To feel sad about how many retailers are going under

[Cinammoncake]

Just read about Clintons and I felt quite sad and nostalgic about all the losses and how many more shop chains there will be that will soon be lost from the high street.

Also shops don't help themselves regarding stock. I went in several shops to search for maternity wear only to be told they are online only.

@Cinammoncake I don't think I've ever ever fallen for the upsell it really annoys me. Someone must do though for shops to keep doing it? It's so off putting another is Topshop or new look who put bowls of sweets now by the till so soon as my kids see them, they ask for them

I was in a large, German city last weekend, where the turnover of retail outlets (and closure of a few) was quite noticeable

Interesting, as I had the opposite experience (though it was three years ago now so maybe things are changing). My friend lives in a small town outside Hamburg which, in terms of population, is about the same size as the town I live in. The difference in terms of shops was overwhelming - a decent book shop, two bike shops, to name but a couple of examples. I really wondered what they were doing differently but maybe the internet shopping curve is merely a few years behind and the same changes are coming.

Agree with so much on this thread. Poor service (either ignoring you or hassling you, why on earth do the shops not invest in training for their staff?), poor stock levels, perceived high car park charges (it does annoy me a bit that people moan about paying £2 an hour to park when they're happy to pay £3 for a Starbucks coffee but never mind).

I do think there is a level of sexism in sorting it out as the jobs are mainly female ones, there's probably a feeling in government that they are women doing it for pin money while their menfolk are the real breadwinners.

I don't mind chains for the reason the pp with the cinema example gave - independents have funny policies, you know what you are getting with the chains.

And despite all the criticism of WH Smith, they do nice cards, much nicer than Clintons (and yy to the nonsense of those awful "from me to you" bears - such as waste of money!)

The card factory is always rammed though - I reckon folk are less willing/able to spend a fiver on a bit of cardboard.

Do you think we're likely to end up with ghost malls like the the US or are we too small a country?

Maybe we'll get more centralised in that when people want to go shopping they'll go somewhere big, less frequently to do a lot at once rather than the local (often crap) high street.

Shops need to open late especially in towns that have large amounts of commuters. What’s the point of shops that shut at 5.30? Everyone’s at work...less housewives then there used to be.

Need to be able to park.

Clinton’s needed to stop half the shop being Christmas cards from September and Valentines from January, Too late now.

What’s the point of shops that shut at 5.30? Everyone’s at work

And, of course, fewer and fewer people are working in the town centres these days with lots of businesses relocating to out of town business parks, retail parks, etc. Even our local hospital has moved out of the town centre to an out of town location, so that's a few hundred NHS workers who are no longer shopping in town before/after/during their working day. That followed various offices, a GP surgery, a vets etc all moving to a business park site. So, yes, longer opening hours are essential for town centres, plus unrestricted opening on Sundays too!

I live in Edinburgh but 25yrs ago if I had a day out in Glasgow or Newcastle they would be very different. Now it’s all Next, Starbucks, Vodaphone, Primark. There’s no uniqueto that city department store - just much of a muchness to every city.

A trip into Princes street in Edinburgh always used to be fantastic with loads of lovely shops. There were always a couple of tartan tat shops but they have now taken over, the one good shop is Lush but i know that is a marmite type shop.

Edinburgh has got to have one of the most beautiful shopping streets in the UK with the backdrop of the castle and Princes street gardens to go and sit and have lunch as well as massive footfall from tourists. If it is struggling then that says a lot about the high street generally.

The British high street is failing because it's dreadful. Every time there is a cycle of chains going under we don't miss what goes.

We all shop online because it's vastly more efficient. The high street hasn't moved with the times and chains haven't diversified to compete with online. We all feel sorry for retail workers of course but it's the fault of their millionaire employers that those businesses are going under.

Primark is a stalwart of the high street but I think boohoo and their ilk will give primark a run for their money soon enough.

Yes, hours need to change for most shops. People work. Closing their doors when people leave their non-retail jobs (or other retail store jobs) for the day is insane. A shift in store hour thinking is definitely required.

Yy to bad customer service.

I’m not one of those types who wants the shop staff to lie down on the floor or be all fake cheerful or my best mate. I’m probably your standard mumbling “please and thank you” type. Pay my money and go type. And I do have a reasonable level of spending money.

Often shop staff are great (eighteen year olds oddly enough are often fantastic)

But some just come across as very sneery and downright insulting (racist - eg I’ll be asked to check my bag as I’m the only dark face in there, patronising “oh you do spend a lot of time choosing things don’t you?”,”can you afford it?” Type of statements )

I was in the struggling Debenhams a few weeks ago. I have interviews coming up so am very focussed on buying stuff.

It was close to closing time and I’d just come off the escalator to a higher floor. An older woman came up to me and was quite clear “we’re closing soon”.

Fair enough, but she clearly didn’t choose to speak to ANYONE else coming off the escalator apart from me

so she goes for the slim brown youngish looking woman? It’s the build up of these kind of microaggressions that mean I’m not sorry when I hear about stores closing. And I go straight for the self service machines when I can.

Unfortunately it is human nature to remember bad experiences rather than good ones. Amazon, eBay - all yours.

