spyguy Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 It's accountants/dumb short term thinking. They've cranked down the stock held in stores that all it takes for a few to be sold and the store is out of stock. I went to Blacks a few months ago. I tried buy a pair of size 11 trainer/boot things. Bloke goes and looks - No luck. Then he went into a very long rant about not being able to hold mor than 2 sizes of each shoe and 'what's the point of a shop that does not have things?' ON paper the system looks good - low stock levels/low capital tied up. Till feeds into database, database schedules vans to update stock during the week - say tues + thurs. The reality is I go in on Saturday. Try shoe on, get feet measured. decided to buy. No stock. Get told they might - might mind, not will - have pair in by next Sat. I go home, order on interweb, shoe delivered on Tues. I think the cost was about the same as the shop once postage was added in. Shop goesbust (its Blacks). Accountant is easily automated so gets job stacking shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albimac Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 1326577417[/url]' post='3232264']It's a fun film ... I think a national campaign to end the 'end of breakfast menu end times' .. Bacon is an all day food .. Or is there s e religious reasons hy you shouldn't eat it after half eleven On Friday after dropping the youngest off at crèche, the wife & I popped into an eating establishment ( is mentioned in the food food guide) for a good ole cooked breakfast. Time was shortly after 09:00. We were told rather disappointedly that the breakfasts stopped at 09:00, end of. So we drove about 4 miles to a place we knew did. They earned themselves an extra £22 that morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 LOL! Breakfast stopping at nine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albimac Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 1326618680[/url]' post='3232496']It's accountants/dumb short term thinking. They've cranked down the stock held in stores that all it takes for a few to be sold and the store is out of stock. I went to Blacks a few months ago. I tried buy a pair of size 11 trainer/boot things. Bloke goes and looks - No luck. Then he went into a very long rant about not being able to hold mor than 2 sizes of each shoe and 'what's the point of a shop that does not have things?' ON paper the system looks good - low stock levels/low capital tied up. Till feeds into database, database schedules vans to update stock during the week - say tues + thurs. The reality is I go in on Saturday. Try shoe on, get feet measured. decided to buy. No stock. Get told they might - might mind, not will - have pair in by next Sat. I go home, order on interweb, shoe delivered on Tues. I think the cost was about the same as the shop once postage was added in. Shop goesbust (its Blacks). Accountant is easily automated so gets job stacking shelves. I don't think things will change anytime soon, unless some clever individual comes up with a solution to monitor potential lost sales. On a more personal level, I've always experienced the out of stock situation when buying footwear. Due to my feet being a rather popular size 10. I sort of wished mine were larger, seems I was mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I don't think things will change anytime soon, unless some clever individual comes up with a solution to monitor potential lost sales. On a more personal level, I've always experienced the out of stock situation when buying footwear. Due to my feet being a rather popular size 10. I sort of wished mine were larger, seems I was mistaken. Even that doesn't stack up - do wearers of size 10 shoes have different styling preferances over wearers of size 8 and size 12? Any stock ordering/control system worth spit would have a sytem that looked at past sales for shoe styles and volumes for different sizes to optimize sales so that stock holdings were largely proportional to foot size in the general popoulation. Of course if they never stocked shoes sizes in the right proportions then the sales data would never properly reflect the actual demand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) Many shop staff get paid a wage whatever...why should they care if custom is lost, many of them don't want to be there, they have no pride in the company they work for, they are not given incentive, motivation to do better, they have not been trained correctly, they are not valued, their boss may be the same. Edited January 15, 2012 by winkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulfar Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Many shop staff get paid a wage whatever...why should they care if custom is lost, many of them don't want to be there, they have no pride in the company they work for, they are not given incentive, motivation to do better, they have not been trained correctly, they are not valued, their boss may be the same. Shop goes out of business. This sort of behaviour is not new but it is becoming much more widespread at a time when online trading is becoming the norm. Shops need to improve, they need to give you a good feeling when buying otherwise what is the point when compared to online retailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogbrush Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 It's evolution. Goods are being provided for less, with greater convenience. This is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Shop goes out of business. This sort of behaviour is not new but it is becoming much more widespread at a time when online trading is becoming the norm. Shops need to improve, they need