Support the shops?

[Hawcara]

Recently my I decided to buy my wife a Kindle (the new £89) version. In the interests of helping keep the jobs in the shops I went to a large PC emporium. It seemed we knew more about the thing, due to the internet than the assistant, who could not even show one in operation. The large emporium did not have one in stock but said it would be there later in the day. We paid by card. We live near Plymouth, but somehow the store in Sunderland contacted us to ask why we wanted one from there. They contacted the Plymouth store, and after a few phone calls we picked it up later that day. We had now been to the shop twice.

When we got it home it did not work, or rather it could not be registered. Kindle said it was faulty and to take it back. At the shop we were offered another or they could register it for us for £15!. We declined and got the money back. This was on day 2.

That same evening, now a Friday, we went on the interrnet, ordered it from Amazon and it arrived on the Monday, preregistered. Job done.

Moral of the story, shop online where possible. Stuff the local shops, much as they need the jobs.

I know this a silly rant, but... :-S

[Mel B]

Unfortunately I'm afraid that that is the case at a lot of 'local' shops, they just don't have a clue about what they are selling a lot of the time. When I looked at a Kindle in one of the local telecoms shops about a month ago the chap didn't have a clue about it, and it couldn't be demonstrated either as it was just a dummy version - I was able to educate HIM about the 3G version!

 

Same with computers, when I was looking for my new laptop, some of the shops hadn't a clue about the different processors, didn't inspire confidence at all.

[Klyne]

Got ours in John Lewis, nice demonstration and the bonus of being able to see the accessories first hand.

 

David

[BGD]

I seem to recall that we've debated this topic before, fairly recently.

 

The world does indeed move on.

The days of most high street shops in developed countries like the UK really are numbered.

That's neither a good thing nor a bad thing, it's simply a fact. Despite what we each pretend from time to time, we as a bunch of consumers are not moral; for any like-for-like consumer good, in almost every single case we simply look for cheapest price.

 

The technological change of the maturing internet and computerised "central warehousing direct to consumer" distribution networks has simply changed the selling game, and continues to change it faster and faster.

 

This change means masses of new jobs being created by big Companies like Amazon etc, and in little one-man-band ebay etc businesses (the sort of modern 21st century equivalent of the self employed corner shop proprietor) and in distribution Companies; as well as in web-development companies.

Not as many jobs of course as they remove from traditional shop retailing, but that's because their very purposes is to be leaner: they have to and can deliver the same product at lower cost to beat the high street, and that is why more and more consumers are moving to them.

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

But this will not entirely supplant the high street, it just makes parts of it redundant. If our economies are buoyant, those redundant shops will be taken over by others, selling goods that buyers prefer to choose on the basis of fit, feel, or taste, be-it meat and fish, or shoes and clothes - and of course the ever present coffee shops. So, IMO, the local shop will survive, but will just be different.

 

This is already visible, but for different reasons, in many French high-streets, where a lot of traditional shops have been replaced by outlets at town fringe "commercial centres", with clothing, footwear and jewelry type outlets, and bars and cafés, moving into their places. The internet merely shifts the town fringe outlet on again to a warehouse but, IMO, it can only work for products where large numbers of people are confident the goods on offer are reliable, reputably manufactured products, such as computers, cameras, sat navs, etc, or are low tech like light bulbs or books, where their characteristics and tactile properties are of minimal significance.

 

Don't think this is the death of the high-street, or even the triumph of the internet, but just another of those commercial changes that come and go as transport and technology open opportunities to do things differently.

[vindiboy]

Klyne - 2011-11-20 10:39 PM

 

Got ours in John Lewis, nice demonstration and the bonus of being able to see the accessories first hand.

 

David

We use John Lewis for most purchases, best prices and proper salespeople who know what they are talking about, I have just had a Washing Machine delivered free , they would have plumbed it in and taken the old one away but I did not need that service, they phoned on the day of delivery and said they would be with us within the hour and they were. They are the best, TYRELL and GREEN in Southampton.

[Retread24800]

Klyne - 2011-11-20 11:39 PM Got ours in John Lewis, nice demonstration and the bonus of being able to see the accessories first hand. David

Jolly good but read here first before darkening 'the partnership' doors. :-)

I would try the High St but cant find anywhere to park.

[Klyne]

vindiboy - 2011-11-21 12:02 PM

 

Klyne - 2011-11-20 10:39 PM

 

They are the best, TYRELL and GREEN in Southampton.

 

Tyrrell's has long gone, now John Lewis Southampton!!!! I assume you must have known the old shop? On a recent visit to Southampton I was surprised to see that the 'old shop' had been completely flattened! Do you remember the Barova Restaurant?

 

David

[Klyne]

BGD - 2011-11-21 8:22 AM

 

I seem to recall that we've debated this topic before, fairly recently.

 

The world does indeed move on.

The days of most high street shops in developed countries like the UK really are numbered.

That's neither a good thing nor a bad thing, it's simply a fact. Despite what we each pretend from time to time, we as a bunch of consumers are not moral; for any like-for-like consumer good, in almost every single case we simply look for cheapest price.

 

The technological change of the maturing internet and computerised "central warehousing direct to consumer" distribution networks has simply changed the selling game, and continues to change it faster and faster.

 

This change means masses of new jobs being created by big Companies like Amazon etc, and in little one-man-band ebay etc businesses (the sort of modern 21st century equivalent of the self employed corner shop proprietor) and in distribution Companies; as well as in web-development companies.

Not as many jobs of course as they remove from traditional shop retailing, but that's because their very purposes is to be leaner: they have to and can deliver the same product at lower cost to beat the high street, and that is why more and more consumers are moving to them.

