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 would also rather have all types of clothes together, ditch the weird pointless brands and just sort by tops and trousers etc. More good quality basics, good material, variety of nice colours (not all tangerine or khaki), variety of lengths and sizes. More vegetarian food especially in the meal deals.

I don't resurrect old threads for something to do. It was in the trending box!! I never noticed the old date.

I’m sure someone’s said this but the most obvious one to me is
BLOODY SELL YOUR FOOD ONLINE FOR HOME DELIVERY.
Honestly, what food supermarket does not deliver (except budget Lidl /Aldi I think?). Christmas food delivered, so many would, particularly my mum and dad.
I brought this up in store about 10 years ago and the lady behind the till said ‘yes, I agree but M&S are always way behind other supermarkets’, 10 years ago!!

I'm 60. I don't want to look 60!

But you don't want to look like a 15 or 75 year old either. I wouldn't expect M&S to put ages for clothes sections like kidswear 😂

Heaven forbid goldengummybear

They are trialing online Janus. However, they’re thinking of a Deliveroo/Just Eats style model I.e. order one meal (main plus sides and pudding) as a takeaway rather than man in van arrives with your weekly shop.

I would far rather they put all the skirts together, all the trousers together etc. I don't want to spend all day looking for trousers dotted all over the shop

Yes! I have four DC, if I'm out shopping with them then I'm there for a reason and I don't want to trail all over the shop. If I'm out shopping without them then I want to maximise my time and still don't want to trail all over the shop. Put trousers/skirts/leggings in one section, put tops in another, coats over there, shoes here.

I'd also like some bright, basic kids clothes without trucks or mermaids/unicorns on. Sequins? Yawn. You can get outfit sets for babies/toddlers where it's trousers, top, and a jacket all on one hanger or a dress, tights, and cardigan or leggings, t-shirt, and cardigan. Why can't I get these for my older kids? It makes choosing clothes so much easier and faster if I can buy a complete outfit in one go and then the competents of that outfit can be mixed and matched with other outfits.

I like the SN-friendly clothing recently launched and wish this was available across the whole range even as an online-only option but the school shirts in this range are crap. No seams no labels, great, but the easy fastening velcro (instead of buttons) doesn't last and after a handful of washes it loses its grip and you're left with a useless shirt that cost twice as much as a regular shirt and lasted half the wear. Also, does the price on this range reflect extra manufacturing costs? I refuse to believe it costs much more to make a shirt with Velcro than it does one with buttons.

The food hall used to worth the extra money for the quality and range but is now getting too expensive for every day shopping. There needs to be a decision made, is it an every day supermarket or is it a luxury supermarket? And yes to offering home delivery on the food! Everyone else does!

Has anyone tweeted M&S a link to this thread? They're missing good stuff here.

Just here to say " M and S if you are reading this, fgs don't go under or close!!! 😥

I'm in my thirties and buy all my work wear from there. They have all lasted ages. Love the autograph collection!

We've bought some clothes, swim wear for toddler DD from there as well and they withstand the hectic messy toddler life.

I've no idea if I'm trendy or not but their clothes suit me. Love M and S!

one of my pet peeves is shopping alongside people who are 40 years older than me. Yy that may make me ageist but equally I don't shop in Top Shop any more because I feel too old for there.

Don't worry about this older person being in there, I wouldn't be seen dead in their clothes any more. T shirts that are too short and bunch under the armpits, wool jumpers that make me itch, knitted cotton and some other weird fibre monstrosities that feel like barbed wire, knickers that have become a cotton mix rather than cotton and therefore slip up your backside or slide around at the top. Who wants lycra in their knickers?

Packs of knickers in the right colour (almond mix) and style, but cut too high in the arse and as they are made of the aforementioned lycra crap they slide up and are unwearable.

I used to buy Per Una when I could no longer afford designer clothes, I liked the carefree, fun look, the skirt shapes fitted my shape and the boxy cardigans were perfect for me. The dresses had the right shape too. Nothing I can wear there now.

I don't wear padded bras, I do not want to have sweaty boobs that look like they are covered in a plastic basin, I want a well made, half cup balcony bra that is not made of lace holes which my nipples poke through, or cut so badly that it leaves a line when I take it off.

Shoes, such odd sizing, half sizes should be just that, not 5 and 6 both being the same length but one wider than the other.

