort out their delivery fees - they are ridiculously expensive.
Their attitude: in the many many many years I've been a client, I got ONE discount offer from them.
Their efficiency: it takes weeks to receive a fabric sample. It would be much quicker to order the whole thing and return it before you have to pay.

Poor choice of clothes in store, all their maternity clothes seem to have disappear. I am not sure increasing their "designer" range is doing much good.

It's a shame, I do like Next for me, and they are good for kids clothes.

I actually really like the kids clothes at Next, but barbers... a car show room?! Are they having a laugh? Just bizarre.

We do have a costa in our local next and I must confess a juice and a biscuit snapped my dd out of a pre-clothes shop strop.

I think I went to a Primark with a Costa in it. Possibly Bristol?

The Next CEO is a massive Tory party donor. Aside from the fact that their clothes are bloody awful and frumpy, I don’t want my money funding that shower either.

When you see terrible ideas like this, it’s perfectly clear why the high street is dying on its arse.

Next started out as a good quality clothes. Remember buying lovely skirts mid eighties. Then like M&S they got greedy changed to low quality crap for same prices. Results in no one buying anything. Haven't bought in next for many years. Hate the shop now..
But like M&S instead of stopping the crap, they are throwing money at gimics and they will fail. Treating shoppers like idiots is never a good idea.

Next clothes are great..... if you want a shapeless shift dress that looks like it's made from your Nana's old tablecloth.

Why can't they just make normal looking dresses? No patterns. No flouncy sleeves. No weird hem lengths.

I don't want to dress like Mrs Tumble on a cruise round the Balearics.

I used to love Next in the 90s. I bought really good quality (for high street) suits and shoes. Then the clothes went cheap and nasty - tops that went shapeless in one wash, strange colours and shapes.

Their children's clothes were fab (DD is older now so I don't shop there for her anymore) but the women's is hopeless.

Next always looks like a jumble sale. Fabrics are dreadful - so thin you can see through them, the clothes look cheap and nasty and worn out even when brand new.

I tried shopping there for clothes for me a years ago when I was a size 12. Everything I tried on had the wrong cut ie the arms were too short, it wasn't big enough on the hips but was too baggy around the bust. Just completely off in a way that I have not experienced anywhere else. I have never looked twice at their womens clothes since.

I like the kids clothes but they are waaaaaay over priced. I occasionally buy in their sale. If they chopped a third off their original selling price, I might visit their shop more often.

Same with the home stuff - far too pricey for average quality.

Our Next has turned into a Next Outlet. It’s dire...

They need to go back to basics. Awful designs, prints and cuts at the moment.

I do like their shoes though.

If they went back to when they first came out and did good quality clothing with good material and well fitting clothes, possibly with having something like a personal shopper in branch it may help.

Next is shit.
Shit synthetic fabrics and unflattering cuts that are baggy or skin tight.
Next just seems expensive cheap shit.

My local next (Manchester City Centre) is turning into it a mini department store it seems. It has a gino d'campo restaurant, a barbers, a Costa, and a Paperchase!

It is much smarter after it's revamp but both the barbers and Gino's is totally empty every time I walk through.

Used to buy loads from Next, now I struggle to find anything I like. Even in the kids section - I don't want my 3 and 1 year old DD's to have impractical frilly sleeves on everything!
I don't think it's just Next though, the whole fashion industry seems to think the frillier the better...

I would love to spend money in shops like Next but there is literally nothing for a 50 something year old like me. I despair at all the polyester, weird cutouts, fussy design and oversized styling, but most of the high street stores are as bad as each other!

Paperchase is a good idea. I like the cards Next sell and they are quite cheap (4 for £3) so I often have a little browse at them. That might put me in mind of any occasions coming up and I might want to look at wrapping paper etc. I think the Paperchase brand is a good fit with Next.

Car showrooms though, wtf?

I just find their clothes to be really crap :( and so expensive!

They are the C+A of this decade in my view, and lost their way a while ago. Too many people in this country lack any style or conscience and will shop at Primark and Sports Direct.

Trying to be all things to all.people doesn't work unless you're Amazon. I used to be head to foot in Next but the last few times I've been in the clothes have been poor. To be fair, I feel the same about M&S .