Back To School At M&s

[The Masked Tulip]

Just popped into my local M&S for a cuppa and was amazed to see the women's section full of school uniforms - and I am not talking the #adult' kind.

The schools have not yet finished for the Summer round my way and already M&S is selling school uniforms - surely anything you buy for a kid now will be too small for them after a Summer of growing?

I can only assume that they are desperate to push up the next quarter earnings so are trying to get parents to buy the uniforms now?

[1929crash]

Just popped into my local M&S for a cuppa and was amazed to see the women's section full of school uniforms - and I am not talking the #adult' kind.

The schools have not yet finished for the Summer round my way and already M&S is selling school uniforms - surely anything you buy for a kid now will be too small for them after a Summer of growing?

I can only assume that they are desperate to push up the next quarter earnings so are trying to get parents to buy the uniforms now?

Not long now until the (pre) Christmas sales . . .

[Not Long Now]

To be honest M&S were always going to struggle in a slowdown.

Part of their revivial over the last few years has been down to their food, which has universal appeal across gender / age ranges....unlike their clothes that have always been a bit dowdy.

People will cut back on such luxuries, and the fact that they fired their senior manager in charge of food last week, would indicate that this is an area that they are being hit hard.

They are now suffering as part of their own marketing. Their food is general regarded as being a little expensive, but good quality.

Such little luxuries are easy targets for householders looking at their spending. It's an easy cost to cut....

Mind you....Aldi are doing well at the moment.

[Snafu]

To be honest M&S were always going to struggle in a slowdown.

Part of their revivial over the last few years has been down to their food, which has universal appeal across gender / age ranges....unlike their clothes that have always been a bit dowdy.

:angry:

I buy my work clothes and work shoes from M&S

But then again, I am supposed to look dowdy at work (smart casual in the office).

EDIT: thought dowdy meant bland/boring, just learned it means shabbily dressed..hmm.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Snafu

[Leonard Hatred]

Part of their revivial over the last few years has been down to their food, which has universal appeal across gender / age ranges....unlike their clothes that have always been a bit dowdy.

I though it was down to them cancelling their contracts with British manufacturers and getting stuff from abroad instead. ISTR this happened in 1999-ish.

[wanttomoveon]

Like the economy in general, M&S has been living on borrowed time while they created their own 'economic miracle' of short-term high-profitability. They've been selling their assets and reducing quality - and now it's catching up with them. I still buy some of the food but I don't bother going there for socks any more. Shame really - because I used to be able to trust them.

As for having the right stock by season, Selfridges is worse - they have had their Christmas shop up and running in AUGUST for the last two years!

[The Masked Tulip]

I went into their Swansea store on Sat to buy 2 boxes of their spicey chicken wings - they only had one box there, on a Saturday (Their ordering process appears to be a mess IMPO), and the use by date was the same day.

When I queried it I was told, not in so many words, "tough!". I have got fed up with that particular store selling so much of its veg and fruit and cold meats either with the use by date being the same day as you are there or, at best, 1 or 2 days ahead.

All the other shops seem capable of having longer use by dates so why can't M&S hack it?

[kool4caats]

I think it was probably all Paxman's fault.

[Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Not sure the head of food should've been given the push - their food section is very good these days. Prices are a little steep, but that's M&S for yer - I really appreciate their stance on sustainability, animal welfare, etc.

Sounds like their head of logistics should've been given the push instead.

Also, given their Plan A stuff, surely they shouldn't drop their staff so readily anyhow. Howz about a zero redundancy policy or something similar? Sustainability is about employees as well as subcontractors and the environment dontcha know!

Are Lidl and Aldi really doing well in the UK, or is this just anecdotal? I hope they're still failing to prosper - a couple of years ago I was told that they had been losing money for over a decade in the UK - and long may that continue. When I was a graduate, I went along to an interview with Lidl. THey told me that I had to be prepared to work 80 hours a week or I could F&&& off (yes, they used those words during the interview in Bristol), so I told them to F&&& off. W&&&&&S!!!!!

