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.

I'm petite, every once in a while they have something lovely in their petite range but most of their petite basics are black.
I'd like my basics in navy/brown/other colours.

I haven't read the whole thread so I may be repeating PPs but M&S could take a look at Boden for quality I remember when M&S quality was excellent and Gap for a range of basics in durable fabrics and Hobbs for the Autograph range.

And what's with selling out of all the popular things all the time?

I'm M&S' demographic - middle aged, I work and have a reasonable disposable income - I'd like to be able to shop there but it's just awful. Rubbish fabrics, poor designs, inconsistent sizing.

As for Per Una? Don't even start me.

In fairness to M&S several dresses have popped up on my feed today. One was priced at £19.50, several at £25.00. We are not going to get good quality at those prices. I am sure most women would pay £45 to £60 for good quality cut and fabric dresses.

Have David Gandy serving on the tills ...

Poach some Zara buyers!

Employ designers with the following 2 attributes:-

1. Common sense.
2. Design talent.

I don't want clothes that are totally see through, I can get the same effect by just walking round naked without spending £30 quid thanks.

Neither do I want clothes that are so thick and rough they feel like a bear's arse.

Just use normal material pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese and don't fgs put red white and navy stripes on pink tweed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quality has gone right downhill and they've pushed up the prices so much in the areas they were making money. The only thing i do buy there now is school shoes as they really do last. As an adult buyer though I paid £28 for school shoes that lasted being worn every say, I paid £65 for boots for me that fell apart within a couple of days.

Scrap Per Una
If a good basic is selling, don’t change it and bring it out in more colours - I have some core bits from M&S that I would absolutely keep going back for.
Do kids stuff in bigger sizes.
Have bras available in all sizes.
Stop stocking brands in the food hall, as it stopped being special then.

I agree with Albert, don't do a teen range and certainly don't try to do anything fashion forward. Even teens need basic staples in various colours and if their parents can pick them up in M&S then so much the better. I bought the same basic blue cotton jumper in Uniqlo the other day as a young teenage girl, but she will clearly be wearing it with mom jeans and something else fashion-y going on and I will be wearing it under a suit!

I love M&S for having different lengths in trousers. Both for men and women. My husband buys all his suits in M&S because the sleeves and trousers are the right length, proportioned for that length and don't need altering!
I want to go there and buy (especially office) trousers, jackets and skirts in my size and length

MN have been telling M&S for years the same thing & we’ve been ignored. No sympathy for them, they’re too pig headed to listen.

I’m glad I read this thread. I wanted some generic work wear so headed off to m and s. I’m not massively tall but all the tops and sleeves were short. And the trousers were so nylon they stuck to my legs. And I could tell the tops would be sweaty and smelly. I walked out empty handed when I had expected to spend a couple of hundred pounds. Hard to believe.

And what has happened to M and S pants? They used to wash and wear really well. For the last few years the quality has deteriorated and the elastic fibres fray very quickly.

Yes to this ^^

I still have some old M&S pants from the 80s. They are still in reasonable condition and made of a thick cotton. The pants I bought fairly recently are really thin. I'm finding Sainsbury's pants are more like the old-style M&S ones.

What does the Sparks card even do? I have one and have never worked it out!!!!

They’re failing because they’re overpriced for the market they’re trying to reach. People look for value for money above anything else, and like the chain restaurants, we’re all sick of being ripped off for barely average service and product. If I’m not getting easy basics with the supermarket shop I will go to White stuff or Fat face and get something that’s actually nice.

I agree with Verbena:
Scrap Per Una
If a good basic is selling, don’t change it and bring it out in more colours

I assumed you get vouchers and special promo days. I think they must also donate a sum to charity on your purchases (that's what the self service machines yell at me anyway)..

Omg sort the sizing out! I’m a 10 in M&S and definitely not elsewhere!! Also why does everything trouser-wise feel too tight round the tummy but is horrendously baggy around my butt.
I used to love their 3 for £5 underwear range, great fit, fun styles, soft cotton. Now they’re all frilly or lacy and stupid

Here here ... with the wardrobe classics each season, Capri trousers, plain T shirts, linen shirts.
I used to buy a lot in Marks but I really don’t as even if I do catch a shirt or something I like it’s say £40, I always put it back as I know I can buy one I prefer in Zara for £20.
My children are a bit older but I think the 0-3 range is nice and they of course they do school uniform but as covered above who doesn’t these days and it’s easy to pick that up while food shopping ...

Interesting ideas. Agree with pp that prices are too high tried on a great pair of basic trousers a few weeks ago but at £35 I felt just too steep for M&S.
Have worked with the lingerie buyers at M&S as part of large UK ex supplier and can vouch that 8 years ago much more stock was UK made designed and fitted and largely excellent quality. Around 5 years ago many of the suppliers were pushed to offer large retrospective discounts as well as much of the supply base being rationalised with production moving to China so clear as to why quality has gone downhill.
I will be sad to see it go however seems like poetic justice in some way after putting so much pressure on supply base.

Stop moving stuff around in the Food dept all the time. If I come in every week I don't want to waste half an hour looking for hummus.

There is a documentary on channel 5 tonight at nine called The trouble with M&S about its flagging fortunes

Sorting out their online service and customer services would make me more likely to use them. I got some stuff last month and ended up going into the store three times to try to collect one item. Three lots of parking charges, too. Staff in store couldn't have cared less. Telephone support team were a bit better but a shop like Tesco or Sainsbury's would at least offered a £5 voucher or something. It did put me off bothering again.

They can't even put me on their mailing list despite many requests. Customer service lady said I was not the only Irish customer with this problem. Still nothing was rectified. I never receive their Friends and Family discount.

What's wrong with the sparks card?