Who on earth manages stock levels in M&S??

[Candleseason]

Whoever it is, I honestly can’t believe how hopeless they are.

this morning I had a hour or two to kill in our nearest city and thought it was an ideal chance to go into the large M&S and stock up on some things for autumn. I fancied a couple of their merino jumpers, possibly a cashmere one and also to try on their loose fitting cashmere cardigan. Having budgeted for £200 - £300, I left empty handed. The main reason being the lack of any sizes other than 18 and upwards. I appreciate that sizes 10 -14 will likely be the most popular but why not order in more of these?

Surely it isn’t rocket science to work out that as their merino wool is well priced,it is likely to be popular and getting enough stock in both the shops and online would be sensible.

This isn’t a new thing, I’ve often thought that if you are a size 8 or 20/22 then M&S will always have your size in stock, it’s just everything else that seems to be impossible.

Not just an M&S issue. And at least M&S have kept their petite range in store much longer than other brands. I've had to shop online now for years from most places because apparently if you're short you don't deserve to be able to buy in store any more 🙄.

I order things online then try it on in store and return immediately. But saying that I've stopped buying anything M&S as somehow even if it looks good on others or I like it originally when i try it on it always ends up making me feel frumpy and old on the 3rd wear or so. I have dresses, jumpers etc which something about me and the cut makes me look awful.

I tried some linen trousers on in a 12 Regular and I'd have had to have been 6ft for them to fit me. The king length must be for people on stilts.

My local one (which is not massive) rarely has anything under a size 16. It definitely has more 18s than anything else. I'm a 8/10 and they might have one style of jeans with some smaller sizes but they seem not to bother to stock many of them at all in the first place. I assume it's based on customer demographics/demand but it's such a generic shop that I feel like it should cater to more.

That’s the reason I only shop online nowadays.
And because I do that, I also end up avoiding those high street brands because I have a choice you don’t have in RL.

I think those (physical) shops are going to struggle more and more because of that. Why bother to even try to put your feet in there if you can do it in a few clicks from your armchair? Maybe that’s the aim 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I was in our local Primark with my Granddaughter when they had their sale on, every single item in the sale were size 6,8,10. Every time you go in there those are the only sizes on the rail. Surely they must realise those sizes are not needed in this store.

I think nowadays they prioritise their online sales, silly when they should be encouraging people into stores; but I can never find my size (12) or shoe size (7) when I go into store, but 99% of the time they'll have it online. It's a shame as I prefer viewing stuff in person before buying, but it's one of the reasons imo the high street is dying- tends to be better availability online.

I went in my local M&S today and a lot of the clothes look really frumpy.

Same as mine. My local fairly large M&S hasn’t stocked size 22 for ages in anything, other than underwear and size 20 - 22 dressing gowns.

Perhaps our locals who shop in M&S are generally thinner than those of the previous posters, who can only find size 8 and 22+?

That would fit with @sangriaandsunshine who works in the City and can find lots of size 12 things in hers, because City workers tend to be “stick insects”.

M&S may have better ordering systems than we are giving them credit for.

I completely agree about their sizing being very variable. I had this conversation a few years ago with a gap year student who was working there. He completely agreed, and said it’s the same with the staff uniforms. He said he orders several of the same item in the same size hoping that of one of them will fit.

Well try finding a 36A bra!

Could some of this is down to the way modern clothing retailing is? There's an enormous about of choice, so many styles, constant churn. Are retailers including M&S just focus on this instead of really examining what is popular and keeping good stock of that.
Re. the crazy sizing anomalies,I've read before on MN that this is down to modern cheap manufacturing whereby huge stacks of cloth are cut at the same time and this leads to inaccuracy and inconsistencies.

I ordered a Bomber Jacket style cardigan this week and on advise of online reviews went down a size - a couple of them said to go down 2 sizes - it came today. I can fasten it but would be no good if I had anything under it, even a shirt. Thankfully they got them in store yesterday so was able to exchange but would have been annoyed if it was not there as they have sold out of M online.

I was looking for some basic items for a holiday and not a store near me had stock of things like basic white vest tops. There's a nice wool jacket I'd like to buy, again none in store and I'd really like to try it on rather than just have it delivered.

@lolstevelol
I was in Next today and saw a jacket I fancied; lack of the one in M&S; only had size 8 or 18, was told to order online. That doesn't help me if I want to try it on before buying.

It's an unusual size TBH

36 back is around an 18 but an A cup is 1 inch difference between back and boobs

I could have written this! They only stock XS or XL sizes?!? Why? Drives me mad.

A friend works in our local Marks, in the bakery.

There are Head Office instructions about how much to cook each day of individual items. She was told to ignore that - the store staff have worked out what sells, and cook accordingly.

I think it used to be easier when there was less choice and fewer sizing options. There are thousands of product lines available, with a wide range of sizes and lengths. It would be unreasonable imo for everything to be available in every store when there is lower footfall than what there used to be. It is frustrating, but M and S do very good online ordering compared to other stores.

It's not just M&S, it's everywhere. I'm a size 8 or 10 (depending on the brand) and size 5 shoes. Fairly straighforward you would think. No! I can never find anything in I like in my size these days, that goes for bras to dresses to knickers - you name it.

^^ this exactly. You can't rely on the sizes. You need to try it all on. The jeans are terrible! I have literally bought the same pair of jeans in different sizes on the same day.

The in store sizes are bonkers. 20 pairs of size 21 and no average!

They'd never accept that level of variation in their food products.

Agreed. Have been in so many times and seen 5-6 things I like but none in my size so I walk out empty handed. For jeans they have size 8 to 20 in short, regular and long. So that's 21 sizes to stock. They surely know they can't stock all those sizes! I sometimes order online then pick it up, and go straight to the changing rooms and try there, then return what I don't want, to save another visit. But mostly I just don't bother.

Usually things I want are out of stock online too.. especially the short sizes, which is the main reason I buy from m&S. I've found myself wondering if it's a marketing ploy as I've definitely bought stuff more readily because it's in stock in my size.

We went today. I wanted knee boots, two pairs and husband wanted 4 work shirts. Our local store had neither. Only ancle boots, and for men only nightwear. Came home and got shirts online from Charles Tyrwhitts £120.00 one pair boots from BrandAlley £300 and one pair from Barbour £200 so they list out on a decent amount from us today.

Yes it's really tedious. I only need a second to size up whether something might work for me. But these days I mostly have to order it, wait for it to arrive and then return it. It seems environmentally unsustainable (I don't drive and would use public transport to get to the shops) but maybe it's better than having loads of stuff lying unsold in shops?

I'm now on my third boots order with Next as the first two didn't fit, at least there I have a credit according by so don't have to pay out upfront.

Now a shopping trip for me is only worth it if I've got some click and collects waiting for me, then I try on and return if not suitable but it just all seems an almighty faff and waste of time.

On Marks, I bought a T-shirt in there recently, in a size 6 when I'm a classic size 10. Only bought it because I was able to try three sizes (6/8/10).