To not want to ‘order it online’ FFS?

[JetRocket]

Apologies for the grumble but I’m in desperate need of a new wardrobe and every effort just gets me nowhere!

Why do you even keep these massive stores operating (Next I’m especially looking at you here) if you never have popular ranges available in sizes 10/12/14?
They’re never on the shelf, you never have them in the back. There’s always a queue of women jumping on one singular staff member for sizes and all being told ‘we don’t have it but you can order online’ people didn’t come to the store to buy online.

I hate spending £xxx online then it not fitting or suiting and having to wait 3-5 working days for a refund not everyone has a huge surplus in their account to spend that way. People who go to shops generally want to try on, buy what’s right and take it home.

Maybe if you did actually have these (obviously very popular) sizes then the high street wouldn’t be dying so quickly. You’re quite literally just turning customers away.

It's infuriating isn't it?
I ordered some clothes from River Island for an event we're going to and had to pay £6 delivery too because the alternative was to wait 5 days with a very good chance they wouldn't arrive in time.

It also meant I had to order multiple sizes because we couldn't try them on it store so I'll have to faff about with returns too! And like you say, you have to wait forever and a day for refunds!

Bricks and mortar High st. stores only need to loose about 10% of their customers for them to become unprofitable, and that's what has happened. I expect the only real clothes shops that will be around in the future will be very cheap warehouse type places, or expensive boutiques. And lots of charity shops.

Yes quite. Their sole advantage is convenience, being able to try something and take it home there and then. If they haven't got that then they may as well give up now.

I have never seen a shortage of 10/12/14 size clothing in store. Never.

people didn’t come to the store to buy online

This is so true

I prefer to shop in person for clothes, as I like to see the fabric, hood garments up, maybe try them on, browse etc.

And then of course buy things.

I shop now at places which have a decent level of stock. Some retailers manage it, and I think those who don't will have rocky times ahead. Shops are places to buy things, not a showroom for online

I took the wardrobe literally at first 😂

I’m after some bedroom furniture, and was going to wholeheartedly agree with you. I really don’t want to order online really expensive furniture that would cost a fortune to return. The choice in actual shops is abysmal and I can’t find what I want.

@Aprilx

I have never seen a shortage of 10/12/14 size clothing in store. Never.

Same here. With maybe a couple of 8's thrown in for good measure, they're usually the only sizes I ever see.

Me too @Kiduknot ! I don’t know where I can actually go except for a long drive out to The Cotswolds Company… have you seen anything in real life?

When are you going? Is it the same day/time? You might be unlucky and be getting there just before delivery is due.

You can get some lovely wardrobes in second hand shops at a very reasonable price and they will often deliver. Does it have to be new?

M&S - want to know why some of us are totally fed up of your stores? Endless racks of size 8 and then 20, 22 etc, and all the 12, 14, 16s gone. How difficult is it to actually analyse stock levels? A simple walk around the store will show you.
There are other things wrong as well, but it is so frustrating to find something in a good fabric and plain, classic style - and all the middle sizes have gone. At sale time there are vast quantities left of the less common sizes - but no one seems to learn.
I used to think Next weren’t like this - but I was in one a few days ago and it definitely was. No mid sizes left in black work jackets .

Can't you order.it for click and collect?
Pick it up at the store, try it on there and then and return it directly to the store if it doesn't fit?
Effectively meaning you've stocked them with the sizes you want to try.

You can order all the sizes to collect from the store, try them on in the dressing room and then return there and then if they don't fit. Doesn't completely solve your issue of being able to browse but makes returns easier

Find out what days they have their deliveries, I always struggle to find size 6 and 8’s in store and as I’m between sizes I hate ordering online as it’s just so disappointing when the clothes don’t fit, I hate having to mess around with returns, I’ve also found that even online they don’t stock many xs or size 6’s so if something is too big I often struggle to find a suitable replacement

@WoozySnoozy

Usually first thing on a Saturday morning as I get an hour on a shopping park whilst my toddler is at a baby class with DH. It’s a massive next I get most frustrated by. Good level of stock plenty on the shelves but just awful sizes.

@Aprilx
Last Saturday morning despite shelves being full there wasn’t a size 10 to be found in my massive next. A very occasional 12.

@KeepScrapingBy

You can get some lovely wardrobes in second hand shops at a very reasonable price and they will often deliver. Does it have to be new?

She needs a wardrobe of clothes, not an actual wardrobe

Next sizes are so vanity inspired you'd probably fit in a 8 there. I don't shop there anymore as I hate their method of picking special people to get into their online sales early or expecting people to queue at stupid o'clock for the shop sales. The website is awful to browse at the best of times and in the sale they remove all useful product information. I find the quality is below average, the styles are meh and the sizing is diabolical. I have no idea how they are still in business.

The idea of pre ordering things you are sure you want to try as click and collect is inspired!

Some certainly, some serendipity

Hello, retail worker here!

You're right, this is a particular problem at the moment. There are issues with getting stock for many reasons at the moment.

1. Factories overseas in areas with ongoing lockdowns or more localised covid outbreaks in factories
2. Inflated container prices
3. Delays at ports for the reasons in (1)
4. Warehouses in UK with covid outbreaks
5. Lorry driver shortages

And probably more!

To put stock in stores, it needs to be moved out of a warehouse in the hope it might sell in a store. Once it's out of a warehouse, customers can't order it online. So the business has reduced its chance of that item selling.

It is annoying and there are stock shortages at the mo, but hopefully it's a short - medium term issue.

Don't normally advocate debt but Klarna can be good if you don't have the money to buy lots of items online at once. You pay 1/3 of the cost and then return what you don't want to keep before the second 1/3 payment is due.

I have got the same in M&S, whenever I go the size 8 is ALWAYS ALWAYS sold out. On contrary I see endless hangers of sizes 14,16, 18…

I was shocked to go into our big next with my tall12 year old to find they only stocked kids clothes under 12. I asked where all the older children/teen clothes were - online!

She likes to touch clothes and see them to get ideas of what she likes to wear so we had driven across.

Try being plus size. Online is our only option as no shops whatsoever stock larger sizes.

Can't you order.it for click and collect?
Pick it up at the store, try it on there and then and return it directly to the store if it doesn't fit?
Effectively meaning you've stocked them with the sizes you want to try

She would still have to go back to return them then also wait days for a refund, which is the whole point of not wanting to shop this way

@LandGirlJudy she wouldn't have to go back if she tried them on in store.

To be fair if it's Next you can get an account with them and not have to pay anything immediately too.

‘we don’t have it but you can order online’ people didn’t come to the store to buy online.

Not exactly the same but this grates every time I go to the bank. I do 95% of banking online or via the app but if I have bothered to go to the bank in the ridiculous 2 hour window that they bother to open, then it suggests I need the actual bank!!
(For paying in or withdrawing cash, or paying in a cheque that can't be done via the app)