To think Next are up their own arse

[Rawtinhail]

I swear Next used to be pretty well rated, decent quality. Now it's just a load of over priced, cheaply made tat.
I have to shop in the petite section, which is a joke because at 5"2 (not that short I don't think), I still struggle to find any jeans/trousers that aren't a good few inches too long still. But it's so hit and miss because even in identical styles the sizing is all over the place. I can fit in a size 14 in one colour and the size 18 is too tight in another colour but has a saggy crotch chucked in for good measure or a waist so high I could tuck it under my tits.
This is the same even with their exclusive brands. Bought two identical Lipsy dresses in different colours. One fit ok but a little loose around the bum. I couldn't even get the other over my head for fear of ripping the waistband.
Their own clothing is so often just frumpy crap in horrible fabric with some big tacky sparkly star shoved on the front to "jazz it up". The stuff that is actually nice is horrendously overpriced.
Then you get to the furniture. It's all MDF and oak veneer. AKA cheap tat. But it's not cheap, it's expensive. You could literally buy the same quality of furniture for half the price in Argos.
And there are never any discount codes available or cash back affiliations like Quidco. (other than their quarterly sales where they roll out the extra crap crap). Even John Lewis isn't so stuck up that they aren't willing to chuck out some cash back offers or release little discount codes.
Oh, and you can't review anything, you have to be invited to leave reviews!
I get this is first world problems but Next happens to the be only department type shop anywhere near where I live and I keep trying with them, but I'm hacked off that I can't find a single pair of trousers that fits my dumpy ass properly.
Is it just me? Am I just being to unrealistic about what to expect from a major retailer?

Yep, they're still trading on the quality of their very old products, not the current stuff they sell.

I do like their jeans though.

Next used to be brilliant for school uniform, has that changed as well now?

I hate this model of next and now m&s that sell a load of non next and non m&s clothes. You search 'dress' and are faced with 8,000 choices all from different makes. I just want a simple range of good quality items.

Totally agree. The clothes are so over priced for what they are. Quality is terrible.

@TheKeatingFive

Where do people in their late 30s/early 40s buy clothes nowadays?

I'm not talking about the boden/joules crew, but if (like me) you used to buy a lot from Oasis/Warehouse, where do you buy from now?

Obviously Zara will come up, but I only occasionally get on with Zara. I like H&M but sometimes want something a bit less basic.

I absolutely need to know the answer to this.

Do they still charge you for the privilege of looking at their catalog?

Don't bother with Next online either - their "next day" delivery took 5 working days. Still charged me four quid for it, mind.

@TheKeatingFive I’m 36 and I get most of my clothes from &Other Stories and ASOS, with occasional forays into Hush, Arket and Cos.

Oh and as for the website it is dire.

I’ve bought quite a few clothing online from their clearance section. I like their clothing but the sizing can be a bit off. I’ve been shopping in next since a teenager and it wasn’t fashionable to shop there either. I think I’m the only person that likes next!

I've avoided Next ever since I bought a pair of curtains and they signed me up for a credit account because I didn't uncheck one tiny box in the ts and cs. My responsibility but the user interface was really underhand.

I agree, Next is very frumpy and the quality has deteriorated.
I often wonder who they are employing to design their clothes.

Sainsbury's do a great petite range, wash really well and cheaper than Next.

Totally agree. I've completely forgotten about Next now and don't even bother going in there. They do nothing remotely suitable for teen girls either. Dh quite likes their tshirts so buys a couple a year.

I've discovered Matalan for workwear and live in their excellent jeggings the rest of the time. The reviews are good and honest and there's always a discount + topcashback.

I’m 36 and I get most of my clothes from &Other Stories and ASOS, with occasional forays into Hush, Arket and Cos.

That's helpful thanks. I do like &Other Stories, though they can be pricy. Perhaps I should venture into Cos more often.

I also like fat face (so shoot me 😂)

I used to buy a lot of Next clothes until about 15 years ago when it seemed like the clothes were being less generous in the cut.

Size 12 fitted fine but not across the bust so went up a size and it was too big across the shoulders and too long in the arms!

Gave up after a while.

I agree that the store itself is a bit weird. I've never seen anything in there to actually buy. But online is a totally different matter,loads more choice, I get it delivered to the local store for free, and send back what I don't need.
It's saved me a few times for unexpected events.

I really like Next homeware stuff. I've got a sofa, some lamps/ light fittings and a sideboard. The quality is quite reasonable - much higher than Ikea would be.

I've never liked next apart from their kids jeans.
I never thought their clothes were aimed at me though and their sale

Next, the overly-large branded underwear for optimistic teenaged boys.

Suspect they relied on their superior fulfilment and logistics to support the over-value engineering of their products and didn't realise much of the world has caught up so an increasing proportion of their customers won't tolerate cheap materials and badly cut clothes just for next-day delivery.

I’m now wondering what’s wrong with joules/boden/crew….

It started out i catering for roughly late 20s, 30s and 40s, as opposed to teenagers or over 50s, the clothes were good quality, stylish made in natural/ good quality fabric. I was thrilled and bought a few outfits, as I had just returned to work after having children, and was struggling to find clothes I loved. That only lasted about 3 years then it was just run of the mill tat

Next Online sell loads of brands now as well.

My gripe not just with Next but with other stores with Petite ranges is:

1. They have decided all short-arses aspire to look like Lynne, Alan Partridge’s long suffering PA. Only the dullest, ugliest lines from their full range will be offered in Petite
2. Despite being a tiny offering and the store offering size 6 in many “normal” lines, there will be tops, shirts, cardies and skirts offered in Petite taking up rail space when our problem is overwhelmingly trousers and dresses.

And yes, Next is pretty shit.

Theworldisfullofgs
It's not you. I'm old enough to remember Next from the late 80s and early 90s when their stuff was great. I still have a pure wool jumper that I bought then.

DD came home with a lovely Next cardigan from a charity shop, I slung it in the washer, because, well, it was Next. Unfortunately it came out small enough to fit a toddler, only then did I check the label and found it was pure wool 🙄 I'm old enough to remember Next first opening, and being decent quality, so I've no excuse.