Another M&S rant...

Given up shopping for clothes in M&S - just by-pass their stores these days. Not just frumpy clothes but very poor customer service, disinterested staff and long queues at tills (so someone must be buying!!)

But do love their small food stores and those that staff them are very helpful and friendly.

I have found some nice tops in M&S for wearing over Christmas, but a problem is the slithery nylony material they are making a lot of patterned womens tops out of. They are uncomfortable and unrealistic for women over 50.

Their food is lovely.

Sparks - I have over 20,000 points and the offers I get always are for the wrong categories or at the wrong time financially.

M&S do some things right, and I always manage to find jeans and trousers ( although the sizing is iffy, no two identical pairs are alike).
Jane10 yes, maybe all the glitter has come Southwards!
Plenty to choose from for The Argy Bargy Christmas Party, I shall be head to toe dazzle mode.

Shouldn't be surprised as the customer is no longer 'king' and when you complain these days you get a non-committal response. I should add that I am also happy to praise good service or products. GWR and Pets' Corner have been recent recipients!

So I registered for M&S in touch community, took an hour instead of the few minutes they promised. The postings on the threads are just the same as on here and none of the complaints appear to be addressed.

lilypollen I shouldn't hold your breath, their have been anti-M&S threads on GN regularly ever since it started and we are always making the same criticisms, so not much has changed in over 5 years.

I can usually predict what will end up un the local outlet! There is a very ugly khaki shapeless dress will no doubt appear there soon.

I understand from my niece who works in another very popular high street retailer that companies monitor when they are mentioned on chat forums so hopefully the new M and S CEO is getting feedback on our conversation.

PLEASE DON'T IGNORE WHAT IS/SHOULD BE YOUR CORE MARKET.

I think all the sequins and glittery tops must have been shipped south!

I bet there is a lot left for the Christmas sales.

Having had a detailed perusal of the M&S near to me, I can report that there wasn’t a single top, shirt or jumper/ cardigan or dress that I wanted to buy.The jeans and trousers and undies are fine.
Tons of lurex, sewn on pearls, and frankly strange colours and patterns.

For me it's the store I love to hate. No denying their quality and design is a shadow of what used to be. Per Una jeans are my biggest bugbear, the ones I used to buy several years ago were made in Egypt and fitted and kept their shape well. Now made elsewhere, not doubt they are cheaper to produce but inferior quality and sizes inconsistent. I do pick up items in their sales/outlets which I like but definitely wouldn't pay the original retail price for. I can't fault their food and think it is much better and a better price than Waitrose.

So frustrated with m & s at the moment, in the last three days I have been backwards and forwards three times, I've bought five pair of trousers and jeans plus a jumper, only one pair fit, I haven't changed shape, but their clothes certainly have !

Saw some attractive Christmas decorations in a feature in an expensive magazine, looked for them in my local store, sorry, only available in selected stores, ie, not for peasants like you.
Found a plain grey jersey type skirt, just what I wanted, available in short, medium and long: twenty-one inches!

I was in the M&S outlet yesterday and there were some lovely outfits for Christmas.
My friend who is always very elegant got two pairs of Per Una jeans and a beautiful purple lace blouse for £75.
However, there were also some horrendous frumpy clothes that I wouldn't be seen dead in.
The store was very busy and just about everyone in the store was over 50.

Well I'm just back from our M&S. I was expecting the worst having read all the moans here. I have to say that you should all come to our branch! I saw umpteen things I liked and would have bought if I hadn't been shopping for others and saving up for Christmas!

I went into M&S yesterday and bought a beautiful pair of ankle boots. I did also see a lovely wrap dress, not that I would buy it as I have no need of it, but it was the only nice one there! Even DH comments on how awful some of the things are, he has said even his mother wouldn’t have worn them.

Sorry lazigirl. I am obsessed by how dreadful their clothes are. My nearest M&S is 15 miles away in a town I do not shop in so I tend to forget they sell food as well.

I live in Perth, W.Australia, and until recently always bought my shoes/boots on line from M & S in UK - I have wide feet and the Foxglove range suit me perfectly. However, when I tried to order some ankle boots recently, I couldn't find them on the Australian website, so I e-mailed M & S and was told the only way for me to get them was for someone to buy them for me in the UK and post them to me in Perth! Great customer service - not.

I like a lot of M&S food unless it has too much coriander in it, their new veggie stuff is great and the salads are always fresh.

I buy bedding sometimes too from M&S, and the stay cool stuff is lovely.

The clothes...well I have some lovely classy jumpers I bought in 2010 and they are still wearable but I bought 2 cardigans last winder and they are pilled and unwearable out of the house.

I wish also they sold sensible black skirts, in wearable lengths and not figure strangling.

Sometimes so little fabric is used in their clothes I think its the savings on fabric which are causing their clothes to be unappealing.

I have bought 2 long cardigans in navy and black with a waterfall front, they are smart and good value.

I can't find any proper trousers with wide legs and admit I am wearing wide leg black joggers with everything, everyday!

I went into Sainsbury's for the first time in years. Got quite a few bargains for DH and I. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality.

Have changed my allegiance from M&S to Sainsbury's, bought a lovely navy trench raincoat for £40 and a beautiful blue herringbone wool 'biker' style coat for £45. Bye - bye M&S!

MOnica. I meant food quality not clothing. I find it difficult buying clothing because I prefer things to last but quality seems to be the last thing on offer in any shops these days, and all the criticisms levelled at M&S can be levelled at almost any shop on the high street. I occasionally buy from Boden, but quality bit hit and miss and I also like Toast and Jigsaw, all quite pricey but I am concerned that for us to buy cheap, workers are living below the poverty line whichever brand you choose. I know that the more you pay doesn't necessarily mean ethical. What a dilemma.

Did you get a reply to your M&S email NemoNanna?
I too used to buy a lot of their clothes - not anymore - hardly go in store now.
I also got a super longish checked jacket/coat from TKMaxx for £25 - feel great in it.
Bye bye M&S.

I always buy my jeans in M&S. Not always the best quality but they fit perfectly as they aren’t loose around the waist