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.

YY to whoever said Per Una is trying to be Joe Browns. This being Joe Browns, who with a couple of exceptions each season turn out clothes that look like they belong at a jumble sale. hides

I'd buy good basics and pay more for them if they had quality.

I'd love to go back to buying my bras there especially if I could get a wde range of cotton ones.

Make sure you have the bloody sizes in stock!! Whenever I go in to buy something, say, school socks for the children, they never have the size in stock. So bloody frustrating. Then I have to go through the whole rigmarole of going home, ordering on line an then having it delivered (will I be in? Or then I have to haul arse to the PO) or having to return to the store to pick it up.

Also I think they should do a range called “The Perfect....” and then have the t-shirts/jumpers etc that are the absolute classics that everyone needs in their wardrobe. Classic design, good quality, well tailored, well made.

Stop with the gopping ‘designer’ gear (like that blancmange pink monstrosity with bell sleeves that had everyone in stitches a couple of seasons ago).

Proper cotton knickers and not the ones made of tissue paper that I am wearing now. Also, with proper elastic and a gusset that is wider than or as wide as my vulva because if I want a fucking g-string I'll buy one.

Yes, I know that is specific.

I guess what I am getting at is the quality has dropped.

Bring back quality - leather shoes instead of plastic, jumpers that wash well
Stock more sizes - lots of their stores don't have size 3 shoes or half sizes
Dresses with sleeves

I’d be so sad to see them gone. There are so many positives they could look at. I imagine a HUGE part of their market is tourists and expats, so they should emphasise heritage, Britishness, history/nostalgia in a much bigger way.

Food wise, see above and make a big deal of supporting British farmers and independent makers and growers - eg hand made cheeses/craft gin /family run fairies etc. They could really push the “story” of their food items.

Meal kits are massive, they could push much more on their recipes and have kits with all the ingredients included.

Clothes - yy to actually upping their prices and sticking to investment pieces/real wool, cotton, cashmere. They could make a much bigger effort with sustainable/British made/cruelty/sweatshop free, and emphasise this to their customers who really would give enough of a crap to pay extra ££ for this.

Their kids clothes are great, and I hardly ever remember to shop there. They could actually be a high street version of the Boden catalogue, maybe send out cute catalogues again with that “story” element and just emphasise how great their stuff really is. With boys wear (or unisex) in particular they could really stand out, going for cute colour and pattern instead of crap slogans and the usual khaki/navy fest.

OK... what we do NOT want is

Shoes that feel like bricks
Flouncy things
Polyester anything
That Sparks thingy
Trendy shite
Mostly not to keep giving you feedback that you ignore

What we do actually want:
Slightly roomy stuff
Good quality cotton and linen
Classic tailoring
Simple shift type dresses
Cardigans, plain in every colour imaginable with all lengths of sleeve and body
Trousers that actually fit a human woman at both hip and crotch - 3 different length: full length, pedal pusher and cropped and 3 different shapes: slim fit; normal and not quite cullotte
Your good knickers and bras back

Mostly to be able to walk in and find all of those wonderful, classic staple items we long ago relied on, that you still have a reputation for. We REALLY don't want or need you to be trendy, you do that so very badly.

And that all applies to women of EVERY BLOODY AGE, SHAPE AND SIZE believe us, we are women, we know!!

1. Ditch sparks card. The only person who likes it is the person who designed it.

1. Bring back free cup of tea loyalty card. When you offer a cup of tea as a reward you win the heart of the nation.

1. Be the ONE place you can guarantee you will get good quality basics. It's so hard to find those nowadays and M&S was the go-to place for that sort of thing.

1. Ditch the fashion. You don't do it well and if we want fashion we will go to other stores who do it better. Fashions change and we don't mind paying Primark prices for something that won't last because it will look wrong next season. But we don't want to pay for something to last 10 years when it's designed (because of fashion going in and out) not to last.

1. Find out how on earth Next can delivery next day and copy them!

I only buy school uniform from M&S now. It's good quality and lasts for the next child.

I used to love their multipack white tanga briefs and they discontinued them I'm not sure I've forgiven them yet (8 years ago!).

Oh yes, to good quality cotton, linen and wool clothing. Yes yes yes!

