Marks and Sparks

Thanks to the poster who reminded me that my £40 of vouchers were nearing their use by date. I nipped into our local M&S on my way home from work today and there were racks and racks of clothes on rails, all reduced by up to 70%. I found a chunky cable knit sweater and a woollen polo neck sweater on the sale rail, both marked down from almost £30 to £17 & £12 respectively. No problem waiting in a queue to be served because the shop looked deserted.
A lot of their ready meals were also marked down in the Food Hall. Their profit margins must be getting slimmer and slimmer.

I also think M&S have far too many lines to adequately deal with stock control. It’s extremely rare for me to ever find my bra size in any M&S shop in a design I like (it’s not an unusual size!). Racks and racks of clothes I wouldn’t dream of buying being mostly frumpy.

Gosh, thanks for all the responses, especially Squiffy for taking it to the top, well done. I didn’t realise that I would have stirred up such a hornets nest.

I have just ordered on line a sports bra and 2 running tops, will let you know what they are like.

Just to add my two-penny-worth, I was in M&S Bromley recently, looking for footglove shoes. They no longer stock these. Nearly every pair of size 5 shoes I tried on were either too big, too small, too narrow, too wide. Nothing seems to conform to "standard" sizing. I know it's true of other retailers but, for the prices they charge, I may as well go elsewhere.

I had a mooch in my local store while DH was upgrading his underwear.
I found it frustrating that not much is priced, neither on the item nor on the shelf. So I couldn’t make a decision about sheets, but did buy some nail varnish after asking a member of staff to check the price.
And incidentally, when I got home I found my necklace had dropped off so phoned the store a couple of times. On neither occasion did anyone answer.

Mr Squiffy was in our local store today and discovered that:

There’s no longer a dedicated Collection/Returns point. You have to queue at any till, so that means waiting while the assistant traipses upstairs to the storeroom to find your ordered goods.

Mr S heard on the radio that, apparently, ‘they’ are concentrating on online sales, which is why the goods in-store are somewhat lacking!

So, that’s all right then! ??

Squiffy And so it continues! I sussed out Tu today and bought a top. Unfortunately didn’t like the look of their underwear. I am seriously thinking of stock piling the bras I do like in Marks in case.......... of what could happen if things do not improve.

seriously thinking of stock piling

Hildagard I thought of doing the same with knickers!! Might explore the sock section, too!

Hope you don't think I've been taking over 'your' thread, but I've been in touch with M & S since a thread was started last year. Wall, head, banging, brick . . . . . Platitudes are the best I've had, really.

Squiffy not at all, I didn’t check if there was a previous thread, just started a new rant. Thank you for your action on this topic. Hate to think what rants are going to be on GN after vote in parliament on Tuesday are you willing to take action on those too?? Squiffy for PM!!

I think there are many positive things about M&S and I would miss it if it disappeared as I think they still have some value for money quality clothes which generally wash and wear well, if you are selective. I agree that their customer service has deteriorated, they used to offer no quibble returns. Other stores have overtaken them in this respect, JL is a case in point. I think the reason they access much of their clothing from abroad rather than UK is cost and availability. Perhaps after Brexit this will change? Sorry to bring up the B word on this forum

Not sure it would make it any easier to do returns if Brexit happens. That is company policy and not to do with where items are made.

I meant where clothing is sourced PECS.

Ha ha ha Hildagard! Not a cat in hell’s chance ???

Well I think quality control applies (re garments not necessarily work place conditions) now in Taiwan, China and Sri Lanka where a lot of clothes seem to be made. They will become more expensive if made in UK as labour costs will be greater. Do not think fabric industry is huge in UK either so either starting up new productions or importing.

Why oh why don't M&S ask their shoppers (or trying to be shoppers if only the clothing was decent) for their opinions? For several years now their clothing has been awful. My best friend and I meet regularly for shopping and always have a trot around M&S but I don't know when either of us bought anything. And she rang me yesterday and said that she had been in by herself and guess what, nearly everything in the clothing is in their sale, which is what we predicted in the Autumn! And we regularly have discussions in the store with ladies of similar ages to ourselves as to why M&S have so lost their way with the clothing. They need an advice panel of ladies who would like to shop there but heartily dislike the items on offer over the last few years

They do ask for our opinions AlexG, I made a comment further up the thread about being on a panel that reports back to M&S. Several times a year they send pictures of products and ask us to review them and say what we like and dislike about the product.
I am brutally honest and often tell them, as a person in their 70s, I wouldn't be seen dead in the colours and styles. They still appear on the rails so clearly think they are all things to all people and not providing for the grey pound.
Do they not look around the shops to see who is shopping there ?

harrigran I am also on the M & S review panel and I am sure they take little or no notice.

I too am on the panel and I still see the items I've said are hideous.
I popped in yesterday and there were rails and rails of unsold sale clothes, which basically were not worth the money.

You'd think that they'd cotton on to what customers don't want when they analyse their statistics for items that didn't sell - or didn't sell at full price. Perhaps they were off sick on the day that was taught at M & S School!

Unfortunately their attitude to consumer opinions reminds me of The Apprentice, where they set up focus groups and take absolutely no notice of what they say..

You'd think that they'd cotton on to what customers don't want when they analyse their statistics for items that didn't sell

At a guess, this analysis doesn't happen...

M&S has seen a shift in business in recent years and their stock is starting to reflect it. Over the next few years, they're transitioning further away from clothes as it's their food hall that makes them the most money.

Debenhams are good, but also going out of business so will also probably switch to the cheaper fabric products also to save money.

17 more M& S stores closing I see on the BBC home news page

Stood in M & S yesterday, gazed round at the tops and there wasn’t one I would buy. Very few people in the shop. Walked 2 doors down to Primark, it was bustling and I was spoilt for choice for things to buy. I buy most of my clothes in supermarkets cos their style is just right at great prices. M & S....are you reading all this??