If I shopped at Lidl I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

Edited July 7, 2008 by gruffydd

[The Masked Tulip]

Not sure the head of food should've been given the push - their food section is very good these days. Prices are a little steep, but that's M&S for yer - I really appreciate their stance on sustainability, animal welfare, etc.

Sounds like their head of logistics should've been given the push instead.

Also, given their Plan A stuff, surely they shouldn't drop their staff so readily anyhow. Howz about a zero redundancy policy or something similar? Sustainability is about employees as well as subcontractors and the environment dontcha know!

Are Lidl and Aldi really doing well in the UK, or is this just anecdotal? I hope they're still failing to prosper - a couple of years ago I was told that they had been losing money for over a decade in the UK - and long may that continue. When I was a graduate, I went along to an interview with Lidl. THey told me that I had to be prepared to work 80 hours a week or I could F&&& off (yes, they used those words during the interview in Bristol), so I told them to F&&& off. W&&&&&S!!!!!

If I shopped at Lidl I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

I believe, could be wrong, that Tesco has actually built copies of Aldi/Lidl stores somewhere so they can better understand how they manage to sell stuff so cheaply - apparently the can't work it out?

[Not Long Now]

Not sure the head of food should've been given the push - their food section is very good these days. Prices are a little steep, but that's M&S for yer - I really appreciate their stance on sustainability, animal welfare, etc.

Sounds like their head of logistics should've been given the push instead.

Also, given their Plan A stuff, surely they shouldn't drop their staff so readily anyhow. Howz about a zero redundancy policy or something similar? Sustainability is about employees as well as subcontractors and the environment dontcha know!

Are Lidl and Aldi really doing well in the UK, or is this just anecdotal? I hope they're still failing to prosper - a couple of years ago I was told that they had been losing money for over a decade in the UK - and long may that continue. When I was a graduate, I went along to an interview with Lidl. THey told me that I had to be prepared to work 80 hours a week or I could F&&& off (yes, they used those words during the interview in Bristol), so I told them to F&&& off. W&&&&&S!!!!!

If I shopped at Lidl I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

I believe that they are doing very well. Aldi are apparently recruiting like mad at the moment due to expansion.

[General Melchett]

This is not just a desperate ploy to sell something, This is an M&S desperate ploy to sell something...

(Said in a sexy voice)

Cant believe this has been up all day and no one has cracked this one

[General Melchett]

If I shopped at Lidl I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

Why? Are you afraid your purchases might animate and do something unspeakable (perhaps to you) while you sleep? If so, you really must stop eating cheese before turning in.

[Realistbear]

This is not just a desperate ploy to sell something, This is an M&S desperate ploy to sell something...

(Said in a sexy voice)

Cant believe this has been up all day and no one has cracked this one

Nice one! Last time I was in my local M&S the sales assistant gave me a "staff" discount card for 20% off anything and re-useable at that. I would hate to see M&S go under as I like the store a lot but if things get really rough in the months and years ahead they may dissappear from the scene. Really frightening IYAM.

[OnlyMe]

Are Lidl and Aldi really doing well in the UK, or is this just anecdotal? I hope they're still failing to prosper - a couple of years ago I was told that they had been losing money for over a decade in the UK - and long may that continue. When I was a graduate, I went along to an interview with Lidl. THey told me that I had to be prepared to work 80 hours a week or I could F&&& off (yes, they used those words during the interview in Bristol), so I told them to F&&& off. W&&&&&S!!!!!

One of them is planning to open another 1,000 outlets this year or next year.

[Battenberg]

Bizarrely, school uniform always goes on sale this time of year. By the beginning of August you can hardly get hold of it.

[Garry AKA Pod]

This isn't just any queue Dervla, this is a Dole queue.

[copydude]

To be honest M&S were always going to struggle in a slowdown.

