2013 unlucky for some closure predictions

[herewegoagain.]

and of course business people are human too, if something is going pear shaped all the sexy words will not save it QX

 

[Sobie]

Homebase:

after extremely poor customer service for an online furniture purchase, I ranted and raved on every site I could find to review homebase on including their facebook page. I'm not the only person there are thousands of complaints.

Homebase only have to read these reviews to put things right, but all they offer is the standard "sorry you've experienced poor customer service, this is a rare occurance". No its not - read the reviews! There issues would be unbelievably easy to sort out:

1) don't advertise stock for sale offering 3-5 days delivery, that you haven't actually got and have no chance of getting within that time.
2) Call the customer the day BEFORE delivery, or earlier. they know they haven't got the product so how do they expect to deliver it. Don't wait for the customer to phone you, saying I've sat in all day wheres my delivery?
3) on the second failed delivery, don't say "Oh its not in stock, can we re-arrange delivery for 3 weeks time" and DO NOT Guarentee delivery, which we were on many occassions

So they gave in and gave me a £30 voucher, this was last September.

Today I bit the bullet and went in-store to spend it. Even though I didn't want anything. I was shocked. Poor displays, incrediably over priced stock (somethings that I sell in my own shop at £2.99 where at £7.99) poor store layout, habitat products pushed in all over the place. low stock volumes I was looking at some pasta plates but they only had 2 in stock, then I looked at a frame for some artwork I was given, every colour and design of frame in the size i needed was out of stock. So I looked at a new office chair, there was three designs on view, none had any prices on them and there wasn't any stock of any of them. (just a big empty shelf with three chairs on it) Then I looked at a new shower, ours is playing up. They had a big display promotion of one I liked the look of, no price to be seen anywhere.

People were wandering about also complaining about the prices. I felt like giving the voucher to anyone I could see that was spending that amount. But they were not, little items such as plugs and lightbulbs were selling but that was about it.

I eventually chose to buy a new bin (how exciting) went to pay (there wasn't any ques) handed over the voucher and my nectar card. The woman on the till was visably unsure of how to deal with both cards so she told me I couldn't use the nectar card for purchases below £5 (even though I spent £35 for a bin that was £25 in the shop next door) I felt sorry for her and told her not to worry it wasn't important. She couldn't have had very good training. Then when we went to leave, their automatic doors wouldn't fully open and hubby hit himself on them trying to squeeze through with the new bin. no-one offered to help at all during our whole visit.

I won't be going back.

Homebase are top of my list to close this year.

The things I've mentioned are things that any good retailer would notice and put right immediately. Surely a little bit of staff training and they would notice these things too.

p.s. they were also selling box plants that were visably infected by box blight, but it was ok they were 1/2 price

 

[Talay]

Homebase are shocking but they are largely staffed by teenagers whose sole point of interest is where they got plastered last night, where they will be getting wasted tonight and who is believed to have shagged whom after a skinfull the other night !

Contrast that to B&Q who although short on staff every time I visit, are at least employing people who know one end of a chisel from another and quite a few older folk who know a bit about DIY and can pass on some real practical experience.

 

[Zoe zuo]

"some companies who are not making any money at the moment might still survive as long as the banks keep pumping money in."
I agree with your opinion .

 

[GRDCredit]

Here is a new name to the mix:

http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Business-Financial/Avon-tipped-to-disappear-in-2013

 

[papverpoppies]

Here is a new name to the mix:

http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Business-Financial/Avon-tipped-to-disappear-in-2013

Have to say I have often wondered how they keep going.
Did not realise they had been around for 70 years.

Time will tell.

 

[gr9ce]

Astounded to read today that Walgreens is taking a stake in Boots and Boots has a £7bn debt currently.......

How much debt does a company need to be declared insolvent?

 

[businessfunding]

How much debt does a company need to be declared insolvent?

The simple answer its - it depends entirely on what their assets are.

If their liabilities are greater than their assets then they are insolvent..

In the case of boots it is more complex as they are owned by an offshore parent; the 'top of the tree' situation in the Uk shows net assets of £2.2 billion, so not too unhealthy..

 

[Barnie]

Boots has overpaid on its loans the last few years. They have paid off several billion since 2008 whilst purchasing a shed load of companies. I wouldn't look at their public accounts in to much detail as a lot of the profit is offshore now.

I can't believe the merger is allowed to go ahead tbh. Boots own way to much of the pharmacy business in Europe.

 

[deniser]

Republic may be next according to the BBC.

 

[Mike W]

Serious question.... Is this thread really necessary any more?

Started out ok, and relevant, but it seems to have descended into a dungeon of doom and despondency, based largely on personal hypotheses ...because we don't like the staff, the website, the decor, the outdated signage etc ...or occasionally because we read it in 'Bump Monthly' 16 months ago.

Anyway, I'll wait to be shot down by a few and then unsubscribe so I stop getting wound up seeing it in my inbox

 

[gr9ce]

Thomas Cook closing 195 travel shops announced today 2500 jobs go. Sad day. Didn't realise they still had shops open (don't get out much).

 

[mhall]

Serious question.... Is this thread really necessary any more?

Started out ok, and relevant, but it seems to have descended into a dungeon of doom and despondency, based largely on personal hypotheses ...because we don't like the staff, the website, the decor, the outdated signage etc ...or occasionally because we read it in 'Bump Monthly' 16 months ago.

Anyway, I'll wait to be shot down by a few and then unsubscribe so I stop getting wound up seeing it in my inbox

If you don't want to be part of the conversation, unsubscribe - no one is forcing you to be part of it.

