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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think queues outside uniforms shops aren't needed?

65 replies

Elouera · 30/08/2020 20:06

Not just this year, but every single year, there is a massive queue outside a uniform shop near me. Help me understand why? I've seen uniforms in supermarkets and department stores, so why the uniform shop?

Are they the only place that sell branded/logo school clothes?
Why queue the week before school starts and not a few weeks beforehand?
Does the shop only get stock a week before school starts again?

YABU- queues are needed due to.....
YANBU- queues aren't needed at all due to .....

OP posts:

RedskyAtnight · 30/08/2020 20:25

Not just logoed items. DD's school only allows one type of skirt. That's only available in 1 shop.

Dugsbollox · 30/08/2020 20:28

DD could only get fitted for her cardigan in one shop, the other one was online only. And the online only place has been, from past experience, absolute shit with delivery times and stock. She needed to be measured, so I had to book an appointment for the shop.

EmmaGellerGreen · 30/08/2020 20:28

Because 1 shop supplies all the local schools. It has very little stock and everything has to be ordered. It rarely arrives before the end of August regardless of when its ordered and has to be collected. This year as an added bonus, blazers won’t arrive before the end of September.

Rosebel · 30/08/2020 20:29

It's for the branded uniform. I usually get mine at the beginning of August but left it to the last minute this year just in case they didn't go back. I cheated this year though and brought supermarket shirts and skirts as I refuse to spend a fortune on these in the uniform shop when there's a risk they might not be used much. Had to buy the logo jumper and PE kit though.

SavoyCabbage · 30/08/2020 20:32

I'm agog that you can't understand why it happens.

AlwaysLatte · 30/08/2020 20:33

I bought the bulk of it two weeks ago but there are other reasons for the queues:

Due to COVID people are probably waiting to see if the school ask to come in pe kit. Or seeing if the schools really WILL open or have another lockdown.
There are always last minute things (I had to go back for a tie two days ago as I only found out his House colours then).
Lots of people are broke due to being off work.
Yes there is usually only one local shop selling your child's specific uniform.
Again due to the virus not so many people can get in the shop and be served at the same time, even if the staff is available.

vanillandhoney · 30/08/2020 20:33

-Are they the only place that sell branded/logo school clothes?

Yes. Plus, if you're at private school, you have to get your school uniform from the school outfitters - there is no other option.

Why queue the week before school starts and not a few weeks beforehand?

Because children grow very quickly and it's best to get as much use out of it as possible - uniform isn't cheap.

Does the shop only get stock a week before school starts again?

No.

HTH.

IhateBoswell · 30/08/2020 20:36

I have to agree with others, a bit of a strange question to ask. The uniform shop is the only place around here I can get my children’s school jumpers and blazers from.

itsgettingweird · 30/08/2020 20:37

We have one shop in our town that does the uniforms for about 7 secondary schools and about 10 primaries (or infant/juniors where they are separate)

Most schools insist on logo jumper etc now.

Uniform seems to have become some competitive entity between schools.

I'm so glad ds is starting college. I haven't missed this!

ZenZebra · 30/08/2020 20:39

I ordered mine almost a month ago but it's only just arrived in the shop, which means I will now have to queue to collect it.

It's a slight improvement on last year when two cardigans took 7 weeks to arrive.

CMOTDibbler · 30/08/2020 20:41

In our area there are two uniform shops which serve a huge area. Every school and in some cases nurseries and preschools have some logoed uniform - in the case of the private schools its everything in some cases. Buying online from them is really, really slow too, so you can't order and return what doesn't fit especially more expensive things like blazers.
Thankfully, we didn't need anything logoed for September, but otherwise I'd have been in a queue

DanielRicciardosSmile · 30/08/2020 20:43

Blazers, ties, PE kits... none of these can be picked up in Asda, even if white shirts and grey trousers can.

user1471541711 · 30/08/2020 20:45

@Elouera

Are they the only place that sell branded/logo school clothes?
Why queue the week before school starts and not a few weeks beforehand?
Does the shop only get stock a week before school starts again?

YABU- queues are needed due to.....
YANBU- queues aren't needed at all due to .....

Another problem is exams results are issued end of August so hen you find out if your child is attending 6 form or college and so have to get the uniform from that date. Also the local uniform shop has a monopoly on all the schools in the area plus brownies cubs etc.

