Page 5 | That some small businesses are failing because they don’t adapt to the needs of their customers?

Isawyou · 2023-02-18T23:02:32+00:00

I try to shop local. Fortunately I do have some great independent places nearby. What I am finding frustrating is for example the fruit and veg shop closes at 4.30pm. They start packing up at 3.45pm and it is really difficult to buy things from there where they are stacking all the stands with the produce inside. They also look unhappy at customers coming to buy at packing up time. It is easier to go to the Tesco express that stays open until midnight. Other shops do not open until 10am and close early. So I can’t get there before work or after work. They complain their businesses are not doing well and people do not shop local but they are not exactly facilitating it for the customers either.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 19/02/2023 06:56

BungleandGeorge · 19/02/2023 06:19

if You care about shopping locally why not go in on one of your days off? It’s really not necessary for everywhere to be open 24/7 to accommodate every whim of the customer. Are people working in shops expected to work 12 hour shifts 7 days a week to accommodate the occasional purchase? Yes it’s convenient but the reality is that most places are dead outside of core hours. If you’re in town it’s no great hardship to take some cash out the machine either!

Because sometimes we need / want things before our days off, or have other plans for them. If businesses want to stay viable they need to open at the convenience of their customers, not expect us to shop at their convenience!

PrincessOfWaiIs · 19/02/2023 07:00

Username24680 · 19/02/2023 05:34

As a manager in a small local independent (clothing store in my case) - regardless of what you do, there’s always going to be someone unhappy with it 😬😅

We open Mon-Sat 10-5 in winter, 9-5.30 in summer and Sunday 12-4 in winter and 11-5 in summer.
Every week I’ll have someone moan at me because we open too late (we don’t, we usually serve our first customer around 11am!) or about how ridiculous it is that we don’t do late night shopping (it’s not ridiculous - we rarely see a customer during the last 30-45 mins of trading). For us to open the shop earlier and stay open later just on the off chance that one of these people decided to shop would just not make financial sense to the business at all!
As it goes, the ones we get moaning about the times are usually the same ones to ask for a discount every time they come into the shop too.

You don't seem to have a very high opinion of your customers. 'Moaning', indeed.

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 19/02/2023 07:01

I know a few of our local business owners. They started businesses for an easier life, easy money and less hours. They are shocked when they find out that to make money in your own business you have to graft hard.

They're currently trying to sell their businesses. One is a cafe the other a 'pound shop' where nothing is a pound.

Bippetyboppityboob · 19/02/2023 07:01

It's the same here, cafes don't open until past 9 so the instant costa machine (ew) has a huge queue of school run/going to work people; no shops open Sunday except the small supermarket and a fair few close Saturday; lots close for lunch so miss that trade too. I expect in part at least its a viscious circle, need more takings to hire more staff and pay utilities for longer hours, but it's not accessible at all.

Username24680 · 19/02/2023 07:07

PrincessOfWaiIs · 19/02/2023 07:00

You don't seem to have a very high opinion of your customers. 'Moaning', indeed.

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@PrincessOfWaiIs I absolutely love the vast majority of our customers and frequently go out of my way for them. At the end of the day, they pay my bills snd allow me to take care of my family!!
But yes, there are absolutely some that can only be described as “moaning”. I’m sure anyone in a customer facing role would agree!

thehorsehasnowbolted · 19/02/2023 07:07

OP and other posters YABU about being annoyed when places only take cash. Can you also 'not be arsed' when business put up those silly 'Card Only' signs?

We need to use cash more often or more bank branches will close and it will be easier to push us all to a cashless society, which will not benefit anyone

Both options would be ideal, but card commissions are often high

The 'No Wifi' issue, I agree it can be annoying, but some cafes are very small and customers stay there for hours on end to do work or zoom meetings, which could jepardise turnover?

Inconvenient opening hours I tend to agree, they can be problematic, but maybe they have no option as families man the business themselves with no help?

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 19/02/2023 07:07

Florenz · 19/02/2023 01:00

If more shops stayed open later people would get into the habit of going into town and city centres after work to go shopping, meet friends, have a coffee, their hair done etc. It can't be just a couple of shops, they all need to do it. Unfortunately a lot of shop owners and workers are stuck in their ways and don't like change. I always remember going to a shop while on holiday and there being a sign saying something like "Please note that we do NOT sell batteries!" It's that kind of mentality that a lot of shop owners seem to have.

Exactly!

If the merchants would get together and make it worth shopping/dining in the evening, perhaps more of us would.

Lol on the batteries. Talk about clueless.

Captiancorrellistuba · 19/02/2023 07:09

autumn1610 · 19/02/2023 06:51

“f you buy lamb chops from your local butcher you'll know the animal will have been slaughtered that day and will be fresh”

@Captiancorrellistuba i personally wouldn’t want to be eating meat killer the same day as it’s pretty inedible. Mea Thad to hang to get rid of toxins, rigor morris etc. so they don’t run off down the abattoir to get fresh meat to sell that day. But get your point

Well, "you learn a new thing every day" as they say.

