To be so angry with the British high street?

[peoniesarejustperfect]

Went sales shopping yesterday with my elderly Mother yesterday. We went to an 'affluent' city in the south east. We always go shopping after Christmas and it's a bit of a tradition and we normally really enjoy it. Yesterday was just so depressing - it made me fizz with anger. I hardly know where to start!!

The shops were just horrible - full of badly merchandised sales stuff which looked totally uninviting.

In several of the shops we went into there were no staff on the shop floor - we wanted to ask where different departments were (to save Mum walking too much), but no one to ask and poor signage.

In House of Fraser (one of the stores which is remaining open) we waited for 25 mins in the luggage department for a member of staff - there was no one there to help - no tape measure, no useful signs about cabin luggage allowances and no one to take any cash. We hung around for ages with two other families - no chairs to sit on, we just stood around. After a while we all gave up. The same in lingerie - no staff on duty. We had lunch there, which was really nice, but the restaurant loos were closed for cleaning when we went in at 12:15. What restaurant shuts its loos at lunchtime??? They suggested we left the restaurant and 'popped down' two floors to use another loo.

The British high street keep moaning but really, why on earth would anyone want to shop there? Why do they deserve our hard earned cash? It's incredibly expensive to park and the retailers don't seem very keen on keeping customers happy - let alone delighting them! There's not enough staff and with some notable exceptions, many of them are poorly trained - it all seems a bit of an effort for them.

Last Christmas we went to the US. I know it's different in America, but every morning in Macy's, when the doors open, a group of staff clap the shoppers in. We couldn't get over this and asked a sales assistant about it - she told us it's an honour to be picked - to welcome customers, look them in the eye and say thanks for coming. US retail is facing similar challenges, but what a different response. Helpful staff directing you to places, gorgeous merchandising, seats everywhere and staff trained to sell.

Anyone else fed up with the high street?

I attempted to complain to my local Tesco once because a team leader screamed and shouted at a young staff member who had gone out of her way to help a customer. Team leader said it was none of her business and she should have stuck to whatever task she had been assigned. A couple of other staff were explaining, defending her 'it's OK, I covered customer service for five minutes whilst she carried the customer's shopping' but team leader was red faced and screaming. But the shop manager wouldn't speak to me, and the shop wouldn't answer the phone when I rang.

But its a fairly damming state of affairs if the staff are being scolded for actually being helpful to customers.

I'm the opposite! I hate the in your face attitude of the USA, I would turn and walk out if they started clapping me! I find the American way of "service " awful, so fake and patronising. Just leave me be.

I think it's really sad what has happened to the High Street. I went Sale Shopping on Boxing Day, it was very busy and the stag were mixed, friendly to bored, but the stock was pretty lame, so it felt like the shops couldn't be arsed. Some places had empty shelves. Even before Xmas Debenhams looked like it had given up, window displays in Debenhams used to be quite a big deal, this year they left them empty, the shop looked like it had closed down. I really enjoy browsing and don't on the internet, I only buy stuff from the internet if I'm replacing things I used to buy in a shop and can't anymore because the shop has gone or hunting for something that I saw in a shop years ago. But there is no joy in browsing online, it's not as tactile and you can never be sure if the colour or texture of something ordered can actually match the picture so opening the package can be a huge disappointment.

I do agree re online shopping. I would not have entertained it a few years ago but my eyesight is not good and before I even check the size I have to find out if something has Viscose in it. I know some people think it is a wonderful material but I sweat like a pig in it. So of course there I am in a shop looking at multiple labels trying to find the english one that says material and size and it is always next to a security tag. So I am always "Can I help you" out the shop.

Bra shopping is a pain because the large cup sizes are on the floor so there I am on my hands and knees (still being "Can I help you'd out the shop).

I was excited when a Waterstones branch opened up in Westfield but by the 5th "Can I help you?" I had enough. Yes I prefer it to being ignored when am trying to buy something, but if I am browsing I would prefer to be left alone.

