What chains will be gone by the end of 2012

M&S will go within a couple of years.

Just come back from a large shopping complex.

M&S empty.Primark packed both selling cheap Chinese goods but Primark a third of the price.

 

[Hunnie]

"and reduction in marketing"

Actually, I have noticed that struggling firms often increase marketing in a desperate attempt to survive. MFI, Focus and a kitchen company (Magnet?) seemed to do this.

Regards
Hunnie

 

[Talay]

M&S will go within a couple of years.

Just come back from a large shopping complex.

M&S empty.Primark packed both selling cheap Chinese goods but Primark a third of the price.

I'll just redress the balance with a large shop at the weekend then.

 

[deniser]

Having read about the March of the Zombie businesses in the Times yesterday - more than 30% of companies alone made losses in 2009 aand 2010 and are only being kept alive because the Bank pulling the plug would look bad on the bank balance sheets, there must surely be an awful lot more to come.

I can't see what I am typing because there is an ad directly over this box that I am typing in. Not good, UKBF!

 

[PrestonLad]

Having read about the March of the Zombie businesses in the Times yesterday - more than 30% of companies alone made losses in 2009 aand 2010 and are only being kept alive because the Bank pulling the plug would look bad on the bank balance sheets, there must surely be an awful lot more to come.

I can't see what I am typing because there is an ad directly over this box that I am typing in. Not good, UKBF!

I've got an ad that covers most of the key links at the top of the page (e.g. "New Posts" is hidden). I think I noticed it last night for the first time.

 

[Newchodge]

It keeps cropping up every few ads. If you hover immediately below it where the new posts button should be, you will see the edge of a blue box that you can click on to get new posts.

 

[deniser]

I couldn't get rid of the ad at all on my ipad. Really annoying!

 

[gr9ce]

On a bright note I read today in DM that the EU are slapping some high import charges on crockery from China? (china from China maybe)
but wait....what is the reaction?
well it's a bad idea apparently, will put up costs of crockery and so little notice.

Um are these the cheap imports that undercut manufacturers in this country and put them out of business? Are there enough pottery manufacturers left in the UK that can suddenly compete on price again? suspect not.

Might send shudders through other types of oriental importers too.

 

[Deleted member 61074]

I couldn't get rid of the ad at all on my ipad. Really annoying!

Might be worth using the Tapatalk app, for a few pence you dont get ads

 

[daveymck]

Richer Sounds are dead in the water unless they get their act together quickly. Look at their web site - they're selling on price "hottest deals ever", "lowest price guaranteed", "Biggest Brands, Best Prices" and so on.

Well that's Ok, so long as you are the best price and so long as you sell what people want to buy.

I found neither when I wanted to upgrade my hifi and home cinema gear. The first bit of kit I asked for they didn't sell (it was a What-hifi Best Buy annual award speaker system) The second was a Panasonic TV which they did sell but when I went to buy it, it came out at about 15% more than the on-line price from a respected company. Their "guaranteed price match" turned out to be a price match only when you bought their 5 year guarantee too - which I regard as a dirty trick and told them so.

I'll never bother with Richer Sounds again - which is a shame because, like Comet, they were a good company once.

Richer Sounds have always tended to sell the coming to an end or just ended models on the hifi stuff, not sure about tv's but may well be why the What Hifi Best buy wasnt there, but it might be next year. I havent been in one for a while so not sure if they moved on from the end of line pile high sell cheap model they had.

 

[Vectis]

M&S will go within a couple of years.

Just come back from a large shopping complex.

M&S empty.Primark packed both selling cheap Chinese goods but Primark a third of the price.

Don't think so. M&S sell a lot more than clothes and, apparently, it's only the sale of women's clothes that caused the recent drop in profits. Profits on food etc are up.

 

[ncoopie11]

I reckon something like Dorothy Perkins or Argos?

 

[fattony]

I going with Argos, supermarkets (superstores) have quite a selection of toys, I see to remember asda price matching Argos not long ago

 

[cheaper accountant]

I can't see anything going wrong to that extent at M&S any time soon.

I do think that Argos is a dated model that won't survive long into the future, but the next major casualty for me will be HMV.

 

[Talay]

I can't see anything going wrong to that extent at M&S any time soon.

I do think that Argos is a dated model that won't survive long into the future, but the next major casualty for me will be HMV.

HMV has been to the wall and been reprieved more times than I've had hot dinners recently.

Argos is a dated concept but the ability to reserve online and pick up in store later the same day is hugely attractive. However, if Amazon every roll out same day delivery across more than major cities, they would surely be done for.

 

[mhall]

I wonder if Banned will be back in time to give us a de-brief on his thread?

 

[deniser]

I was wondering where Banned had got to.

 

[bizrep103]

If I could bet on blockbusters going bust within 12 months I'd stick a lot on it.
They are the dinosaur of the film world and have refused to innovate in previous years. Only now have they decided to come to the internet age but as anyone in business knows arriving at the party so late makes getting market share both expensive and difficult.

 

[bizrep103]

I would also add that this question is a bit negative and I'd rather hear entrepreneurs asking the question who are going to be the rising stars in retail next year. You can learn a lot more from market leaders than retail dinosaurs

 

[herewegoagain.]

Agree with Blockbusters -have you seen how tatty their stores are lately?

Has anyone heard if Bookers are in trouble?