I'd heard of hanging beef but not lamb.

The local butcher must've been busy then, as I used to see him load meat out of a van most days.

IAgreeWithHim · 19/02/2023 07:12

I completely agree.

A friend was telling me about a friend of hers who runs a window washing business. Apparently during covid he was on his knees as he was not being employed and it was devastating to him- family business and all that. She encouraged me to call him when I needed my windows washing.

So I did. When I told him where I live he audibly sneered down the phone and said 'It's not worth my while driving the 5 miles to get to your place'. and then he just hung up.

This was about a year ago and my friend recently again suggested I call him because his business was in trouble. I did tell her what he said as well.

In another case, I have been trying since June last yar to pin down some upholsterers. They came and gave me a quote- £1200 odd. But they have just failed to turn up twice when they said and confirmed they would to pick the chairs up. Yet on their facebook page they are touting for busines and posting 'support your local business' posts.

FFS

IAgreeWithHim · 19/02/2023 07:14

I will add that we all live in a rural area so if the window washer is only going to have a radius of under 5 miles drive then he is- well- limiting- himself somewhat. And as he lives fairly close to my friend I know it is 3 miles for him to just get to the supermarket.

Username24680 · 19/02/2023 07:14

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 19/02/2023 07:07

Exactly!

If the merchants would get together and make it worth shopping/dining in the evening, perhaps more of us would.

Lol on the batteries. Talk about clueless.

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@Florenz @ZeldaWillTellYourFortune But who is going to absorb the extra costs associated with later opening until people’s habits change? These things don’t just happen overnight, people take time to change habits.
I absolutely agree with you btw, if it’s going to happen then it needs to be the majority of places.

Scalottia · 19/02/2023 07:16

boilingstormyseas · 18/02/2023 23:25

We have a pizza van that comes to our rural village but only takes cash (which I never have) so we didn't have pizza the other evening. The nearest cash point is a 30 minute round trip for us.

Yes I understand that this is annoying, but in future if you know that some businesses don't take card, just be a little more organised and have some cash tucked away for exactly this circumstance. This issue is really not that difficult to solve with a little planning. Especially if the cash point is so far away, wouldn't it make sense to always have cash at home?

IglesiasPiggl · 19/02/2023 07:16

I agree with PP that just "being local" isn't really enough. Not all places have a demographic for whom less convenient local shopping works, whereas others do. My mum lives in a village stuffed full of affluent, healthy retired folk who frequently have family visitors. They have a thriving set of local shops because the locals like the community feel, can afford the slightly higher prices and work with the dodgy opening hours.

Smoothlines · 19/02/2023 07:17

Cheeriochoc · 18/02/2023 23:12

It’s not just shops I feel like my GP practice is totally out of touch. Why do they close at the weekend? Surely people need to see a doctor 24/7 so why can’t they open on Saturday and Sundays too? Totally get there’s a shortage of doctors right now so wouldn’t want to make it worse but I’ve never understood why GP practices think they should open 9-5 Monday- Friday type hours!

My GP’s is open Saturdays (at least the morning) and is open till 8pm during the week (at least three days).

Soapnotshowergel · 19/02/2023 07:18

3 of the independent cafes in our town close at 3pm. Guess what's always heaving at 3.30pm? Starbucks. Guess the cafes don't like school kids!

Local bakery closes at 1pm on weekdays and 11am on Saturday, in the pandemic you could order online or on the phone to collect. Now it's back to normal you just have to visit the shop and you can't find out what they've got on the counter anymore, I've stopped going because I can't guarantee they'll have what we like.

Our DIY/garden centre now does a roaring trade in deliveries - it's open 7.30-6pm and they do next day delivery if you order by 11am. Small delivery fee but it's loads easier getting them to drop off bags of compost than me going to get it myself. They've adapted to customer needs and it's great - I'd much rather go to them than B&Q.

WhiteArsenic · 19/02/2023 07:25

Captiancorrellistuba · 19/02/2023 04:26

Reading comments like this tells me that most people haven't got a clue in Hell of what is involved with running a small local business - especially one that deals with perishables.

Of course it will be more expensive - they don't have the ability to "pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap like Aldi & Lidl as they don't have the turnover to fund that.

Most butchers have to be at the abattoir at 4am at the latest to collect meat (slaughtering usually starts at 1-2. am ) which then has to be butchered before it can be displayed when they open at 8.00.am. That's why many local ones probably shut at 4.00.pm

Fishmongers need to be at the docks at 6.00.am when the auctions for fish landings take place. So they will work similar hours that includes very early travel time.

There is very little profit margin on fruit & veg, which is why most of these shops combine it with floristry.

I'm not sure what is meant by "less convenient". If you buy lamb chops from your local butcher you'll know the animal will have been slaughtered that day and will be fresh.
If you buy from a supermarket the meat will have been refrigerated (or even frozen) for goodness knows how long.