I do feel sad that almost every high street looks the same.

Yup. Shopping in the US is a noticeably different experience. Assistants that actually want to help you, loads of (free) parking. Lots of food choices nearby. Clean stores, floors, organised railings, actual sales and discounts. I barely shop in the U.K. now it's too painful i do everything online

Oh and I agree about the toilets. Public toilets in the U.K. are always so grim- in the US I actually sat on a toilet seat without having to wipe the seat/ flush the loo first!!

I think being 'so angry. Is a bit dramatic.

I don’t know about the rest of your comments, but dammit I want the staff at John Lewis in Bluey to line up and clap me in when I go tomorrow morning. That wouldn’t be a demeaning experience for any of us.

I was in retail from when I left school in 98. It was so much different then. If you were in anyway rude to customers you got the push.
I have always tried really hard to carry on supporting the High Street as it would be a shame to see it go. However this Christmas was ridiculous. I could barely find anything on my list and even when I could, it was so much more expensive.
I'm not shocked at all that HMV are in danger again. My DD asked for 3 albums- all of them were over £10 in HMV. DS wanted a Japanese import if an album too. That was £35 in HMV. Of DDs on Amazon and eBay, they cost £5, £8 and £8.50 with free delivery, and the import for DS was £9!
I know that the stores have overheads but they don't help themselves. I've walked out of stores because Ive been left standing waiting to be severed at a full whilst the assistant chat and ignore me. Worst recently was in Morrison's when I asked where I would find Christmas trees- "how should I know?" was the reply.

Do you think it's over for the high street? Is there anyway they fight back against online convenience??

Of course there are ways to survive. Online shopping isn't going anywhere though, it's popular for a reason. Low-paid retail jobs have shifted over to low-paid warehousing, packing and delivery jobs (although probably not in the same numbers).

Future options for the high street include much more service-based business models such as showrooms, concept stores and pop-ups, entertainment and catering. People still want to try on clothes and shoes, spritz perfume or try out electronics and furniture. But retailers have to up their game or fizzle out. That's capitalism for you.

I can't stand high street shopping. They never have anything I want and I loathe and detest all the do-you-want-a-loyalty-card-or-half-a-pound-of-cheap-chocolate shite, plus the hordes of chuggers. If it were a more pleasant experience then business would be better. It's up to retailers to provide that.

Get yourself to Yates in Malton for a fantastic shopping experience. The staff are amazing and knowledgeable, they sell a wide range of products at fantastic prices and service is perfect. A lot of stuff that you never knew that you needed, huge cooling trays, extra long wooden spoons, good range of pocket knives, toys, country clothing, boots, electrical department, garden store, bikes - bloody love it, and I absolutely hate shopping! It's how shops should be.

”There were no useful signs about cabin luggage allowances

Why on earth would you expect that?! 😂😂”

Well you’d have been shocked by the luggage shop I was in yesterday. It even had one of those metal crates they have at airport checkin. Crazy, huh?

Oh yes I completely agree @Bibijayne that it's not the fault of the staff on the tills at all, having also worked in retail and am aware that staff are usually told that they have to ask certain questions to every customer.

The problem is promotional selling at the tills works a bit like telesales calls. Because the sellers / callers get an infrequent sale out of it, they assume the technique works at generating sales. What they don't register is that the vast majority of people are annoyed by the technique and are put off by it, and they don't think about how many customers are subsequently put off by the pushy sales technique.

Rosehip - yes fizzing! What's wrong with that? Why shouldn't I be angry that our high street is so dismal? I normally have a great day with Mum and it's something we share together. She is 84 and still wants to go! If it's awful, we won't go. We always try and do some of our shopping in real places with real people. If retail dies, it affects us all in many different ways. Who wants to lose the heart and soul of towns???

Lonicera - I am so sorry about your daughter. I hope she finds a new job soon.