 

 

I see your point but perhaps don't agree on the likely extent of the change. People still like to to see a product and to talk to someone first hand, even if they then go and order it on the internet! What would women do if they did not have shops. I think what we are seeing is a bricks and clicks approach where shops are still on the high street but also on the interent. Even stuffy old John Lewis has embraced this and their Click and Collect system is excellent, usually quicker than getting something sent by carrier. The main thing that will keep people on the High Street is good customer service but some retailers have to try a lot harder at that.

 

David

[Guest peter]

Retread24800 - 2011-11-21 12:33 PM

Klyne - 2011-11-20 11:39 PM Got ours in John Lewis, nice demonstration and the bonus of being able to see the accessories first hand. David

Jolly good but read here first before darkening 'the partnership' doors. :-)

I would try the High St but cant find anywhere to park.

Below is the text from the above link. I must say I'm fully in agreement with Waitrose on this issue. We really can't tolerate the great unwashed being let loose in these emporiums. Whatever next, before we know it they will be darkening the doors of M & S food department. :D "UK supermarket chain Waitrose has withdrawn its popular ‘essential’ range after discovering that the cut-price products had led to a number of poor people shopping there. The discount brand, launched in 2009 to help Waitrose’s core customer base cope with the recession without having to downgrade one of their Range Rovers, was proving extremely successful. This success appears to have come at a price though, with the unwanted side effect of attracting the working class. ‘At first it worked fine, our regular shoppers were delighted with the new range, and common people were still put off by the Waitrose branding’ explained marketing director Rupert Thomas, ‘but as we advertised more, and made the mistake of including the prices of products in our TV commercials, we began to see some undesirable characters appearing in our aisles, enticed in by the prospect of finding a tin of beans for under £5, which they previously hadn’t expected from us. One horrid man even came in wearing a Hi-Vis vest looking for a sandwich. It was awful.’ The popularity of the ‘essential’ range had seen it quickly expand to include affordable versions of many foodstuffs and household items. To make matters worse Waitrose also starting pointing out that many of their prices were the same as those found in Tescos, attracting even more lower class shoppers and alienating many of their existing clientele. ‘It was so demeaning finding out that I wasn’t paying any more for my groceries than a common chav’ moaned former Waitrose customer Emily Hamilton-Brown. ‘I’ve gone back to doing my weekly shop at Fortnum & Mason now, just to make sure I don’t accidentally purchase something that’s buy-one-get-one-free.’ ‘Hopefully withdrawing the products and stopping the adverts will stop any additional commoners coming in,’ continued Mr Thomas, ‘but we still have the problem of getting rid of the ones that have already started shopping with us. They’re still turning up, wandering around looking a bit lost and not buying anything. We’re thinking of putting up signs outside pointing out that Lidl down the road has some great deals on, or maybe we’ll just put down some traps baited with chicken nuggets so we can catch them humanely and release them in Asda.’"

[Colin Leake]

Just come back from a 6 hour shopping trip with the boss looking for cushions. As it happens we failed to find any but I must admit it is better to see and feel the real product. Bad new is she has not given up and we are off to Royal Tunbridge Wells to resume the quest tomorrow!

[Retread24800]

Colin Leake - 2011-11-21 7:41 PM Just come back from a 6 hour shopping trip with the boss looking for cushions. As it happens we failed to find any but I must admit it is better to see and feel the real product. Bad new is she has not given up and we are off to Royal Tunbridge Wells to resume the quest tomorrow!

Take a tip from me and become thoroughly critical of all the goods you may be shown for your 'approval', not that your approbation counts of course, eventually the gatherer partner (Vide 'hunter-gatherer' on Wikipedia) will become frustrated and insist that she shops alone............QED ;-)

[Colin Leake]

Note we came back having spent nothing unlike what normally happens when as she prefers she goes with our daughter!

[Dave225]

The biggest downside of internet shopping is the the fact that it either relies on the Post Office to deliver, or some delivery Company. You are very unlikely to get a delivery time and 9 times out of 10 the PO will put a card through the door saying you were out and you have to go to the sorting office to collect it. This is after paying often a high postal charge if the item is below a certain value. Even delivery Companies invariably arrive 10 minutes after you have gone out and although do try to re-deliver you have to hang about to collect.

 

Yes, I do use internet but if possible try to get items that will go through the letter box. A big electronic item will not fit that restriction.

 

I do accept that the shops at the moment are full of stuff you probably would not wish to buy, even John Lewis. Lord knows who the buyers are but they have been sold a pile of old tat. Also everyone is waiting on the pre Christmas sales and then it will get busy. Our 'high Strrets' do tend to have changes and you really need to analyse the market to ensure you will remain in business. Niche shops seem to work, at least for a while. Fortunately we seem to be getting away from the Banks, Building Societies and Estate Agents that seemed to dominate not so long ago, and that is an improvement. However there are only so many coffe shops a street can take.

[Mel B]

We bought a new washing machine from Tesco Direct last week, special offer on it and, after having trawled round the shops looking at what they had, which we would happily have bought, nothing came close to matching what we wanted at a sensible price, and, although the delivery was £19.99, there was a £20.00 voucher advertised on the site so that negated it.

 

We were told what day it would come, and the day before were texted to say it would be within a 3 hour window (7am-10am), then we got a 15 minute 'warning' call to say it was on its way and it duly arrived 12 minutes later at 8.55 am. The chaps delivering it were extremely pleasant and helpful, and would have put it in place if we'd wanted them to, and put our old one outside for us. Couldn't fault the service at all. :-D

[Guest peter]

Splashing out a bit aren't we Mel. You're throwing your cash about like a woman with no arms. :D