to think we can come up with good ideas to save M&S

[FleurDelacoeur]

M&S definitely on the skids. Profits down, stores closing, Chief Exec saying radical transformation required. Fairly clear that this has happened because they're not listening to their core market, which I'd wager has a fairly large crossover with the MN demographic. So Steve Rowe, if you're listening, here are a few bullet points.

1. Scrap the Sparks card.
2. Sack your womenswear design team. All of them. Now.
3. Ditch the Per Una brand.
4. Rethink your over generous returns policy.

As someone above average in height (5ft 10) it is nearly impossible to find things that fit in M&S. The 'long' length is no longer long enough (it used to be). Tops too short/wide. As others have said, a better range of good quality basics with fewer fussy details. AND BRING BACK THE FIVE POCKET JEGGINGS YOU BASTARDS.

I've lived in these for years. Proper long stretchy skinny jeans that fitted. My favourite ever pair of denim jeans that are now falling apart and I cannot replace

Stop with the dodgy colours - bright pink cheap looks horrid

I want to buy decent deep v jumpers - cashmere? wool? No shit pictures,

More long length stuff instores

M&S are obsessed with trying to be all things to all people and, food & lingerie apart, they have ended up with an offer that nobody wants.

In clothing, they need to decide once and for all who is their target customer, and to stick to serving that market better than anyone else.

Who should that customer be? Common sense says it should be the over 50s and the well-over 50s, who are under-served by other retailers.

This market doesn’t want cheap, nasty, throw-away tat so they should leave that to Primark and concentrate on well-made, quality basics. They manage to do this for mens workwear, and they always have, so why not for women?

Decent range of tights please on the ground floor of the store in waterloo station!

Yep, selling hosiery to commuters should be basic!

Actually have some tills so it is easy to buy stuff.
In my local shop there is 1 till per floor which is. L
Bloody annoying.

Bring back some actual service.

They spout about being environmentally friendly bring back paper bags like you used to have years ago when I was a child (and like primark do)

Get rid of peruna- so awful.

Sort out your jeans selection. Why can gap get jeans so right and m and s get them so wrong????

Sort the shop layout out its impossible to find stuff.

I went into m and s yesterday and it was empty. I thought back to when I was younger and going with my nan- it used to be so busy. I felt quite sad.

I tried to buy a black cardigan in M&S recently for a wedding I was going to. I wanted a plain black lightweight cotton summer cardigan with plain buttons, ideally fairly short, even maybe cropped to waist length to go with a 50s style dress. Could I find one? Could I fuck. I could have bought a nasty acrylic cardigan if I'd wanted. I could have bought a cardigan that was way too long to wear with a dress. I could have bought a cardigan with really horrid shiny buttons. I went to H&M and bought a really plain black cotton cardi with plain black buttons. It was a bit longer than I wanted but a lot less money than M&S's offerings and ten times nicer and more useful as it was utterly utterly plain so I can wear it with lots of stuff. Agree that Uniqlo is doing this kind of thing way better (see also pants).

The kids stuff needs sorting out, too. The girls' clothes are horrid. DD is only 11 and wouldn't be seen dead in the stuff in M&S. It's variously too pink, too bright, too shiny, too babyish, too grown up and too cheap-looking. She likes Gap and Zara and I like their children's stuff better too.

Your underwear department, M&S, is awful. The range of bras outside 32-38 band and A to E cup is laughably small. Your bra-fitting is nuts. A 34B is never going to actually be comfortable on my 30F breasts, never mind provide some support. Your cotton pants aren't stretchy enough and who wants to be wearing baggy pants? I can't size down because you don't do a smaller size. The same size in Gap or Uniqlo is fine on me.

Per Una, as everyone has said, is a joke.

Your shoes are too wide. I know there are people who want wide fitting shoes and you seem to have lots of these but what about those who want narrow fitting shoes?

When I was in my mid-twenties, I frequently bought stuff from M&S. I recall fondly a Ghost knock off dress that had magical pulling powers and was really stylish (still have it). I had a wonderful chunky dark blue cotton jumper that I wore until I couldn't darn it any more. I had some gorgeous thick cotton socks that were amazingly warm - I don't buy M&S socks any more as all the multipacks are either too boring or too pink. My basics, black T shirts etc, were 80% M&S. I'm nearly fifty now and find your clothing frumpy, poorly made and unflattering. I have no idea who it would suit!

I want m&s to make good quality staples. Give me decent comfy bras and pants. I also want Capri pants, cardigans, plain shirts that are fitted but not tight. Leggings that aren't see through would also be good along with Tops that cover my arse.

Sparks card is a pile of shite.
Give us points!!!
Also, food is great, but too expensive.

Staff are ALWAYS brilliant in store. Listen to them more.

I don’t shop in M&S (except if we get vouchers and only then for food) but there’s a store located on a large retail park not far from me, and I always notice the layout of the shop (across two floors) makes no sense. They have massive floor to ceiling windows overlooking the huge car park and decided to put a full rack of scratchy looking lacy women’s lingerie in front not exactly well thought out. I also find their food hall checkouts incredibly narrow but I suppose I’m being picky.

anonanonanonanonanon. Your example of the sweaters is perfect.