to give you a good feeling when buying otherwise what is the point when compared to online retailers. A growing number of on-line businesses are run by the people that will ultimately benefit from their business....the exceptional service of one I dealt with this week can not be faulted. A Christmas present I received was not suitable and I required an exchange, they communicated with me politely via email nothing was too much trouble and sent a replacement, included in the parcel was a bag of sweets that I was not expecting...Thank you, you certainly went the extra mile.....it is the little things that count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doicare Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Not all shops offer a bad service, been looking for a new Rolex sub for weeks not one to be had in the southeast, my local retailer located 3 at its branch in Wales, following day they phoned me to pick one up. The other two had gone before I arrived to collect mine, some 2 hours latter. Talking to the manager, gold jewellery sales are dead; people are buying high end watches and diamonds for safety deposit storage. The female underwear shop nearby recently in administration now brought out by a middle east company is about to close 100 of its 160 stores, I bet most of that 60 are in the southeast. We will see large chains change hands and open again with less branches as always happens when resection strikes, but I believe the south will suffer far less than elsewhere in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrink Proof Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Reading this thread & remembering my own shopping experiences in both good times & bad, it's quite clear that a fair chunk of this has nothing to do with the economic circumstances prevailing at the time. It's just the same old, good old-fashioned couldn't give a flying f**k for the customer attitude, that makes so much of the experience of buying anything a right royal asspain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albimac Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I'm finding that I do the majority of my on line shopping through one company in particular. Their range is vast, the prices are very competitive & their customer service (the odd time I've had to use it) is very satisfying. The only thing they lack, that the high street should be able to supply, is instant gratification. However, I can pay extra postage & receive it quick smart. In my opinion the high street has only one advantage now,and that's when I require an item rather urgently & it's the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Yogi Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Shame, when all the shops disappear, what will we do for leisure? I am I the only one who makes no link between 'shopping' and 'leisure'? Shopping is a chore that I like to get out of the way as efficiently and quickly as possible. For this reason I do as much as I can online and rarely visit a real shop at all unless I have to. This enables me to have more time for proper leisure activities such as playing golf and drinking alcohol. There is a gross over-supply of 'real' shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrink Proof Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I am I the only one who makes no link between 'shopping' and 'leisure'? Shopping is a chore that I like to get out of the way as efficiently and quickly as possible. For this reason I do as much as I can online and rarely visit a real shop at all unless I have to. This enables me to have more time for proper leisure activities such as playing golf and drinking alcohol. There is a gross over-supply of 'real' shops. +1 (except for the golf bit...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggishunter1983 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Regarding the comment about the instant gratification that you get from shopping in store. In some ways i actually prefer ordering online and getting the joy of having a package delivered and ripping into it. Makes me feel like a kid at christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I'm finding that I do the majority of my on line shopping through one company in particular. Their range is vast, the prices are very competitive & their customer service (the odd time I've had to use it) is very satisfying. The only thing they lack, that the high street should be able to supply, is instant gratification. However, I can pay extra postage & receive it quick smart. In my opinion the high street has only one advantage now,and that's when I require an item rather urgently & it's the weekend. ...but that feeling of anticipation of receiving the parcel (at a place and time that suits the customer) is all part of the buying experience....most of us like to receive and open parcels...the returns part of it if necessary is not so satisfying though, that is why that has to be made easy and straight forward as possible...helps when you live near a post office, some companies will collect at your convenience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 One slight problem, not everyone is on the "World Wide Web" or has a "personal computer" to be able to "log on" and "purchase online". Will these people be left behind in the new world? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 How about a new business venture - mobile internet cafes. Gut a minibus, and fit 6-8 basic terminals. Charge £5 per hour on them. Keep one free so you can help place internet orders for not so computer savy people. Have on the outside of the bus "order your internet shopping here". