Is it me or are school uniform items in short supply?

[IShouldNotCoco]

In the last 2 years or so, I’ve noticed that school uniform items are becoming harder to get hold of from most places. They sell out quickly and don’t restock. There was also a lot more choice.

Who buys uniform literally the day the schools break up?

It’s not really the time of year when shops stick uniform in their physical shops. Places Like Next have plenty of everything from two year olds to eighteen year olds all year round online.

I’ve noticed for the last 2 years or so, uniform just isn’t as easy to get hold of as it was. I was trying to get a simple cardigan from M&S which was out of stock over a year ago and it was never restocked.

I find that if you start buying things 2 weeks before any new term, whether that’s September or after Christmas or Easter, there is very little left.

I agree that buying too close to the start of term is lower stock levels than just before the end of term.

My local supermarket (Morrisons) made the seasonal aisle Back To School only a week or so ago and I know that Tesco are selling Back To School stationery now so Yanbu to expect uniform to be available.

I think that M&S is going to be hit and miss across the country because of the cyber attack.

Oh yes, the cyber attack is likely to be why they didn’t do their usual 20% discount period which is usually (I think) in June. I’ve got children aged between 23 and 5 and I’ve noticed quite a difference in availability of different styles and that once things sell out, they don’t necessarily restock.

I saw something about them currently doing 20% off but it’s instore only presumably because they are nervous about the online system.

I agree with your point about things running out if you buy too close to the new school year OP. I like to get the basics early for that reason.

I was in Tesco earlier this week, and I was hoping to pick up some school shirts, but they had very little in stock, and none of that was in anything close to my DCs sizes. Hopefully they put the Back to School stuff out soon.

We have one shop for our secondary school for all uniform and sports kits, you have to book an appointment to visit the shop, you can't just walk in. It's nearly an all day thing but once it's done you don't have to worry about it.

I agree with you. I’m trying to find the stuff I need via M&S and Nedt but they don’t have the sizes. I always buy at this point in the year and there is less stock then normal

I couldn’t get pinafores in the size I needed in M&S. I ended up getting them elsewhere and I noticed many sizes out of stock on other websites. I didn’t want to risk waiting to see if M&S got the size back into stock in case everywhere else sold out.

I reckon it’s partly profit margins are so tight they are only buying and stocking what they think they will sell so don’t need to discount anything.

Some parts of the country have already had 3 weeks off!

Apart from when they started or changed schools I rarely bought new uniform in the summer. I replaced it when they outgrew or things got too scruffy to carry on wearing.

I don’t quite understand how everyone else’s children all grow in July and August!

Yes. We couldn't buy things like cardigans or tracksuit trousers. Sold out. You wait because you don't know how much your dc will grow.

ASDA had a fully stocked school uniform aisle about a month ago, we don't usually shop in there but were nearby for one of Dc's activates. I like to get stuff from M&S for the adjustable waist and slim fit so will probably do that in the next few weeks.

Our shops are full of uniforms. Kids been on holiday since beginning of month.

What I don’t have to get direct from the school supplier I got from John Lewis last week and they had everything in stock. Maybe try there if M&S is struggling after the cyber attack? Big haul for me this year as DS is starting reception and he has an older sister so not a lot can be handed down. It gets easier as they get older though, she only needed a new PE top this year, everything else still fits and shoes were last outgrown at Easter so should be fine to go back in. I like getting it done early before holiday and avoiding the last minute panic and can be pretty confident that they won’t grow that much over the summer- past the toddler years it’s usually pretty predictable and clothes last about a year.

Well I have bought DD’s school skirts from John Lewis and they couldn’t fulfill my order and I ended up with only two and having to get another one from Next (Clarks). My daughter is very tall and very slim at a time when some shops have stopped doing adjustable waists with their new skirts.

Since March this year, I tried to get light blue summer dresses in an age 6 from John Lewis but they were sold out and never restocked.

I have just purchased white shirts in age 6 from Next but quite a few sizes are already sold out.

Yes! In Scotland so our schools broke up a month ago- I’m going to be induced next week, so wanted everything sorted early incase we needed to return anything. And cannot for the life of me get the trousers I need for my eldest. It’s took me weeks to get everything else in as I find so much is sold out!