Trousers and jeans, rise measurements matter, not everyone wants the waist at hip level, and when it is higher it is the same width as the hips.

Sort out your sizing and quality control. I've bought the exact same jeans in different colours and the difference in sizing is blatant when you put them side by side and on top of the other. If they can't even get the sizing identical on the same product, they have a major problem.

Also, just get back to basics. I've been buying underwear for 40 years but can't buy from M&S anymore as it's all too fancy. The last time I was looking for T shirts with a proper neck, they didn't have any at all - they were all low cut or scoop necks or sleeveless.

One more thing, I actually want acrylic cardigans, the only ones I could ever find that didn't make me itch were the Per Una ones, but could only find that horrible crispy 'ribbon' weave stuff, knitted cotton that goes hard in the wash and the sleeves go skinny or wool that gives me a rash. Per Una cardigans were often acrylic and so soft. I have had mine so long they are bobbled to death.

The M & S high rise skinny jeans are brilliant DaysOf

My main gripe with M and S is the amount clothes shrink in the wash, and the variability in sizing.

I don't want skinny jeans though Lonicera, I would look ridiculous in them.

I want slim, high waist jeans with some stretch that don't fall down when I move because the waist is cut for straight women (straight as in the same round the middle as the hips). Neither do I want my backside lifted.

Make per una what it used to be - a fun, quirky range for ladies of a certain age who don’t want to dress like frumps. It used to be fabulous, now it’s rubbish.

Get rid of all the Jessicas atf head office who really think they are something. I’ve made three very legitimate complaints over the last twenty five years as a formerly frequent customer, and was treated very rudely on each occasion/ insinuated I was a liar on two of them.

I used to be a good customer, now I’m not. ☹️

As with all high street stores, reform business taxation to reflect the growth of internet retailing. Close large out of town stores on Sundays most of the year.

Improve your special occasion foods. Cook would not exist if you were doing this. Cook only exists because your special foods are no longer so special.

My local one is shutting in February it’s a huge loss to the area. They are directing us to the new massive food hall were we can’t even pick out orders up.

I don’t think it’s rocket science. Went on Wednesday to a relatively large shopping centre store. It’s 6 days until Christmas & I wanted a new dressing gown for DS, nice sweater for Dad. These should be the staples of M&S. They had the items but no sizes. Rack after rack of Large or Extra Large. No stock in very common small or medium. I left, went round the corner to next and spent my money there. Same with online. Tried to order what looked like a lovely jumpsuit for DD, who is 10. Everything out of stock in all sizes. Tried different style, all still out of stock. Girls clothes abysmal. There girls clothes buyer needs to understand that most girls won’t wear tops & shoes covered in glitter, past the age of 6 or 7. Did find her a nice pair of boots....yet again no stock.

So....get your stock issues sorted and look at what pre teen girls are actually wearing. As it was, I had to go elsewhere & spend my money.

Yes they shut one in my dms high street which was always busy and was profitable in an affluent area.

Good for the high street

Bring back indigo range! I loved it

The thing is they don't even show their food on line. I like their food and I like to browse but can't see any food even without ordering it.

Why can't they advertise their day today food and daily bday cakes with a... Only available in store!!

So strange I went into the M&S on the high street in Leicester and the clothes sections were deserted. Food hall was quite busy but loads of food reduced that was being snapped up. I was so surprised that the clothes areas were so quiet.

Deliver food.
Well made well cut clothing in lovely fabrics
Sort out the messy shop floor display areas
Have shop floor staff available to help, not just to push the sparks card
Ditch the cheap looking acrylic rubbish, primark do that end of the market so much better.

Sort out the workwear! I'm early 20s so M&S dont really target their clothing towards my age range and I get that but it's my go to for workwear and what I bought was utter crap! Spent £130 on a navy blazer, navy trousers, white fitted shirt and white flowy blouse. 6 months on (and only working 2 days a week!) the trousers are bobbly between the thighs and the button has come loose a load of times, the white shirt has gone really scruffy, blazer misshaped after first wash and the flowy blouse was binned as threads started to pull out of it for no reason! I have clothes in my wardrobe I've paid much less for and had for 5 years, so disappointing.

They should start a department that sells kinky sex equipment. It's getting popular these days and I sometimes call the place S&M by mistake anyway.