 

[mhall]

I would also add that this question is a bit negative and I'd rather hear entrepreneurs asking the question who are going to be the rising stars in retail next year. You can learn a lot more from market leaders than retail dinosaurs

And yet this thread is by far the biggest Retail thread on the site, both in terms of views and replies. Perhaps we are all just happy to survive and as another big one falls, we thank our lucky stars that we are "small enough to care".

 

[kulture]

I am simply awaiting the 2013 thread....

 

[antropy]

If I could bet on blockbusters going bust within 12 months I'd stick a lot on it.

You could take out a short option on Blockbuster through a spread betting company

 

[Talay]

I am simply awaiting the 2013 thread....

It would not surprise me to see another Comet type going to the wall as Amazon and the like suck the air out of such businesses who offer no added value to offset their higher prices.

 

[MoritzL.]

I would also add that this question is a bit negative and I'd rather hear entrepreneurs asking the question who are going to be the rising stars in retail next year. You can learn a lot more from market leaders than retail dinosaurs

Well that's highly disputed. Learning from failures is often seen as even more important. Copying the best will just results in a me too product. Learning from failures helps to go further.

As written above, since comet is just going bust, I think we're going to see further consolidation in the electronical retailing.

 

[antropy]

Comet type ... businesses ... offer no added value to offset their higher prices.

Surely there's some value in being able to go in to the store and try out the products in the "flesh" as it were? The problem for these businesses is people do that and then order online where it's cheaper.

 

[mhall]

Surely there's some value in being able to go in to the store and try out the products in the "flesh" as it were? The problem for these businesses is people do that and then order online where it's cheaper.

Only if they can find it. We try and make that very hard for people. We are not a showroom for the internet.

 

[jdbcomputing]

In all likelihood, HMV.

In my dreams, DSGi. (PC World et al.)

 

[aman702]

Surely this means there's more scope for smaller businesses?

It's a shame for all of the people employed.

 

[kulture]

Surely this means there's more scope for smaller businesses?

It's a shame for all of the people employed.

Yes to both.

 

[jdbcomputing]

Agree with Blockbusters -have you seen how tatty their stores are lately?

Has anyone heard if Bookers are in trouble?

I'd be surprised if Booker goes, my local one is always rammed.

 

[antropy]

Only if they can find it. We try and make that very hard for people. We are not a showroom for the internet.

Agreed. Sounds like a good solution.

 

Only if they can find it. We try and make that very hard for people.

Is this a new marketing technic I have not heard of.?:|

 

[mhall]

Is this a new marketing technic I have not heard of.?:|

It wouldn't surprise me Earl

Quite simply, we remove all labels that identify our suppliers and replace them with our own. This makes it harder for people to find our stock on web sites.

We also replace barcodes with our own so the scanner apps won't work - seeing a geek discovering that a £90 gift is showing on his app as an Emmerdale DVD is a joy to behold.

We spend hours and hours finding good suppliers, we are not going to let our competitors know where we get the stock from, and we are certainly not about to encourage anyone to buy off the internet instead of us.

 

[10032012]

I'd be surprised if Booker goes, my local one is always rammed.

I think its unlikely... The largest Cash & Carry business as far as I am aware and they own the "Premier" franchise too. Their shares have taken a tumble rather recently but its been on an increase pretty much over the last few years quarter on quarter...

 

[Pap_sak]

kinda related to this thread...but have you guys had lots of loan type places opening up? Unsecured lending was pretty much just dealt with by loan sharks a few years ago, now is has mushroomed into a monster industry. In my little town there are at least 5 of these business that are part of big chains, with another one opening up. I am constantly amazed at how stupid people are lending from these guys.

 

[Barnie]

whilst i hate comet and the dsg stores, you have to feel a little sorry for them, you think they sell a laptop which will last for say 2 years and make around £40 on it. then you look at somewhere like superdry/cult, a hoody cost 70-90 and they will make around £40-85, it will last 6 months and their customers will buy several. its hardly surprising you get a shoddy service when you visit a dsg store.

 

[Esk247]

whilst i hate comet and the dsg stores, you have to feel a little sorry for them, you think they sell a laptop which will last for say 2 years and make around £40 on it. then you look at somewhere like superdry/cult, a hoody cost 70-90 and they will make around £40-85, it will last 6 months and their customers will buy several. its hardly surprising you get a shoddy service when you visit a dsg store.

Isn't that just number of sales though? e.g. the DSG customer base will be ten times larger than the customer base of superdry or top quality (perceived) stores.

So DSG sells to the masses, bulk order, ship them in ship them out, where as Superdry have a select market to keep happy, they do this by instilling a perceived value in their products with high pricing, trendy stores, on the button advertising campaigns that are aimed at people with a disposable income. DSG are hitting the family market, mass appeal, lower prices etc.

 

[herewegoagain.]

kinda related to this thread...but have you guys had lots of loan type places opening up? Unsecured lending was pretty much just dealt with by loan sharks a few years ago, now is has mushroomed into a monster industry. In my little town there are at least 5 of these business that are part of big chains, with another one opening up. I am constantly amazed at how stupid people are lending from these guys.

Yes, Pap, there are two local to me - I have seen people come out of there and go straight to the betting shop !!!!!

 

[S-Marketing]

Yes, Pap, there are two local to me - I have seen people come out of there and go straight to the betting shop !!!!!

That's a slippery slope isn't it, borrowing money at a high interest rate to gamble with. Never going to end well is it.