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Original poster

Why can't M&S stock enough basic products in popular sizes? What's the matter with them?

28 replies

BigButtons · 30/12/2019 17:59

I hardly ever go in there but wanted some plain, basic black leather heeled shoes.
When I asked the shop assistant if they had them in a 5 she was genuinely surprised that I had bothered to try and find any the first place and had her back to me most of the time.
Where else can I go that will actually have stuff like that in stock?

OP posts:
eveshopper · 30/12/2019 18:05

Is the fact that they didn't have the one item you want on one particular day (of very few) really indicative of them not holding enough stock in popular sizes?

Ridiculous assumption to be making Hmm

Original poster
BigButtons · 30/12/2019 18:10

I don't think it is. I looked at loads of shoes in there and very few of them had a size 5 on the shelf. The shop assistant told me I would be lucky to find any because it is a popular size. Of course it is, bang on average for a woman. Get more in stock I suggest.

OP posts:
doritosdip · 30/12/2019 18:16

I would expect stock levels to be crazy atm because of bank holidays, Jan sales, people returning more items than usual because of Xmas so stock being at the returns counter rather than the shelves (assuming that this is a big M&S)

Most retailers are stocking less because they want people to buy online or use Click and Collect instead as its obviously cheaper for them.

Richlyfruited · 30/12/2019 20:18

Completely agree! I can almost guarantee that any halfway decent lines will be out of a size 10 in store. I usually have to order online for shoes/boots in size 5 too.

It drives me mad they can't get it right and I'm sure it affects their sales - although to be fair they're not the only retailer with this issue.

Original poster
BigButtons · 30/12/2019 20:34

The beef I have with those responsible for stock levels is that they know which sizes are most popular. Especially with basics like plain black heels. They are hardly fast fashion, they are - well basics. It’s not a risk to stock up, the will sell. So why not order a lot, keep them in the stock room and fill up the shelves. It’s their bloody job to ensure good stock turnover.
No wonder M&S is doing badly. I won’t go back.

OP posts:
darndifino · 30/12/2019 20:41

I was in my local one today. Wanted size 18 jeans in regular length. Hundreds of pairs of jeans in every colour you could wish for. In my size? No. Not many 18s at all, and those I could find were either short or long.

Doobigetta · 30/12/2019 20:54

M&S generally offer sizes 4, 6, 20 and 22 in anything I want to buy.

Doobigetta · 30/12/2019 20:57

They obviously don’t do stock ratios any more. When I worked in a shop 20-odd years ago, we had a set ratio for the number of each size to put out. 1 each at either end of the scale, and increasing towards the centre to the most popular sizes.

NobJobWinker · 30/12/2019 21:00

M&S are terrible for this

I went to the big York branch in November. Any clothing that was even vaguely nice had no size 10s or 12s, probably no 8 or 14 either there was literally rails of 6s and 18/20/22 etc

Thedevilofsmallthings · 30/12/2019 21:01

This predates online shopping. A few years ago I went to a huge M&S looking for tights, one wall was covering in black 80 denier tights, fab I thought, until I realised they were all one size (and not mine).

Cambionome · 30/12/2019 21:08

It's very rare to find a size 12 or 14 in M&S. Hundreds of size 20s. Sad

AJPTaylor · 30/12/2019 21:28

I went into Marks before Christmas. They did not have a single pair of 14 short jeans in any of the 20 or so styles/variations. Why not do 5 styles and actually be able to stock enough?

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 30/12/2019 21:29

M&S generally offer sizes 4, 6, 20 and 22 in anything I want to buy.
Yup.
Same in Sainsbury's. All the PJs you could ever need... provided you're not after a size 12.

Next is usually much better. And they do trousers of all varieties in long.

homemadecommunistrussia · 30/12/2019 21:36

They don't have stock rooms, everything is just ordered automatically when things are sold. Shops stopped working the way you describe about 30 years ago!
Black leather heels are not exactly a staple anymore either.

Original poster
BigButtons · 30/12/2019 21:52

If they are not a staple then they would have had plenty to go round. Maybe the company should have a re think on how it deals with stock issues. It’s a competitive market.

OP posts:
nancy75 · 30/12/2019 21:57

You’d be surprised how small most stockrooms are - they simply don’t have the room to keep loads of pairs out the back somewhere. Even a dedicated shoe shop will only have 3 or 4 pairs of a popular size in any one style in their stock room - there simply isn’t space for more.

TerraMirabilis · 30/12/2019 22:02

Try being a size 8 or more in shoes. What you described is par for the course for us.

woodhill · 30/12/2019 22:08

Stupid 3-5 sock sizing but no larger ones

woodhill · 30/12/2019 22:09

What was wrong with 4-7

Bunnylady54 · 30/12/2019 22:17

DH can’t be doing with M & S stores at all. He got a jumper for Christmas & wanted to exchange it in store but really couldn’t be doing with the lack of stuff in his size. And it’s pretty much like that every time ( we still go because I like some of the women’s & kids clothing, jewellery, lingerie etc) & he ends up looking online.

Original poster
BigButtons · 30/12/2019 22:18

I buy loads online- it’s my preferred way of shopping. However I have stupidly narrow ankles and high arches so I have to try on in shops if I don’t wear lace ups. If a shoe fits length wise it will slip off my ankles. I can’t be the only one who actually needs to physically try stuff on before I buy? Today I would have bought at least 2 pairs.
If anyone knows of brands that suit feet like mine I’d love to know!

OP posts:
KittyMarmalade · 30/12/2019 22:19

That's my continual experience in M&S. They've lost so many sales to me over the years. And I'm talking size 12 / shoe size 6 - nothing out of the ordinary.

Tolleshunt · 30/12/2019 22:23

At no time in the past 20 years have M&S realised they need to up their quotas for small/medium sized black opaque tights. They are ALWAYS out of stock at all times between end September and early February in any one of about 10 stores I can get to.

20 years at least this has been going on for. And in all that time nobody at M&S has noticed or done anything about it. 🤷‍♀️

Ariela · 30/12/2019 23:03

I actually find M&S OK, but we are lucky in that within a 20 mile radius there's a choice of probably half a dozen stores one of which is The Meadows in Camberley which is huge and des carry a lot of stuff, so, if what I like on the shelf isn't in my size I can look the code up in store and see if I can find it nearby OR order online to be delivered to a local food store (again 20 minutes away).

If you're not too far from a pick up point (food store or actual store) then combining actual shopping with online can work well.

TheMarbleFaun · 30/12/2019 23:08

I agree with Kitty so many lost sales as they seem unable to stock jeans in a size 14 regular