Earslaps · 30/08/2020 20:45

Yes, we can only get the school blazer, tie and pe kit from one shop. This year they were appointment only Monday to Thursday, appointments only for new starters (so Y7 and YR). Anyone else who didn't want to pay £7 delivery (even for one £5 tie) had to join the queue on Friday. And it was a 30 minute journey each way from the tiny school catchment area.

Add in that they were repeatedly out of stock, plus not sending out orders so people had to repeatedly chase, sending out orders incomplete and generally being pretty rubbish and it's been a nightmare. There's been a roaring trade in second hand on the school Facebook group. The school have now announced that ties, blazers and school pe kit are not compulsory for the first three weeks to give people a chance to get the uniform.

I'm lucky, we had a new starter appointment in early July and got what we needed but many people who ordered after the holidays started (wanted to see if the children grew or didn't have a place until then) are still waiting.

greengreengrass14 · 30/08/2020 20:45

yes same here with branded items luckily mine has tatty blazer left from january but I ordered six weeks ago online and order still not arrived

Original poster

Elouera · 30/08/2020 20:46

Thanks for the constructive & informative replies. Its not just this year which I could understand due to covid, but every year I've seen massive queues. As mentioned in my OP, I assumed it was to do with school branded clothing. I wasnt aware that they often arent ready to collect so close to the year starting. thanks.

OP posts:

mummysherlock · 30/08/2020 20:46

Many schools especially secondaries insist on logo only blazers/jumpers/polo shirts/PE kits and regulation school skirts that are only stocked at the specialist uniform shop so no option for supermarket purchases.
Some parents like to allow maximum growing time over the holidays.
Some parents will have bought some items earlier but need to spread the cost and wait until they’re paid again.
This year I expect some left it till the last minute as they were worried the government would do another U-turn and say they couldn’t go back after all .....

hammeringinmyhead · 30/08/2020 20:47

Queueing to collect in my town. One outfitter for about 12 schools. And yes, something is always branded for secondary, even if it is just a sweatshirt. I have always been confused by supermarket posters with kids in random coloured, plain pinafore dresses and polo shirts.

peppermintteadrinker · 30/08/2020 20:48

I think all this proves school uniform is an outdated, expensive and unnecessary concept. Why nit6let parents just buy navy or grey or whatever colour from supermarkets and get school shops to supply stick on or sew on logos? I really resented queueing at the one, tiny antiquated shop in our town. No windows or airflow in the shop. No chance of effective distancing. No online or telephone orders. Expensive and crap quality. Grrr

OneForMeToo · 30/08/2020 20:50

According to a friend who’s daughter works in one it’s parents leaving it till payday to buy the uniform.

We brought ours weeks Ago as the uniform shop gives a return if doesn’t fit for the first day type thing so no reason apart from not having the money. They even have online books or slots for new year 7’s etc.

WorraLiberty · 30/08/2020 20:50

The uniform shop near me has a queue that stretches right down the road around this time every year and a sign saying 'expect 2 hours queuing time' from about mid-August.

The reasons have all been given above.

Mind you, I keep reading in my local FB group that the people who live in the houses where the queue stretches to/past, are getting fed up of parents knocking at their doors and asking if their kids can use their toilets!

Even in a pandemic they're still asking.

supersonicginandtonic · 30/08/2020 20:56

Maybe it's because they only have logo'd uniform?
Maybe it's because they get paid at the end of the month?
Maybe it's because kids grow and may do so over the summer so parents leave it as late as possible?
How about mind your own business because you have no idea of circumstances 🙄

Oysterbabe · 30/08/2020 20:57

We ordered a logo jumper ages ago. They only got it in stock last week.

Clockworkprincess · 30/08/2020 21:03

We only bought last week as ds4 is in middle of a growth spurt. He needed a full pe kit plus pe bag and book bag, logo jumpers and ties. To be honest we're stocking up on next size as he fits his uniform perfectly right now

pinkbalconyrailing · 30/08/2020 21:06

- Are they the only place that sell branded/logo school clothes?
sometimes they are the only places that sell items for a particular school. plus their sizings could be weird, like s,m,l so need to be tried

- Why queue the week before school starts and not a few weeks beforehand?
because kids grow during the holidays. I refuse to buy uniform that might not fit anymore by the time school starts again.

- Does the shop only get stock a week before school starts again?
happens sometimes with logo stuff, especially if there has been a uniform change.

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