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I am I the only one who makes no link between 'shopping' and 'leisure'? Shopping is a chore that I like to get out of the way as efficiently and quickly as possible. For this reason I do as much as I can online and rarely visit a real shop at all unless I have to. This enables me to have more time for proper leisure activities such as playing golf and drinking alcohol. There is a gross over-supply of 'real' shops. I jest, a little, it's a pastime for some. There was a planning application for a new and contentious Sainsbury's where one (lady) councillor on the Planning Committee used the fact that shopping was a 'leisure activity' as part of her justification for it. Great story above from Winkie about the sweets - they really get it. I must admit I've found online shopping where there has been a problem pretty good. Just got a 20% refund on a backdrop sheet which wasn't quite to my satisfaction. Going the extra mile is how it is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderpup Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Well you're the one who's always wanting to pay them more. I favour the John Lewis model, where everyone shares in the profits- and the service in there is generally above average, probably for this very reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJPJP Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) Nick Leslau speas some sense on the subject brings him out in a bit of a sweat in fact http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16146187 Edited January 15, 2012 by JPJPJP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebtFree2011 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) I can't be arsed with "real" shops anymore. I'll never forget an experience I had in Dixons a few years ago. The young "assistant" desperately wanted to sell me a "manager's special" (an old demonstrator), but when I chose another product he got sullen, went to get my chosen product, dumped the box on the floor ... and said nothing else to me!! What kind of customer service is that?! I'll never forget the teenage checkout girl in a branch of TESCO ... she tried to out-stare any customer within twenty feet of her . Then there are the dozy sods who forget to remove the security tags from goods you have just purchased ... BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP Last year I visited FOCUS DIY. I wanted to buy two table lamps at £20 each, but they only had one on display. I approached two members of staff who tried to ignore me, but when I politely interrupted them I was greeted with sighs. On another occasion the checkout people were so busy chatting to each other they forgot about the queue building up in front of them ("oh ... sorry!!!")! I wonder why they went bust? . I must also give a dishonourable mention to the small shops who treat potential customers as thieves! Amazon is great! I've never had a problem with them. Edited January 15, 2012 by DebtFree2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albimac Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 1326633737[/url]' post='3232670']One slight problem, not everyone is on the "World Wide Web" or has a "personal computer" to be able to "log on" and "purchase online". Will these people be left behind in the new world? My mother fits that description. No Internet or computer. However, she's always mightily impressed by the bargains I get online & the whole ease of finding the product you want. Her solution is to call me whenever she wants something. I purchase it for her & have it sent to her address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 To me a real shop is a shop you would find in a bustling market town....served by people who care to people that care enough to see they are supported....not a brand name insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durhamborn Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 A growing number of on-line businesses are run by the people that will ultimately benefit from their business....the exceptional service of one I dealt with this week can not be faulted. A Christmas present I received was not suitable and I required an exchange, they communicated with me politely via email nothing was too much trouble and sent a replacement, included in the parcel was a bag of sweets that I was not expecting...Thank you, you certainly went the extra mile.....it is the little things that count. Im an Ebay Top Rated Gold Powerseller.You nailed it above.I started 2 years ago when my employer started laying off (im still there).Im import manager,sales director,checkout boy,warehouse man,the lot,myself.Its a case of avoiding what the supermarkets sell and aim for products the likes of B+G ect sell as they are very un-competitive.Concentrate on one area perhaps only 10 products,but give 100% customer service.Time your containers coming in so you nearly run out,store at home as much as possible,and hire a container lockup that you can hire for around £50 a month. You have very few overheads.You might have slowish periods but no rents,rates bills etc sucking you under. Within 6 months i was making the same as in my day job (and its a decent job),and lay offs are coming again and im hoping im one of them. The future of retail for a large part of the market is sole traders selling in maybe one or two areas online.The big boys cant even get the products any cheaper,then have massive overheads on top. Plus as mentioned their staff dont care about the business because £200 a week,rent £100 a week means they see no reward.I care about everyone of my customers,and they always get 100%, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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