To wonder how clothing retail is ever going to recover....

[Loveden]

.... while the changing rooms are all closed?

So today I visited a large shopping mall with my teenage DD. While it wasn't the main purpose of the trip, neither of us have had any new clothes since lockdown so we also looked in a lot of the fashion stores, and saw loads of things we quite liked - BUT all the changing rooms were closed so we couldn't try anything on.
Given that the shopping mall is around an hour from home and we're unlikely to be back any time soon, returning any unwanted items would be a round trip of c.80miles - so despite money in our pockets to be spent, we didn't buy a thing.
(The only alternative would have been to buy the items, try them in on the mall's public toilets and then return them there and then if they were no good. But that wouldn't be very hygienic either!)

AIBU to think the policy of closed changing rooms is going to do more harm than good?

[PS Can anyone actually explain why they're still closed? If I wear a mask and gel my hands when I enter the store, what is going to happen if I try something on, that won't happen if it pick it off the rails, finger the fabric and hold it up against me? Is another just another one of these Covid "rules" which make no sense in the real world?]

I think Seasalt fitting rooms may be open, I buy a lot of tunics from there but my nearest is about 40 miles away

Also haven’t people just moved to online shopping? I ordered some clothes from Debenhams and felt very guilty that my 1 order came in 3 deliveries with lots of plastic wrapping. And unfortunately some didn’t fit so I returned it in store.

But of course if I wanted to buy a dress, coat or trousers from Seasalt, guess what, the tall section is only online...

It will have to change and adapt. I’ve bought plenty of clothes since lockdown but via delivery. I look for free returns as part of the ordering process. Can’t see going back to buying in a store if you have to then return to store - not until they open up changing rooms again.

@MistressMounthaven so you don't wear clothes then?

I agree that fast fashion is a scurge, but some people cannot afford sustainable, and really there are not that many people who would choose to have every item of clothing they own to be second hand and never anything new just as they cannot afford it. To push forwards with creating a more reasonable amount of clothes (overproduction is a ridiculous problem), more sustainably, and paying a fair wage, there needs to be distuption to the industry, and the fat cats need to have their millions in profits jepordised to be arsed to do anything. If clothes were made here perhaps some who work in retail could work in those jobs. When I worked in a clothes shop at college a lot were studying textiles, fashion etc but invariably couldn't break into that industry.

In regards to changing rooms, I would rather wait longer to pay, for example, and have a member of staff on them if it meant they can open. Not only does returning take a second journey, but as has been said they likely hope some people will keep stuff they don't want just for ease; which is such an epic waste.