 

Serious question.... Is this thread really necessary any more?

Started out ok, and relevant, but it seems to have descended into a dungeon of doom and despondency, based largely on personal hypotheses ...

I think you may need to get out a bit more to see the reality of the state of the nation.

The general feeling is that times are very bad based on fact,not personal feelings ,maybe you don't do a lot of information gathering.?

 

[Talay]

Thomas Cook closing 195 travel shops announced today 2500 jobs go. Sad day. Didn't realise they still had shops open (don't get out much).

Dinosaur of a business model carrying way too much overhead in a world fleet of foot.

 

[Esk247]

Dinosaur of a business model carrying way too much overhead in a world fleet of foot.

I'm guessing their rents are due and theres sod all in the bank.

Lots of shop units should be coming up for rent though in prime locations lets hope the landlords actually let them out to people instead of waiting for another Thomas Cook to take their place.

 

[Mike W]

I think you may need to get out a bit more to see the reality of the state of the nation.

The general feeling is that times are very bad based on fact,not personal feelings ,maybe you don't do a lot of information gathering.?

I think maybe you ought to learn to read...

Nowhere did I imply that things were great, nor did I disabuse the fact that times are bad. I was merely expressing a point that a 'relevant post' (my words) had dwindled into (some) taking pot shots at (some) businesses merely because they didn't like something to do with them.

And if you can read, try reading the non-Sun reader way, by reading the content rather than simply the headline, and then you might not come out with sarcastic arrogance.

 

[lesliedocherty]

I think maybe you ought to learn to read...

Nowhere did I imply that things were great, nor did I disabuse the fact that times are bad. I was merely expressing a point that a 'relevant post' (my words) had dwindled into (some) taking pot shots at (some) businesses merely because they didn't like something to do with them.

And if you can read, try reading the non-Sun reader way, by reading the content rather than simply the headline, and then you might not come out with sarcastic arrogance.

If you don't like the thread, just steer clear, there's plenty of pish threads i bodyswerve. Your insults don't put you in a good light.

 

[Nuno]

Thing about this thread is that, whilst being relevant to the times we live in, it is a bit of a downer.

But the other thing is that we can't really do an optimistic alternative:

"2013 Lucky for some start up predictions"

But by looking at some of the reasons why some bigger players have gone under we might learn how to avoid those in our own micro, small or start up businesses.

 

[Mike W]

If you don't like the thread, just steer clear, there's plenty of pish threads i bodyswerve. Your insults don't put you in a good light.

I don't disagree. But maybe, sometimes, I'll choose to respond to someone who insults me rather than walk away.

Without wishing to be inflammatory though, genuinely, why did you choose to comment on what I'd said rather than what he had? I'm asking only out of interest.

Back on subject, if you see my original earlier post (the one which generated the response), I had said I was unsubscribing. Prior to going, though, I was making what I considered (and still consider) to be a valid comment. If you read the thread through, you will see a number of posts about 'dodgy businesses', made simply because the poster doesn't like some aspect of the business; nothing to do with anything they had heard, seen or read. A great example was the person going on about Maplins and their imminent demise.

It's complete rubbish (they're about to open 100 new stores) and Maplins may be big enough to look after themselves. But what if someone started talking about your business in the same way? No smoke etc...

I just think that things are bad enough without people throwing out wild, unfounded speculations.

 

A great example was the person going on about Maplins and their imminent demise.

It's complete rubbish (they're about to open 100 new stores) and Maplins may be big enough to look after themselves. .

Are you sure about that?

"The company's most recent accounts, filed at Companies House, show that in the year to January 1 2011, the business made a loss before tax of £32.7m on sales of £213m, against a loss of £26.1m on sales of £203m in the prior year. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...s-pull-sale-in-face-of-high-street-gloom.html

 

[Mike W]

Are you sure about that?

"The company’s most recent accounts, filed at Companies House, show that in the year to January 1 2011, the business made a loss before tax of £32.7m on sales of £213m, against a loss of £26.1m on sales of £203m in the prior year. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...s-pull-sale-in-face-of-high-street-gloom.html

I'll refer you to my earlier comment. That article is almost 2 years old. Try this from 3 weeks ago - http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/...store-revamp-as-sales-improve/5046388.article

I'd also suggest you read what the poster was saying, which is what I was getting at when I made my original post. She wasn't referring to anything she'd seen (like the example you've just posted) but simply because she didn't like the place.

Anyway, I'm not a spokesman or defender of Maplins. I was simply saying that those kind of toss-in-the-air comments didn't help anyone.

 

[helmuc]

ok guys.. I think you definately need a happy pill, so open your mouth:

short time ago US came up with a law that porn filmmakers can't film sexual acts without using condoms...

Well, huge part of the US adult movie business is coming to the UK :/

... ohhh, forgot to mention that this happy pill has got side effects if you are a strong religious person

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mike W]

ok guys.. I think you definately need a happy pill, so open your mouth

Lol, you're right.

Apologies Sir Earl for biting back

 

Lol, you're right.

Apologies Sir Earl for biting back

No need I am a grumpy old git at the best of times.

Now how do I get into this new wave porn industry.:|

 

[helmuc]

ok guys.. I think you definately need a happy pill, so open your mouth:

short time ago US came up with a law that porn filmmakers can't film sexual acts without using condoms...

Well, huge part of the US adult movie business is coming to the UK :/

... ohhh, forgot to mention that this happy pill has got side effects if you are a strong religious person

here is a reference with all the correct information: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4724178/uk-porn-industry-set-for-100m-boost.html

It appears that my memory let me down and expanded California into the USA

have a great day,
Helmuts