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.

and shoes, I'm going to say it again - you make your own shoes, so you could EASILY, I mean REALLY EASILY make them in a size 9 and 10. You would have women flocking to your shops.

Total gap in the market, you've missed it

Ditto to all of the above, especially the tall sizing . I would always try M&S first for sportswear especially joggers as I love the plain cotton-rich ones with the long length, and the fitted but not over-tight tees. If they could bring back the ladies skort they used to do that would be brilliant - although maybe not, as i need motivation to get back into my smaller sized one!

Plain jersey tops in a variety of colours/necklines/sleeve lengths would be fabulous - that would be in stock every year so I can just buy them without thinking/worrying about fit. Its frustrating that I can't find the same black/navy scoop necks that I loved last year - but loads of higher necklines that don't suit me - so I have to start the whole rigmarole of trying new things again.

Plus I'd like to be able to buy shoes in a size 9. That isn't so freakishly large these days, is it?

There women's designs need to be more attractive, they missing big a market of teens clothing. Whenever I go to M&S I only see over 50+ generation shopping there. They need to compete for the market by bringing new designers and fresh brains. Also, M&S have to bring their prices to a decent level.

Over 50s is a big market though, as long as they can get it right.

they missing big a market of teens clothing - really, though? There's no way teens are going to start shopping in M&S, so why waste time, energy and floorspace chasing a market you'll never capture, while alienating a much bigger market - with money to spend - by filling the shop with cheap fashion?

Some calm focus would go a long way for M&S. It actually made me feel a bit sick, looking at the rails and rails of rejected sale clothing, all cheap fabric and nasty prints. The resources squandered making that stuff then dragging it halfway round the world to end up in landfill isn't exactly the environmental example M&S keeps trying to set.

I think the best thing M&S can do to attract younger shoppers is to forget about trying to entice them in with fashion fads that will get worn for one season and establish themselves as reliable workwear/smart clothes shop. I would probably still go to H&M if I wanted something cheap/fashiony, but I could spend so much more in M&S if I knew I could go there and just easily find well made and well fitting blouses, tops, trousers etc - in the same way that they’re one of the first places people think to go for school uniform.

Get rid of the Sparks card (or change it to a proper loyalty card eg Tesco’s card)
Make your tops longer.
I’m a lazy shopper and bought all my clothes in M&S for years. Now I go to Asda. Cheap and cheerful and always fit.
Boys’ school trousers: cut down on the number of style variations (they’re school trousers ffs) and keep a large stock of them all year round, not just in August and September.

Go cap in hand to Amazon and say "sorry but can you host our website again because we are crap at IT"
Like most other posters have said, quality classic basics are what we want. When you have mastered that, look at what sells well and keep stocking it.
Up your QA so that if you order an item again in the same size it will actually be the same size (still furious about a recent trousers purchase that was 2 inches shorter but as It had been in a drawer over winter I couldn't return)
Ask Next what postman they use - I don't want to wait a week.
Recruit some Mumsnetters.

Alfred I agree with you. There should be no problem getting young people in the door because even 20 year olds need basics that don't look cheap. Look at Uniqlo's shoppers.

I have never spent more at M&S than in my early 20s because I was starting out in work and I wanted to invest in a good interview suit, some good quality reliable workwear and walkable heels that didn't look like I was going out on the town. I trusted that M&S would be a safe conservative choice and wouldn't make me look like the tarty office intern stereotype or that I had bought everything at the supermarket with shiny fabric. If they had continued stocking those quality staples - and sorted out the website and delivery logistics - I would still be shopping with them today, but the website is sprawling and confusing, the clothes seem to be designed for and modelled by size 6 fashion models rather than catalogue models so I have no idea of fit and delivery time and returns are so tortuous I won't take a punt on something not fitting.

Incidentally that's also why I think we're all saying the tops are too short. They're not designing for anyone with norks bigger than a C cup maybe because their bra data shows them selling loads of incorrectly fitted C cup bras so when old 32G here tries on a top the fabric covers my boobs or my mum tum but not both.

I’m too shy to send it but I wondered if someone might send this link to Jeremy Vine at Radio2?

People have been proclaiming the death of the high street for the last 30 years. It is still here.

Depends on your town. Ours doesn't even have a food shop anymore. It's just an odd assortment of charity shops, bookies, poundshops, and the odd remaining bank, with literally dozens of empty shops inbetween - the only "chain" is of course, Greggs!

