Supermarket getting rid of changing rooms. AIBU

[dottypotter]

The Local Asda had a changing room as they sell clothes etc where you could try things on. Its gone now, dont think it was anything to do with Covid they just got rid of it and put some more stuff to sell in its place.

There are times you want to try something on and cant. If you sell clothes shouldnt you be able to try them on? What would happen if all shops that solds clothes got rid of their changing rooms? Surely this will lead to more people bringing stuff back too?

A lady was looking for the changing room today for her daughter to try something on and was told the changing rooms have gone. She said to her daughter you'll have to try this on over your clothes then. Not the same is it.

Bit cheeky to get rid of the changing rooms just so they can push more stuff. Has the person who made that decision never needed to try anything on then. Mad.

I don't remember no changing rooms, but I do remember you could return thing easily there when most other shops would only accept returns for faulty goods and even then it wasn't always easy, they'd argue you'd caused the damage.

I actually think that was the downfall of M&S. It was the only place you went to if you were buying clothes as a present, but they lost their niche when everyone started doing it.

The only things I would buy without trying on would be cheap t shirts and trackie bottoms to wear around the house. Socks and nighties. No way could I be bothered to buy, try at home and then return. That's why I dont buy clothes online. When I'm shopping for clothes I'll only like the fit of 1 in every 10 items that I try on.

We don't know that for sure though. As PP have pointed out it's not why most go to Asda (or other supermarkets) so I'd imagine the decline is negligible anyway. They get people in the door through the standard food/household offerings and related prices. If someone chucks a £10 t-shirt in too then winner.

I have to try trousers on due to thigh size but if I was wanting some jeans or work trousers then I'd probably go to a clothes shop with a much bigger range.

We don't know that for sure though. As PP have pointed out it's not why most go to Asda (or other supermarkets) so I'd imagine the decline is negligible anyway. They get people in the door through the standard food/household offerings and related prices. If someone chucks a £10 t-shirt in too then winner

The school uniform must be big business though surely? Alot of people refuse to pay m&s prices. Between June and September the uniform sections of supermarkets are always pretty busy.

The uniform usually gets its own adverts

Yes I did nearly include that and probably should have. I get shirts and PE tops from there but never made DS try them on, their sizing seems ok so still wouldn't necessarily say the decline of changing rooms would put me off Asda.

I think strictly speaking you can be in trouble if you pass a till without paying for an item, you don't have to leave the shop. The toilets in any supermarkets I'm familiar with are all on the wrong side of the tills, you would have to leave the main shop area of the building then go back into it to do what you did. If you walked out past the tills without paying, you'd look like you were stealing before you even got to the toilets.

Do most people make DC try uniform on in the supermarket? My DC often weren't even with me, but if they were I'd just hold it up and make sure there was growing room. It's not bought to "fit" anyway 😆

My Sainsburys did as well.

Skirts and trousers can be tricky. Never just a case of buying next size up either when they outgrow them either. Found that out the hard way. Yes I very much have to get kids to try on the bottoms. My local.asda doesn't sell clothes at all so in the past if I've Made a special trip I want to leave knowing it fits. Or I'm out of pocket until I can make the trip to return and having had to source alternatives on top.

Before I could afford to buy multiple sizes and try on at home. I'm.a single parent now though I dont have the advantage of being able to spend out twice then wait fir refunds

Reduce George colleagues? Just the ones you know?
What?

Probably got too many complaints of men being in the ladies and couldn't be arsed to pander to the wokeness. Easier to get rid.

I contacted Sainsbury's Tu Clothing on 7 June to express my displeasure at their fitting rooms being closed. I pointed out that people couldn't afford to buy clothes in different sizes to try on at home and the inconvenience and expense of returning the ones that didn't fit. They replied they are starting to reopen fitting rooms in stores that had a large clothing range due to customer feedback. Until they do I won't be buying clothes from any supermarket.

Perhaps if everyone contacted them, I did it through Facebook Messenger, and said they are boycotting buying clothes from them until they reopened the fitting rooms then they would have to do something or they won't sell any clothes.

Absolutely be good if I could send this thread somewhere don't know where though.

I used to work for Asda and it was clear that during lockdown clothing theft was reduced and sales massively inflated, this is the reason we were given for closing changing rooms/reducing staff but I think they have failed to consider a few things:

Supermarkets were the only places open so of course clothing sales went through the roof.

Customers were, on the whole, understanding as to changing rooms being closed back then and there not being staff on hand at all times to help. They can now just take their business elsewhere.

We hired more security staff, mainly to manage queues, masks, one way systems etc, but this also would have deterred anyone shoplifting.

I don't work there anymore, but I always found it embarrassing to tell customers you can't try on clothes, while working on a clothing section that is bigger than most individual clothing stores.

arent the clothes tagged though, surely its not easier to steal them just because there is a changing room?

I work in a asda, we had to close ours during covid to make somewhere to store all the click and collect parcels. As more people were buying online and George click and collect grew there wasn’t space anywhere else for them to go so our changing rooms are now the parcel collection hub. I don’t work on George but the department next to it and I am asked on a daily basis if we have changing rooms. There is clearly a demand for them but just not enough space in the store 🤷🏻‍♀️

People can more easily take the tags off in the changing room without being noticed.

They are using the space in ours where the changing rooms used to be to sell more stock.

I don't mind too much when they have made use of the space like in Asda. But the closed changing rooms at Sainsbury's drive me nuts.

During the restrictions our nearest Sainsburys even covered the mirrors up to discourage people from trying clothes on in the shop.

This thread has made me smile. "Aren't the clothes tagged though?" Clearly you have no idea of how much supermarkets lose every week in theft.

"I wish there was a way I could send them this thread" They don't care. They are cutting costs and protecting their shrink (losses) and they don't care that a few people on MN don't like it because they look at the bigger picture.

Bottom line is if you are going clothes shopping and want to try things on go to a clothes shop not a supermarket.

I am pleased to say my local Sainsburys has reopened their fitting rooms. Pity there was nothing I wanted to buy.

YANBU. Glad this irritates others as well. I rarely buy clothes in Asda now because of this.

I wonder if their clothing profits are suffering 🤔

We have a smallish local Asda and a bigger one about 10 miles away. I found 4 dresses I liked in the big Asda not realising they had got rid of the changing rooms. I could only afford one so bought that and had to take it back to our Asda. Complete pain.
I don't buy online as I am an awkward size (big) so I've given up.

Yesterday a woman was trying things on in the shop and you could see her bra etc. A man could have walked past at the moment
Supermarkets are opening themselves up to all kinds of things by not providing a private room.

Maybe MN could champion for tge return of the changing room.