Worst recently was in Morrison's when I asked where I would find Christmas trees- "how should I know?" was the reply

We were in Nike two weeks ago and I asked the 12 year old sales assistant if they had any men's leggings.

.....no.

Anything resembling leggings for men that DP can wear under his jeans (we were going on holiday somewhere v.cold)?

.....no.

I then took two paces to my left and picked up some thermal men's leggings. Was tempting to ask for them for free since he was so sure they didn't exist

LongtallJosie - that sounds a bit more like it!!!

I've given up with the high street tbh

I venture in merely to pick up.my click and collect.

How there is somehow so many staff to pounce on you in the door as soon as you step in yet no one around to ask for help?

There's never any stock either. Three vest tops for 12 pound? Great! Except there's one size 14 out of all the eligible items.

No wonder they run so many offers or do stuff cheap.They never have to follow through with them. Very clever.

And no I don't want you to.rummage through that massive pile of stuff that's been returned. It took.long enough to get served. Now you weren't putting the stuff back. There's only 2 of us and we r both stood here so you weren't serving. What exactly were you doing

Waste of time

Schuh. Most awful customer back up service. They were great smile# and pretty helpful when we bought the shoes but a week later when my daughter had decided to wear them and they rubbed her feet raw in 2 hours we took them back.
This shop offers a so called year guarantee.
We were treated like shit after going through 4 shop assistants that in turn past us to the next more senior and finally the manager that stunk and needed a wash and clean clothes.
He decided in his opinion nothing wrong with them at all so wouldn’t honour the guarantee.
In the end I rang customer services and they have sent a box and bag to return them so we now live in hope that they can see and feel the obvious difference inside that the idiot manager couldn’t
Deffinately wouldn’t use the shop again ever

These businesses are being squeezed for profits and the first thing they cut is staff. There's basically no training available and a lack of progression (so little job satisfaction). I have a friend who does the job of an assistant manager but has the title keyholder which only pays 20p more an hour than regular staff.

Chicken and egg- profit losses equals less investment in the ‘experience’, the worse the experience the less people are likely to spend.

I know it's different in America, but every morning in Macy's, when the doors open, a group of staff clap the shoppers in. We couldn't get over this and asked a sales assistant about it - she told us it's an honour to be picked - to welcome customers, look them in the eye and say thanks for coming.

Sounds like bollox to me. This would actually put me off going into a store. There's nothing quite like the whiff of desperation to send me running from a store. Just leave me the fuck alone unless I specifically ask for assistance/attention.

Bah fucking humbug and merry Christmas to us all.

I visit the US a lot and I’m a devoted shopper whichever continent I happen to be on. IME the general CS is no different and in bigger dept stores it’s not uncommon for them to look equally ransacked as their British counterparts on a Saturday afternoon.

Certain stores and certain assistants will always be the exception, but there will always be the odd duff one that tends to set the shopper against the rest.

Having worked in retail myself it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t. As demonstrated here everyone wants their vision of American service, but recoils like they’ve been asked to pet a turd if an assistant has the temerity to approach them whilst I’m browsing!!!!

How many of you praise great service when you see it? Verbally at that moment and by dropping an e-mail to the “contact us” link on the store’s website. If everyone began there it might be a start to getting what we want.

I queued for a long time in Victoria’s Secret while about five members of staff attended to one customer. A manager intervened and asked a staff member to carry in serving other customers. Said staff member looked at the queue and carried on doing what she was doing. I put down the things I was planning to buy and walked out.

Our local Tesco staff are lovely incidentally - they remember all their regulars (I'm in there a lot as school's just next door) and I'm forever being asked about how the DDs are doing if I've not got them with me.

Went into the local town centre where my mum lives on Christmas Eve to sort some things out and I do remember thinking "this is the first time I've been shopping in a city centre in at least a year"

What really infuriates me in stores is when they don't have prices displayed. I hate having to ask staff how much an item is and usually choose to leave it unless it's something I desperately want.