Stock, in shops

[AuntyJackiesBrothersSistersBoy]

What’s going on now, on the high street? No wonder everywhere’s closing down.

This week, I’ve tried to buy a pair of shoes from Clark’s and a bra from a small bra shop. I spent 40 mins in the shoe shop with a SA who was very patiently up and down to the stock room trying to sort a comfortable shoe for my knackered feet. I found a shoe which was very soft leather and felt like slippers....I wanted to walk out with them on my feet, there and then. But, they had none in black, in my size. No problem I said, can you order them in? “No” none in the warehouse. None online. None within a 60 mile drive. These, are autumn/winter shoes. Why are they not stocked? In the shop I’d driven to, paid to park up and get soaking wet, walking from the car park to the shop. Useless.

The bra....I got a well fitted bra and decided to get it in various colours. I wanted two white (they only had one). The nude was out of stock. The black was not instore but they could order it for their next delivery, next week. Fair enough. The white and nude.....4-6 weeks delivers as none in the warehouse 😐. The lady said “you could try online”. And that, is why we have a high street full of charity shops, coffee shops or boarded up.

Sorry. Just a little rant but, worthy I think!

Can we have a link for the Clarks shoes please?

Un Blush Lo
Womens Shoes
Black Suede
£65

Honestly, SO comfy! They’re called “Unstructured”. They’re just to wear with a skirt. I cannot do heels or brogues or anything with stitching because of bunions.

Yes, there is a basic black jumper I want from Next, ive tried 3 stores and each had 2 size 6 and 2 size 20. I want a 14, just a plain black v neck wardrobe staple but no luck. I don’t really want to pay delivery. It’s not just clothes shops though, supermarkets are the same at the moment.

I wanted to buy 3 tops in Debenhams yesterday but fitting room was locked and I was told to go down 2 floors to find an open one. Decided to leave the tops, quite a nice sale lost for them.

There seems to be so much focus on choice at the expense of having decent amounts of stock in. Fashion retailers have umpteen versions and styles of everything, there's nowhere to store all that in all the sizes. I reckon.

But, what I’d call the MsAverage sizes. A black shoe, size 5 from the Autumn/winter range 😐😐😐

I was just having a moan to my dd, about this earlier they have some really nice skirts in M&S at the moment, completely sold out in my size in all the nearest stores & online, what really galls me is that they are new in, how can they be completely sold out? It’s beyond me that such a large company cannot ever seem to get the stock levels sorted out.

Exactly. Thing is, how can they bleat about dropping sales when we WANT to buy and new stock isn’t available?

The really annoying thing, was for the first time in years I actually wanted to buy stuff from M&S.

I think too many shops are running too many lines and not having enough stock.

It seems to be a thing to not keep lines in for long as well so instead of having autumn/winter and spring/summer, there's an endless roll of collections and lines which are in stock for maybe 3-4 weeks at a time. (One shop near me has a regular few rails of "last chance to buy" items so last sizes at no reduction to make space ready for yet another line). It's all very you must have this now... get it quick because if you don't come to us lots then you might miss out and we won't have your size again.

@dontcallmelen I had an experience a bit like this in M&S the other day too. I walk through it quite a lot to get the the food hall and a black watch tartan skirt caught my eye on a mannequin. The only size they had in store was a 6, the mannequin was wearing a 12. I asked if I could try it on and they refused! At the very least they could have let me try it so I could then order it online, even if it just meant the mannequin losing her dignity for 5 minutes lost sale for M&S.

@LittleWingSoul that’s the skirt I was after, also liked the black & white check, really good price & nice length.

@dontcallmelen ha, how funny is that!

T'Internet has shown everyone what's available, and it's not possible for bricks and mortar retailers to have everything. Living in a very small Devon town, I shop independent stores to see what I might like and I try to support them, but the reality is that Uniqlo is better and cheaper for the staple items I want like plain T shirts and jumpers, so that's where I shop. I don't need more dressy clothes, because I have already got a life time's worth, but replacing basics is unnecessarily hard.

I agree but....average sizes? The Clarks SA told me they have a pair in each size/width. When they’re gone they’re gone. And they then have to hunt around.

Completely agree op, can't remember the last time I bought a pair of shoes in a shop for this reason, I don't even bother going out anymore because I know what I want won't be in stock so just order online to save the hassle. Finding it happening more often with clothes too, I'm a size 12/14, which I think is an average size, so can't understand why there isn't loads of them!

and then they will report sales figures are down

and I also can't understand why Tesco have reversed the idea by only having items in store, except they haven't got any of my sizes in stock and now I can't nip home and order it in............I know they probably know what they are doing but if we can't buy anything then surely that must be bad for their business. You can't even browse what they may have online anymore.

Went to buy jeans in a department store. Not a single size 14 in any of the concessions. Must be no size 14 customers, I guess...

(Also rant: massive store but you can only take 4 items into the changing room!)

This is one of my bugbears - - if I am in a shop, it's because I want to buy things. Not order online whilst I happen to be on the premises.

I was very miffed with John Lewis when they had only one for each size sheet/colour on the shelves, thereby making it impossible to buy two plain white single fitted bottom sheets without coming back after Thursday. I was told it was how they managed the stock, and I could always order on line.

Instead I went elsewhere, and haven't bought sheets or towels there since (and they used to be a go-to for household stuff)

I have more sympathy for small branches not carrying a full range or running out, but I'm surprised at how long it can take to replenish stock. And if you need something urgently, or the journey to town is an effort, you are more likely to go elsewhere than wait.

I'd also be quite interested to know, when shops talk about how much of their business is now online, whether they have even attempted to find out how much of that is because people want to shop online and how much is actually orders reluctantly made that way because of lack of stock in store

This has irritated me for years, although up until now I've only been irritated by the likes of Currys who seem unable to carry any stock at all.

I went into H&M yesterday and had a vague notion that I might want a top to go with a pair of black trousers for work. Nothing in my size, and I'm a size 14.

Just getting round to watching the Stacey Dooley documentary - Fashion's Dirty Secrets, and it's talking about how fast fashion retailers release new 'collections' just about every week. So there's no way they're able to keep any volumes of stock in for any length of time.
It's all about 'buy the new thing NOW'. Keeping us always seeking out stuff!!