Anyone else watching Dispatches on Amazon?

That's absolutely right about opening hours. If sometimes nip to the supermarket or local retail park after work and when the kids are in bed so about 7.30pm. The shops are B&Q, Currys, Pets at Home etc but it's useful to nip out and pick up say cat food or something we need for the house.
If the high street shops were open later I would probably go and have a browse from time to time. It wouldn't be impossible for shop assistants to do early and late shifts like they do in supermarkets.

Anyone else watching Dispatches on Amazon?

I did but wasn’t sure what to make of it really. What did you think?

What I find annoying is the amount of staff who don’t know their stock. When I was a Saturday girl we were expected to know stock inside out. I go in now say to somewhere like Go Outdoors and ask for walking trousers for a 16 year old boy( core market). When you actually find somebody you get a shrug then a not sure if we have any. So I’m left to search the walking trousers littered everywhere around the shop and eventually find a pair after half an hour. Way too expensive( no time to search for cheaper).Would have helped if exact location was known. It would be quicker and cheaper to Google which I do in the car park within 5 minutes of leaving.

See I'm not entirely convinced we can keep blaming the Internet and I do feel some, not all, retail staff have themselves some responsibility over this. Obviously they can't control rents and footfall etc but in the last few months I've had awful customer service from so many good shops

I disagree. The internet has undoubtedly made a huge difference, as demonstrated by replies on this thread. Also, I don’t get poor customer service in shops either. Maybe I’m lucky. Maybe it is my age (61). I don’t know. I have worked in retail and am always pleasant and polite to people. Sometimes it is a little over eager if anything, and I agree that some retailers – Lush is one that springs to mind, need to understand that many shoppers hate “in your face” customer “experiences”

I feel sad for everyone who is losing their job, and for the high streets which will become soulless and unwelcoming. Unlike so many mumsnetters who post on threads about retail I enjoy shopping. I prefer to see, feel and try clothes on, test toiletries and skincare, etc than just order it online. I hate it when some posters seem to post with glee that yet another retailer has gone to the wall.

It's a scary time but I can't stand going into actual shops, much prefer on line shopping.
I choose to shop online because it’s just a far more pleasant experience.
I shop online for almost everything now

And these ^^ are major reasons that so many retailers are going to the wall. These posters and others with similar (sometimes smug) views have no right to complain about the closures and low stock levels in retailers.

If the high streets and shopping malls are so busy, yet sales are down what are people doing there – window shopping, drinking coffee?

Shops FAR too hot.

They aren’t round here. If anything the aircon is too fierce, and the shops are a little on the chilly side.

I will be devastated when Debenhams (inevitably) goes. I’m probably the only one that likes the store though.

I like them as well.

Im amazed that WH Smith can xompete with the likes of The Works. Nice stationary but ££££££££££.Also amazed that Waitrosebis doing so well dedpite austerity.
People are skint and want a bargain.

Er...Waitrose!

What I find annoying is the amount of staff who don’t know their stock.

I had that recently. I went into homebase for some sawtooth picture hooks. I even had a picture on my phone as I know it's an unusual product. 2 separate staff members claimed they didn't sell them, swore blind they had never stocked them and told me to try online.

I did

www.homebase.co.uk/picture-hook-sawtooth-bp-8pk_p516643

However since I was buying online I checked out Ebay

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50pcs-Lots-Frame-Hanging-Hangers-Saw-Tooth-Hangers-Hooks-Picture-J7/264467405789?hash=item3d937c5bdd:g:~~kAAOSwA~5ayfl9

Sorry for bad typos

Also amazed that Waitrosebis doing so well dedpite austerity.

Waitrose is doing well because unlike some of the chains that have gone bust in recent years, it offers good quality and good service - and people are evidently still willing to pay for that.

I habe to get cards for 4 kids classes a year plus family so thats about 60 odd birthday cards a year. I buy the perfectly nice (have to select) 10 for a £1 in Card Factory and add number stickers. There is no way I'd ever go in Clintons as they are just so overpriced. Failed business model has done for them.

...swore blind they had never stocked them and told me to try online.
I did

I was in B&Q a couple of weekends ago, looking for a replacement tube for a kitchen light (which I'd bought there). They didn't have them. They were still selling the light (tube not included) but didn't sell the tube to go in it. It wasn't out of stock: they just didn't sell it. bought one on eBay. B&Q is now even further down my list of places to shop than it was before.

Every time I go into town to shop I am appalled at how awful the quality of clothing and shoes is. It’s grim. Manmade fabrics poorly made, plastic shoes. Even in M&S you are hard pushed to now find a leather shoe. Topshop used to be great, now the fabrics are terrible, ditto Zara, Mango etc. Debenhams is the same. I see it as greed As retailers look to profit more. If I do find something I vaguely like it is ridiculously expensive (Whistles, Jigsaw), or I can’t find my size, ever (M&S).
I now buy most clothes from charity shops or eBay/Depop and shoes online. Other goods from Amazon as I’m not going to drive around or bus into town to buy a light bulb etc.
Sorry but if there was not so much greed from landlords for business rent or from the bosses of the retailers themselves then this might not be happening IMO.