It's a while since I shopped in M&S (like a lot of people by the sound of it). What drove me insane was things being sprinkled round the store by 'brand'. Sod that put trousers in one place, skirts in another etc. Not 'oh that's part of our indigo range and is under the escalators next to cottage cheese and handbags'. Same with the dine in offer. Put it in the same place. Even Tesco can do that.
Stop with bizarre patterns/colours. It all ends up at boundary mill.

They just do odd designs. This is £39.50. I’m no fashion expert but I can’t imagine who this is aimed at.

1. Scrap the Sparks card - it is totally incomprehensible. Look at Boots - they have a great fidelity scheme;
2. Scrap Per Una;
3. Cut at least 50% of the clothing available - it puts people off, I was looking for some simple tops online a while back but gave up because I don't have the time to work through 600,000 possibilities;
4. Keep the lingerie and tights - that is being done well.
5. Keep the food section but keep it simple and don't try to compete with the supermarkets;
6. Sort out the clothing - I want to be able to get the following (and if I am confident they are available I will always come to you, repeatedly):

a) basic, good quality jumpers and cardis - Uniqlo is taking all your customers here; b) basic, good quality shirts/blouses - keep it simple, plains and some simple patters that change regularly. Over time the shirts have become increasingly see through and the sizing comes up way too large so I end up returning items ordered online and can't be bothered to get them in a smaller size; c) basic, good quality t-shirts - already doing pretty well here with a decent number of t-shirts that are thick enough (i.e. not see through) and a great line in sleeves that nearly reach the elbow (v popular with women over...30); d) steer the rest of the clothing to classic, wardrobe staples - really, you'll clean up if people think they can rely on M&S to find these; e) stock sizes 8-16 as core product - I often find something I'd like to buy/try but give up when I am faced with a pile of sizes 16-26 and nothing smaller. f) quality but don't go crazy on the prices - I've seen the odd great piece in the more expensive ranges but I'm afraid I'm just not willing to pay over £80 for an article of clothing from M&S (I go elsewhere to do that).NB I'm not asking for "cheap" prices either. Really, I'm rooting for M&S because it will lead a gaping hole but they need a complete rethink about who really wants them and will buy from there if confident they can get quality classics/basics at a reasonable price. The people currently shopping in the clothes department for the random stuff now sold there may not be the long term future of M&S.

Same opinion as other PPs - well made basics in high quality fabrics. Stop trying to add a twist or a flourish to things: keep them plain.
Well trained bra fitters and bras in bigger sizes.
Larger sizes in Men’s clothes.

Ditch a lot of the cosmetics and toiletries (keep the nail varnish it’s brilliant).
Make sure enough tills are open - it gives me the rage when I pay premium price for food and then have to queue to pay for it!
I tend not to buy a lot of food ahead in M&S as it is always short dated, therefore I usually buy only for 1 day.

Ps longer t shirts - M&S ones seem to shrink so they are still ok to fit round me but they get shorter.

I don't think they are going to be able to pick up the level of on line sales they are predicting unless they partner with somewhere that has locations outside a city centre for click and collect. I buy tonnes of stuff online at John Lewis because I can pick it up out of town and outside normal JL opening hours at Waitrose and park for free. I'm never going to order anything online from m&s if it means getting into the city centre paying to park and either waiting until a weekend or going during weekday opening times when I'm at work.

1. All hangers to have the size and length on. I hate having to pull every garment out, find and check the label. They used to manage this.
2. Sort stock levels out. It's no earthly good having 20 size 14's and nothing else.
3. Quality control is dire. If I'm buying a suit I get really cross when the dyes on the skirt are completely different shades from the jacket when seen in daylight!
4. No one EVER went to M&S for a one off special occasion garment. Simply because so many people used to shop there you would have spotted 5 people wearing the same 'one-off' garment. Stock the basics that we all need and can accessorize ourselves.
5. Teach your bra-fitting staff how to fit bras!!! - Adding 4" no longer works with modern fabric. My size 8 daughter can not possibly be a size 34B!
6. Stock bra sizes that reflect women's actual measurements, even if you don't agree that's what they are. You're setting people up for a lifetime of very, very poorly fitting bras
7. I don't want to order items in, I want them now please.
8. Have all your shoes available in different widths. Not just in the manky 'I've given up even trying' type styles
9. Sort your website out - it's pants

10. Let me return garments to your food shop

On the plus side, love the food, and if you have to order something it arrives when and where it should.

Start listening to your customers, not consultants who don't seem to have a clue

WHAT A BRILLIANT THREAD.... I hope M & S are reading and taking note... as a Marketing expert and previously avid M&S buyer for great classic staples (and fabulous food).... I 100% agree with everything that's said in this thread....

But surely they know this? If they had had any half-way decent focus groups they would all have been saying this.

ONLY THING I THINK IS PRETTY POOR IS THAT NO ONE FROM THE M&S Marketing or Buyers department has come on here to say thank you - really interesting - great there is so much passion on here to help shape an M&S you love! Listening to your voices etc etc...

Rosie Autograph lingerie is brilliant