I genuinely don't mind paying a decent price for decent clothing, made decently in a decent fabric. I can buy disposable fashion at Primark, River Island, Top Shop, you name it. I want quality from M & S. I don't need it to be "on trend". I want to buy a top for £40 - 50 that I will still be wearing happily in 10 years.

How hard is it to do that?

Just what is their obsession with the colour mustard? I hardly ever see it anywhere else.

Improve quality of clothing, especially staples like underwear, t-shirts etc. Rein back the designers and have more plain items that can be mixed and matched together in sensible colours. The flouncy, paisley, stuff can go in the Per Una range for those who like it.
Keep stock levels for all sizes, don't tell your customers to order online if the store hasn't got the size. I go in because I want to ensure the garment fits before I buy it!

Stock a good basic range of accessories in neutral colours, be it handbags or tights. Sort the lack of signage out. Get rid of the Sparks card and the tacky bling bling jewellery.

Bring back long fitting trousers. I can never find them on the shop floor.

Get rid of the Sparks card - offers are too random.

Look back at your sales, Marks.

See what sells and in what numbers.

Who cares? Close them all down. They're all dumps anyway, full of babyboomers with waaaaay too much money!

Sort out and promote their Try Tuesday service. I would actually buy clothes from them if they paid the slightest bit of attention to my preferences and body shape instead of just ignoring them.

Thing is, M&S is capable of getting womenswear right.

They recently sold a pair of trousers for £39. They were brilliant: cut properly, decent fabric and were ideal for work.

www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/brands/meet-women-made-marks-spencer-cool/

www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/new-marks-spencer-collection-will-make-happy/

These were both from 2017 and I think half the team profiled in the first article were just fired. Plus ça change...

And this from Vogue from November. Are they looking at the same clothes we all are??
www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/marks-spencer-spring-2018-collection-vogue-verdict

spartacus

as wide wide as my vulva

Please go into your local branch and say that

Somebody said the food sales are down...this is due to them cutting corners and reducing quality, ready meals I used to love are now like what I can get from Tesco ie lower quality. I bought some prawns and dip a few weeks ago and they were off and inedible.
I don't go out of my way to shop there now.

They NEVER EVER have the size I want if I ever find any clothes or underwear I like.

I agree wholeheartedly with many of the posts here.

Sack your current women's wear designers.
If a designer wants to put frills over everything - sack the designer and burn their design.

Good quality staples in a variety of sizes and colours

Longer tops

Good tailored formal workwear (that is not aimed at 20 year olds in a creative industry nor looks like a bad security guard uniform.) I still have a wonderful tailored jacket I bought years ago at M&S - I can't find anything like it now.

Capsule wardrobe would be great

Learn how to fit bras properly (hint - don't add 4" to the band)

I would love to be able to go into M&S and pick up a couple of well tailored suits and plain blouses with sleeves and without a gaping neckline or any sort of embellishment or frill

I wish mumsnet HQ could somehow send this thread to the board!

Everyone is basically saying the same thing. A huge demographic sample of women all telling them the same thing.

Sack all your designers. Maybe employ some over 35!

Basics, quality, good cut, colour, no bows frills or glitter, no bright colours and massive patterns and sort the knickers out. Stock all the usual sizes and Think cool clear classic lines.

Stop trying to appeal to teens and early twenties, they don’t want to shoe with you. Ever.

Fire whoever is in charge of the colour selection in fabrics and employ someone with a modicum of taste.

Make it just slightly easier to find, say, a pair of trousers ( I don’t want to trawl the entire store) and then try stocking all of the sizes.

Imagine trying to launch a new range of clothing and then having them actually available online and instore rather than ‘out of stock’ straight from the start.

yy your demographic is us on here not the teens tutu would t be seen dead in your shop and your demographic on here are telling you they wouldn't be seen dead in the clothes you are selling now ffs listen

Get some better product designers. I could do much better. Allow worldwide fashions (Japan, France, Norway) to influence design. M&S is stuck with a little Britain mentality.

M&S home stuff was great a couple of years ago, it's not now.

Cards are quite good. More £1 cards. Gifts could be much better.

Clothes - don't even bother trying to compete with Primark. Their stuff is much more current and half the price. Come up with a large range of amazing pjs for £10 a pair,

Beauty - have more current tends and less old lady products.

Keep the food, do more food deals like dine in for £10.

I'm middle-aged, I should be their target market, but I only go in for £10 meal deals and cards.