This was a town that used to have an M&S, Woolworths, Tesco, Argos, Boots, Ethel Austin, Samuels, Iceland, Superdrug.

I'd say it's pretty conclusive that our "high street" has died!

Actually, I think a couple of those women look lovely in that stripey dress, and most of the others at least passable.

I’m too shy to send it but I wondered if someone might send this link to Jeremy Vine at Radio2?

Oh yes, that would be interesting!

Well it seems that maybe they are listening - but the proof is in the pudding . Here's their most recent presentation, they do seem to be acknowledging some of the stuff we're saying here: corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/reports-results-and-publications/press-releases/201718/m-and-s-transformation-prelims-2018-presentation_23.5.18.pdf

Someone needs to explain to M&S that 'quality' doesn't mean very, very thick heavy fabric which feels uncomfortable to wear and looks ugly. To me it means lovely soft, fine fabric which feels amazing. The quality should come from the attention to detail and amazing design. So many of the clothes in M&S look like someone chopped up an old curtain and stuck it on a plastic hanger.

They have had some good children's clothes in the last couple of years. I've bought a few bits for DD from there.

As for me - a woman in my late 40s - I should be in their target market. But most of it doesn't seem right. These days I rarely even bother getting as far as trying things on. Trousers - cut changed, where the waist sits changed - so they no longer fit me. Next size up is gigantic.

I bought quite a bit of basic office stuff for work over the years. More recently the fabric feels cheap and horrid or they're tweedy heavy fabrics. Well that's no good for my overheated office. Now I buy my work clothes elsewhere.

I would spend money in there if I could. It's pretty much on my doorstep. It would be so easy.

Oh and they've made the size 6 shoes half a size bigger (39 and a half rather than 39) so they no longer fit me either.

Whoever wrote upthread about the insanity of having women's tights upstairs at Waterloo, you are so, so right.

I agree with all these comments. I posted this a few weeks ago, but I'm still angry - wanted a plain classic black nightie, not sexy but not granny, to the knee with a bit of lace, ideally, to go into hospital with. No such thing. No black nighties at all. All had twee slogans or logos on, or pyjamas. I am 53 and menopausal. I can't wear pyjamas, too hot. I am middle aged, middle class, with a middling interest in clothes and enough money to spend. I have clothes I bought in M and S 25 years ago and still wear. If I live as long as my mother, I'll be buying clothes for another 35 years or more. There are millions of us like me, all wanting good quality classic clothes that last and fit. I don't understand why it has to be so hard. Why does nobody want to take our money?

why I think we're all saying the tops are too short. They're not designing for anyone with norks bigger than a C cup

You could be on to something there. Are their shapes still based on the women of the 1940s maybe?

Re teens clothing
There's a gap for boys around age 12-14, they have grown out of kids ranges but don't fit adult mens ranges which start at waist 28.

DS just wants to wear anonymous un-logo'd jeans, t shirts and hoodies, nowhere on the high street had these basics in a suitable size.

I agree with doing good quality basics again. I took my elderly mother for a woollen cardigan, and we could find nothing! Only cheap acrylic! I had to order something online for her from another company. She’s always been loyal to M&S. This is the first time EVER that she has been unable to buy a decent cardie from M&S.
Agree that they should cater for under 60s too. But at the moment they don’t seem to be catering for the over 60s properly either.

Still no response on here from anyone at M&S. I saw it got posted on their Facebook page, you'd have thought they'd love all this free critique and respond?
Surely one of the nationals can raise this with M&S and get some dialogue going?

Still no response on here from anyone at M&S. I saw it got posted on their Facebook page

^^ How ironic! The one time MNs want DM to pick up a story ....!! (Not the personal private threads but a genuine plea for help not to lose a beloved national treasure!! )
Lots of PP desperate to help M&S back on track- as we want to spend our money there ... but they aren't making what they used to be great at and lost their way!!

Tbh I can’t imagine the fail being all over this. Nowhere near juicy enough!

Stop press:

“Mumsnetters give feedback to nationally beloved food and clothing retailer”

Agree that they shouldn't try to chase the teen/young woman market!

That market is covered. Don't waste floor space.

One thing that should be cheering for M&S is that so many of us actually care and don't want them to go under! There's a massive gap in the market for excellent quality basics, year in year out, and they should be filling it. I'm looking right now for a decent length plain colour sleeveless jersey wrap or wrap type dress that I can breastfeed in. Can't find one anywhere.