Redwurzel
Well-known member
A BBC article suggested old store layouts, modelling clothes aimed at 65 year olds with 25 year olds, poor loyalty card, late into online shopping, not speaking to customers, not having target customers.
All those points have some truth, but to me they have missed some key points:
Manufacturing quality of their clothes are poorer, but their prices are still quite high.
When M&S used British suppliers you felt you were buying clothes that were durable and made in a ethical way, now they seem to using similar suppliers to Primark. Food as well they used top quality British suppliers, now they use the same as the other supermarkets, but expect customers to pay premium prices.
Their food offering is generally expensive, it was never cheap, but I feel its become more expensive relative to its competitors.
Its overheads are too high - its selling food from prime sites on the high street, seem to be a lot of staff especially in head office, but also in the stores. What annoying in my store is that there are a lot of staff, but they only open 1 or 2 food service tills, expecting 90% of customers to use the unmanned tills.
Men's office wear was a big sales area such as suits. not as many people wear suits now.
I used to enjoy picking up bargains at their Outlet Stores which they shut down. The one at Redcar was always busy. That store must have made a profit, but it was shut.
The spread of Waitrose has affected M&S sales in mid income locations there is not enough room for both.
All those points have some truth, but to me they have missed some key points:
Manufacturing quality of their clothes are poorer, but their prices are still quite high.
When M&S used British suppliers you felt you were buying clothes that were durable and made in a ethical way, now they seem to using similar suppliers to Primark. Food as well they used top quality British suppliers, now they use the same as the other supermarkets, but expect customers to pay premium prices.
Their food offering is generally expensive, it was never cheap, but I feel its become more expensive relative to its competitors.
Its overheads are too high - its selling food from prime sites on the high street, seem to be a lot of staff especially in head office, but also in the stores. What annoying in my store is that there are a lot of staff, but they only open 1 or 2 food service tills, expecting 90% of customers to use the unmanned tills.
Men's office wear was a big sales area such as suits. not as many people wear suits now.
I used to enjoy picking up bargains at their Outlet Stores which they shut down. The one at Redcar was always busy. That store must have made a profit, but it was shut.
The spread of Waitrose has affected M&S sales in mid income locations there is not enough room for both.