At the end of the day it's customer choice.

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I don’t think this is true of the UK meat trade? When I did my abattoir work experience as a vet student, admittedly a long time ago, the (quite big) abattoir was only open something like 7.30 am to 3 pm, five days a week. As a PP said, good quality meat is hung for days or weeks before eating. Expensive free range turkeys are all killed a good week before Christmas. I expect butchers do need to get their meat each day in hot countries with not much infrastructure where refrigeration is difficult and therefore meat is highly perishable, but I don’t think it’s such a time sensitive sector in the UK. Also, our local butcher receives deliveries of meat, they don’t go and collect it, whereas the greengrocer is indeed going up to London to collect his stock at the crack of dawn each day. And he stays open later in the evening than the butcher! But he employs extra staff to do so, and does a good trade with evening commuters as a result.

thehorsehasnowbolted · 19/02/2023 07:25

MarieKlepto · 19/02/2023 00:26

The retail landscape has totally changed but so many people still want to visit a physical shop, not buy blind online. Mon-Fr 9-5 really doesn't work well these days so why not go to Sat-Sun 9-5 and all day with late night opening Thurs (which used to be a thing). The rest of the time, your premises are a base for your online sales?

This

Londonlassy · 19/02/2023 07:29

Cheeriochoc · 18/02/2023 23:12

It’s not just shops I feel like my GP practice is totally out of touch. Why do they close at the weekend? Surely people need to see a doctor 24/7 so why can’t they open on Saturday and Sundays too? Totally get there’s a shortage of doctors right now so wouldn’t want to make it worse but I’ve never understood why GP practices think they should open 9-5 Monday- Friday type hours!

But we are talking about business that are collapsing because they can’t get work/ customers. GPs are currently overwhelmed with their work/customers (patients) they certainly aren’t going bust ( some are walking away due to unmanageable workload but that’s another discussion)

Superstorefan123 · 19/02/2023 07:31

I totally get the point that small businesses maybe can’t afford to be open all hours but what I don’t understand is why they pick the hours they do!

One local cafe is open 7-2 and another 10-4… one is packed with commuters picking up a morning coffee/and another is empty :(

shops would be better off doing weekends and skipping a Monday/Tuesday!

imnotthatkindofmum · 19/02/2023 07:34

LibrariansGiveUsPower · 19/02/2023 00:56

Cafe Nero are a massive chain. They can afford to do the extra hour as a loss leader in the hope it’ll put the smaller cafe’s out of business.

So few people on this thread have the vaguest concept of business costs.

Fruit and veg shop if it stays open another hour will probably have to employ extra staff, to gain maybe one of two customers. The cost might not be justifiable.

Yes but why not just have different hours so they stay open the same length of time but maybe start later OR open earlier to catch the work crowd. Adaptability is key. I speak from experience as a shop owner.

Kazzyhoward · 19/02/2023 07:35

RuthW · 18/02/2023 23:33

GP surgeries are private business paid for their services to the nhs. We certainly can't afford the staff to open longer than 8am-6.30pm.

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Small shops are private businesses who also can't afford staff to open at quieter times!

Ilkleymoor · 19/02/2023 07:35

I love near a high street with a good range of independent shops (not only twiddly cards), cinema, DIY store and find it really useful. It's also nice for a wander down and makes the area more interesting. But they have normal shopping hours.

Only thing I miss from my old area is that the old place had a brilliant bookshop that was incredibly well curated. I always thought this was an exaggerated and show offy word for a bookshop but this one was brilliant, really interesting well chosen books and staff who could have a great conversation and recommend. New place has an independent bookshop and I'm grateful for it but it's not on that level of brilliant. I do now have a really excellent charity bookshop though which has had some absolute gems.

keeponandonandon · 19/02/2023 07:36

JimDixon · 18/02/2023 23:33

Have got the opposite near me: Somewhere whose typical customer is a builder/worker wanting to buy a sandwich on their lunch break. But since COVID they have been card only, they won’t take cash at all!

I wonder how my surgery manages then? Mine is amazing - opens Sat and Sun until lunchtime and 2 weeknights nights until 7 on top of usual hours

keeponandonandon · 19/02/2023 07:38

@JimDixon not sure what happened there was meant to be quoting @RuthW

Hooklander · 19/02/2023 07:38

I stopped using my local corner shop when the owners became obsessed with a local planning application. They never shut up about it from the moment you entered the shop to the moment they finally allowed you to pay and leave. As one customer (who was braver than me) said exasperatedly while trying to escape the shop with his pint of milk, 'do I look like the chair of the fucking planning committee?'

This nonsense went on for over a year and in the end I thought, 'fuck it' and walked past that bloody shop to Asda.

I do think that shopkeepers' and business owners' personalities and demeanors can make or break a business if there's competition in the vicinity - which these days is nearly always, either physically or online.