People will cut back on such luxuries, and the fact that they fired their senior manager in charge of food last week, would indicate that this is an area that they are being hit hard.

Little luxuries are easy targets for householders looking at their spending. It's an easy cost to cut....

Related story today about Starbucks from Reuters.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0437926720080706

Financial woes at Starbucks Corp. means it is planning to close 600 underperforming U.S. stores.

"Starbucks was a cool brand, and then all of a sudden it's not a cool brand. There's this new global consciousness that is out there that can suddenly shift"

The 'global consciousness' is the dawning realisation that brand image may not be worth a premium price tag. Particularly when you don't have the money. And for sure, their socks ain't what they used to be.

A lot of brands will be called into question during this recession.

[Wires 74]

The sooner Marks and Spencer go bust the better -they threw 10,000 British textile workers on the dole in 1999 -I currently have some socks of theirs which would shame Primark for quality and all their sales staff seem to imagine they are doing them a huge favour just by serving you ...

Edited July 7, 2008 by Wires 74

[CrashedOutAndBurned]

Related story today about Starbucks from Reuters.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0437926720080706

Financial woes at Starbucks Corp. means it is planning to close 600 underperforming U.S. stores.

"Starbucks was a cool brand, and then all of a sudden it's not a cool brand. There's this new global consciousness that is out there that can suddenly shift"

The 'global consciousness' is the dawning realisation that brand image may not be worth a premium price tag. Particularly when you don't have the money. And for sure, their socks ain't what they used to be.

A lot of brands will be called into question during this recession.

That was obvious. Ten years ago 'starbucks people' were upscale creative young hipsters writing scripts for quirky indie films in the bohemian side of some US city.

Now Starbucks is virtually coffee McDonalds and in the daytime has a lot of teenage mums. Worse, McDonalds and pretty much every other cafe or eaterie now serves fancy coffee (often cheaper) making Starbucks even more pointless.

EDIT: SOCIAL OBSERVATION REMOVED DUE TO QUERY BY POSTER VERSED IN CURRENT PC PROTOCOL.

Edited July 7, 2008 by CrashedOutAndBurned

[Wires 74]

benefits `brown baby` buggy brigade

What`s that supposed to mean ?

[Mancghirl]

The sooner Marks and Spencer go bust the better -they threw 10,000 British textile workers on the dole in 1999 -I currently have some socks of theirs which would shame Primark for quality and all their sales staff seem to imagine they are doing them a huge favour just by serving you ...

Absolutely, they were quick to go overseas and showed no loyalty to the British worker. So why should the public show any loyalty to them now? Good point about the sales staff too.

[CrashedOutAndBurned]

What`s that supposed to mean ?

Young, often teenagde single mothers with babies you hang around shopping centres in the day time in groups of ten. Often assembled by Starbucks. Often have brown babies. Are you not allowed to say that? Harry Enfield did in a Slobs sketch when Wayne gets one for Waynetta off of Naomi Campbell. Perhaps a decade on it's not acceptable, I guess. The fact that teen mums have a lot of brown babies in many areas should not be mentioned in humour.

Edited July 7, 2008 by CrashedOutAndBurned

[quine]

Not sure the head of food should've been given the push - their food section is very good these days.

Marks and Spencers food is FULL of fat. Just check the labelling on back of packet. M & S are one of the worst offenders!

[Salty]

That was obvious. Ten years ago 'starbucks people' were upscale creative young hipsters writing scripts for quirky indie films in the bohemian side of some US city.

Now Starbucks is virtually coffee McDonalds and in the daytime haunted by the benefits brown baby buggy brigade in bland British shopping centres. Worse, McDonalds and pretty much every other cafe or eaterie now serves fancy coffee (often cheaper) making Starbucks even more pointless.

Exactly, Starbucks now has all the class of one of those tattoos which slappers have just above their bums, usually peeking over a visible thong and accompanied by jiggling side-fat.