Are shops struggling?

[LoveLabradors]

I wonder if people are actually shopping less? Everywhere seems to have constant sales or unusual discounts for the time of year. Liberty have had promotions, sales and offers continually for the last few months. Hush have a very unusual 20% off week at the moment. The big online beauty retailers have constant promotions. The luxury advent calendars took ages to finally sell out even with discounts and offers.

In a nutshell: yes, very much so. (I work with clothing retailers)

The rise of clothing rental and Vinted / vintage is having an impact, alongside the "cost of living crisis" of course. I think the pandemic also saw lots of people declutter their wardrobes and be a bit more mindful of what they buy.

Certain brands did really well in the pandemic eg leisurewear so are really feeling it. Formal wear maybe less so as they've had a bad few years anyway, and now more people are looking for going out outfits as we make up for lost time.

Many brands are also finding themselves trapped in a vicious cycle where they are discounting so often that a large proportion of shoppers now won't buy at full price.

Sadly, some awful, unethical, inhumane fast fashion brands like SheIn seem to be doing ok.

Yes

I was shocked to read that Fenwick are closing their store on Bond Street. Such a great shop, and I expected that their target market wouldn’t be much affected by increases in the cost of living.

Although I was in Zara yesterday and that was heaving, so who knows?

I’ve just been unto our city centre and it was heaving, lots of people queuing to buy stuff. I have to say though, I do most of my shopping online now as there is hardly anything for me in the city. The shops are rubbish imo. Don’t get me started on M&S. The one near me has given over loads of floor space to brands like Hobbs and Phase Eight, which you can easily get elsewhere, but don’t have their own stuff in stock in the store.

If I remember correctly from past years, Hush usually do a 20% off around now as I hang on for Christmas bits. Just bought pyjamas and a bag for presents.

I’m sure lots of retailers will be struggling in the new year though. I wonder if there will be a slump in all the takeaway food deliveries round here. I don’t think anyone eats at home now!

I dunno. I was in Fenwicks a little while ago and was distinctly underwhelmed. They're stocking a lot of the same stuff that John Lewis does 100 metres up the road. What's the point in stocking Chanel when they literally have their flagship store metres away on Bond Street?

We don't need another Charlotte Tilbury concession, surely? They should have capitalised on their "unique British" branding and stocked smaller, upcoming brands. Or just harder to get, high end stuff like Liberty does.

There was a whole corner of the store given over to fantastically overpriced and underwhelming dried flower displays. Virtually no one in the entire store. I'm kind of sad that anything shuts, but they haven't adapted at all.

Was also recently in a branch of Fenwick's and noticed it was almost like JL, I wondered if it was due to Brexit leading them to stock fewer EU based brands? I noticed it more so in the home and food section.

I was visiting Newcastle recently and thought the branch of Fenwick there was really great and bustling with shoppers. I suppose in a smaller city it still sells more ‘different’ stuff. Apparently the company regard the Newcastle shop as their flagship.

Yes, the news story said that the Bond Street Fenwick store only makes (I think) 50% of the money that the Newcastle branch brings in. I can see why the latter is a success. It’s fabulous. They have gone upmarket rather than going down the Debenhams/House of Fraser road. Plus, there is plenty of money in the North East.

The comments by @Tigofigo confirm what I suspected to be the case.

We're in the East Midlands and I know that a lot of the London trips - shopping and see a show type things - have stopped post covid as people don't want to risk the coach travel. That's reducing foot fall in central London.

Eslewhere I think people are just cutting their cloth or focusing on their kids. When DH and I went shopping in Smythes a couple of Fridays ago it was rammed. We'd taken a weekday off work to do Christmas shopping, presuming shops would be empty, but they weren't, but I've seen plenty of people who are cutting down on presents for adults.

I keep seeing that Swarovski "pink box" advert on telly and wondering who the hell would buy things like the earrings in that advert for Christmas gifts. No one where we are seems to have the money for that sort of ostentatious spending.

I think all the add-on Christmas tat like Xmas bedding, home decor etc is suffering this year. It’s massively discounted everywhere and has been for several weeks.

DP works at a Designer Outlet village and they are extremely busy, more so than usual for this time of year. Maybe people are still spending but comprising on previous seasons, second hand etc

I wonder if people have left their Christmas shopping 'late' this year as I was surprised at how quiet its felt in town over the last few weeks?

I've been waiting for any sales before Christmas as these are often better than Black Friday which was largely rubbish this year! Whilst there's a lot of 20% off at the moment, everything has gone up so much I need to wait for bigger discounts.

I also know a lot of people donating to charity rather than giving presents (other than for kids) this year.

Dd (young adult) buys online. Admittedly she is not going to buy from M &S or John Lewis.
I know lots if people ( myself included) who buy used clothing from the likes of eBay or charity shops. It’s not that cheap but we fo it from an ethical point of view and also I’d rather pay for second hand but better quality.
I also know people who don’t think twice about buying from Shein and having things shipped half way around the world.
I also agree about the constant sales making role reluctant to buy at full price.
Years ago I stopped paying full price for dcs clothes just before Christmas as I knew everything I was buying from certain retailers would be half price on 26th December.

I think a lot of home working has made a difference and certainly in the southern half of the Uk I see less getting 'glammed up' even for nights out- casual is far more accepted these days. I find having a great selection of leggings and dresses/tops that go over leggings as well as a few 'holiday' type dresses covers me all round.

OMG!!! It’s my favourite store. Upset to read this. When is it closing??

Gutted! Their hosiery department is heaven.

I never bothered buying Sweaty Betty activewear in the past as I thought it was overpriced. I noticed a couple of month ago that they have a permanent sale, and so purchased some gear very cheaply. No doubt, the quality and fit is amazing, but there’s no incentive for me now to ever pay full price as stuff will always be discounted.

2024 I think. The building is on prime land, and they are selling that.

Fenwicks might have struggled but I’ve noticed no drop in footfall generally in central london. Every time I’ve popped in recently, it’s been rammed everywhere.

I bought my son a toy advent calendar a couple of years ago (Happyland) and I liked it so I decided to get one for my niece. They had all sold out and were for sale for £50 on ebay (around double their usual price).

This year I decided to get my niece one to give her at Xmas and she can just open all the doors and get the toys in one go as she is only little. I looked for it online today and Happyland and Playmobil ones are still available and some discounted.

Looks to me like a lot less people were wanting to spend £20 plus on an advent calendar.

I'm sick of sales that don't mean anything. I recently saw perfume ad that said 86% off. Every other store was selling it at that price as standard.

The £ is very low so I imagine the tourists are coming to shop here, but that spending isn't spread around the country.

Am gutted about Fenwicks closing their Bond Street branch - It's one of the few bricks and mortar stores I still physically shop in - have been shopping there for as long as I can remember.

I love their hair accessories department on the ground floor. Their lingerie buying is great with some brands that other department stores don't stock. I also like their mix of ladieswear brands too, again stocking brands others' don't.

Mostly though, I love their fabulous (and free) ladies powder room. Best (free) women's loos in the West End.

😭