Why do some shops have fitting rooms open and others don't?

[ssd]

I though no shops were allowed to have changing rooms open, although not sure where I read this?
I was in one store today and they told me the changing rooms are now open. I was just surprised?

Because people are interpreting the rules differently.

The trying on clothes thing is silly anyway. If I can take clothes home and try them on and bring them back and they get stored for 3 days, why can't I try them on in the shop and they get stored for 3 days? Is it to do with quantities? But surely some of the items tried on in the shop are actually bought so don't need quarantining anyway?

I can't believe that trying on puts that much more of my germs on an item than sorting thru to find right size & holding it up to look at.

I was in a shopping mall today (God I hate the back to school shop!) and when we went to the loos there was a queue of girls, age 14/15 all going into a loo to try on clothing. Which I’m assuming they’ll then take back to the shop for a refund if they don’t fit. They all had bags from 2 or 3 shops with them.

So an extra layer of ‘dirt’ from the toilets then, rather than the changing rooms. I really don’t see the point.

I've heard it's not the virus being on clothes, it's the fact social distancing can't happen in fitting rooms. Maybe that's it?

Well, when changing rooms are open people leave clothes in them and make a mess, so I can see why they’d rather you just tried things at home.

I think in some shops the changing rooms are being used for the 3 day storage thing, if they have no space for it elsewhere in store.

Changing rooms would cause several issues if they were open. Not only does the design of a typical changing room not leave 2 meters between cubicles there are usually people congregating outside waiting for their companion to try on clothing and some people try on several outfits that they have no intentions of buying (which shops simply cannot afford to allow whilst such clothes would have to be taken off sale for a few days each time they are tried on). Changing rooms can also be used as additional storage areas, both for clothes requiring isolation but also for any shelving units that have been removed to enable social distancing.

Changing rooms being shut is so utterly pointless. Retailers need to realise that customers are rapidly losing patience with all this and if they want to encourage people back in to spend, they are going to have to provide a better experience.

Thinking back, I don't actually remember any announcements about the closure of changing rooms

Stupid rule, always was

Independent shops round my way have them open with strict hygiene practices. I swear the staff in my local Next and M&S think I'm a weirdo, forever in there taking something or other back for a refund. 🙄

I think maybe more shops are now using common sense and Opening the changing rooms.

Which retailers have opened their changing rooms?

It ha certainly put me off clothes shopping. I've needed new bras recently, but am not sure of my size at the moment ( lockdown pounds!). They're always tricky to get right at the best of times though.
It's such a pain to have to buy half a dozen and take most of them back.

I also want to know which high Street shops have their changing rooms open...

Seasalt and Crew clothing changing rooms are open. I used them yesterday . A lady in Joules told me that the changing rooms were not open as clothes had to be quarantined after being tried on , she told me this as she put the dress I had just returned straight back on the shelf?? I had tried it on at home that morning so.....

The changing rooms being closed is a real pita if I'm honest. I need a few new bits and have just done a couple of online orders with each item in 2 sizes because the post office is a lot easier to get to than my local shopping centre to do the returns.

I really enjoy browsing the shops, but I want to be able to try things on, especially with how inconsistent sizes are between shops. Once or twice a year I will usually get the train to London and go clothes shopping. There are quite a few shops that I really like on Oxford Street that aren't in my local shopping centre but if I can't try things on then there's no way I'd buy clothes from shops that I can't return to a store near me. So I won't be doing my usual Oxford Street trip next month.

Changing rooms being closed is a real barrier for getting people spending on the high street imo.

Yep, its nonsense, but then hopefully it won't last for long. I dont see the point in buying in a shop if I have to go there and back twice to return some things, might as well order online and then i only have to go to the closer post office once to return what doesn't fit.

Or more I'll just make do with what I've got. (Although I was looking forward to some new autumnal shopping.)

@CallmeAngelina

It ha certainly put me off clothes shopping. I've needed new bras recently, but am not sure of my size at the moment ( lockdown pounds!). They're always tricky to get right at the best of times though. It's such a pain to have to buy half a dozen and take most of them back.

Bravissimo changing rooms are open. But I didn’t feel I could go my usual of trying on ten or so different styles. I picked a style and size that I’ve had before and just tried on that one to check it still fitted. Also they don’t come in with you and help you like they used to (which is completely understandable to keep staff safe just not the same).

Well, that's effectively what I did in the end. But the style I've been wearing in the last couple of years is from Debenhams, and I was panicking that they would close down before I could get hold of any - and they'd already sold out on line. The racks in-store are a bit hit and miss at the moment for stock in all sizes.
Anyway, I found what I wanted, bought a range of different colours and tried them on at home and they're perfect.
Job done.

I know it’s a pain isn’t it. The one advantage the night street has over internet shopping is trying things on without buying first and that’s not happening now.

I did try on a top too but it turned out that the sleeves looked really odd on me, I felt bad putting it back in quarantine so the shop can’t sell it for three days.

I’d be happy to try on something that has recently been tried on by someone else and just be careful not to touch my face and would wash me and the item if I purchased it.

I would have bought some clothes on Monday if I could have tried them on. Instead I didn't bother and have now saved my money.

Not sure what the rules are about trying on shoes?
I did buy a pair of frumpy dog-walking sandals in Sports Direct the other week, and there was no way I wasn't going to try them on. Fortunately, no one was looking and the first pair fitted a treat so I bought them.

Had the amusing experience today of ...
go to shop
choose hoody, hope L fits
pay, barely get out the door
DS puts L size on, it's too small
walk around the building (is a one way system in and out)
come back around and ask to exchange
poke around to find an XL, return size L, pay excess...

I guess it saves effort of cleaning a changing room

DD is desperate to go shopping but we can’t til changing rooms open, I can’t be faded with returning things . I hate shopping but good lord I’ll be so happy when they open them just to have something new to do!

Faffed! Although faded is how I feel shopping!