What is up with M & S?

Flickety interestingly they are now losing serious money on the clothing ranges. I just ordered a swinsuit on line and it was see-through before it was wet, no suppport form the padded cups and the supposed tummy control absent.

Sorry to resurrect this subject again but I am thoroughly p****d off with M&S today

In early May I bought a 70% cotton 30% silk top from said store.It cost about £25.00. Since then I have worn it most weeks and it goes in the wash every 10 days or so. This morning I put the top on, over trousers, and when it was on gently tugged the back to make it even over my bum, when there was a tearing sound and the back 'gave' more than expected. When I looked at my top there was a 4 inch rent in the fabric, of the type you usually get when fabric is very worn and thin. Looking over the top I found another smaller, half inch, rent that I had not previously noted.

My nearest M&S is 15 miles away in a town I rarely visit. Anyway I have no time at present to do a 30 mile round trip to return it so I have done a repair and it should last out the summer. I have never been a regular M&S shopper, it is generally my shop of last resort, but it is noticeable than almost every garment I have bought there since Stuart Rose and his sucessor have been in charge has had to be returned or ditched early because the quality is so poor, sweaters unwearably pilled within six weeks, T shirts transparent when wet, not a pretty sight, and shirts, like this one but including several others, where the fabric has torn or trim has come off within weeks.

Well, they have now lost my custom completely.

I was interested in your comments Grandmama about trousers that actually come up to the waist. I have always shopped for trousers in M&S because I like the 31" leg and a little bit of colour, or at least something different, but the last pair I bought there - unfortunately didn't try them on in the shop, because they are always o.k. - were too tight, short in the crotch and very uncomfortable. I find Cotton Traders now do the length I like, and the quality is good, plus some decent colours. Just because I am getting on a bit doesn't mean I want to dress in dark colours. Incidentally, the fact that the trousers were too tight, had nothing to do with me being a little bigger in the rear area the one's from Cotton Traders fit fine. I do find these days that when I go to M&S it appears to be the mostly very well heeled ladies who are there, perhaps because they are able to shop and buy without counting the pennies,as we do, but then again, perhaps that is just me being envious, although envy is not part of my make up.

M&S has gone steadily downmarket. Their style was never great but their quality was good. Both are now on the floor. We have Primark and BHS for cheap and cheerful so why go to Marks?

I would say they are losing money because

1 Quality is no longer there.
2 Style is absent (I've heard Per Una described as "holiday clothes for Daily Express readers" ....snobby but accurate)
3 Too many different items/too swift changeover...you can never go in and find that 'camel coloured cardigan you saw last month' for example.
4Service is sloppy
5 Sales and offers are poorly displayed
6 It is not an inviting store to enter

M&S Trousers - I have several old M&S pairs (very old, bought in charity shops a long time ago) that have the waistband ON MY WAIST, ie, where my tummy actually goes in a bit where my tummy button is. I need to replace these old worn-out, shiny trousers but all the M&S ones have too short a crotch - the waistband sits below my waistline, just across where my tummy bulges. I think that the Classics elasticated waistbands would probably sit on my waist but, as I say to my daughters, I can still do up zips and fasten buttons so I don't need elasticated.

The bra fitting a couple of years ago was disappointing. Not a good fit. I had a much better fitting at York's family-owned department store - and I was given washing instructions (for the bra, not for me) and it was carefully wrapped up.

Can they please start making stuff for ladies with BOOBS? And all those awful smock style print tops which look awful on anyone. I remain loyal to their trousers though, so many styles in different lengths, bound to find a pair to fit perfectly. I love the animal-print mac I bought there a few weeks back - it has certainly had plenty of wear!

They closed our local M&S store a year ago. So sod em.

I was there today trying to find chino style trousers. The nearest ones were either bright red or a strange colour that might be best described as puce. I want a neutral colour that isn't black, grey or navy blue! Saw some nice tops in Wallis - with sleeves, would you believe!

I think M & S should decide who they are -- they should not be competing with the young High Street -- others do it cheaper and better now -- they should return to the things they were always good at -- classic, great quality clothes that go on year after year - wash after wash -- with just a nod at the current fashion. Some of the rubbish colours, styles and attempts to be trendy are quite horrendous -- see the Speziale range for some hilarious examples.!

Marks and Spencer clothes! How I wish I could 'walk through' one of their clothing departments with 'the boss' and tell him what's wrong with the majority of the garments. Per Una - who wants to look like an over decorated Christmas tree? Classic - haven't got words to describe it, cotton Tee shirts - how many years have they been churning out the same style? Smock tops - last time I found those appealing was when I was pregnant! When my children were young, I didn't have the money to 'splash' on myself, at that time M&S had an abundance of clothes I wanted, but couldn't afford. Now, my family have 'flown the nest' I have the money to spend, but there is nothing I want to buy. Visiting one of their stores is a depressing experience

Last time I dragged OH into M and S to try trousers there was a total absence of assistance in the large menswear dept. Quite a bit store. One person on changing room is all. So if you were on your own and wanted a different size, no help. And if you wanted to ask a question like "Can you point me to anything with a flat front, long leg length in charcoal" no chance. How can they sell suits and trousers in this way? A mystery. Last time I looked they were useless at providing t shirts etc for larger chaps. They cut the bigger sizes as if they have the same body proportions as small skinny chaps. Which they don't.

DD and I went browsing at our store here on Wednesday and the t-shirts that I wanted to replace where not to be found I have bought the same style for the last couple of years but they are not available now for some reason,they where just plain colours with scooped neck all I found where stripped colours with round necks and they where practically see through the material was so thin.Most of the dresses that I looked at only had no sleeves they where just strappy things so not suitable without a cardigan or jacket,we ended up in JLewis and found a much better selection and the prices where better as well.All we bought in M&S was £10.00 dine in meal for 2.

Just noticed M&S have a half price sale on,I've had a look and I have not seen one thing that I would want to spend my money on, please M&S we want more that T-Shirts and knee length black skirts

At Asda they say 'Thank you for waiting', 'Are you all right for bags?' and 'Would you like any help packing?' - but they do seem genuinely friendly, unlike some of the checkout operators in our local Tesco.

My husband wears M and S trousers. He went by himself to buy two new pairs (he is a pain to go clothes shopping for himself so I refuse to go with him now as he wants the same clothes he had years ago!!!) He came home with his usual two pairs of chinos, the tag said they were his size. Neither pair fitted and so we took them back. I think because the clothes are made all over the world sizes are rubbish. Sad really I was always a fan of Marks but it is too "busy" now with too much on show and as was written earlier, all mixed up.
Oh and Tesco now say "thank you for waiting" I think it is hysterical nonsense, it makes me laugh, not at the staff, but whoever thought up the nonsense.

Oh, I see, jeni - lost track of the posts, there.
What a cheek!

Waitrose! The portishead one won't give me a helper. The nailsea one does and theyre much friendlier.
The manageress at portishead told me there were too many old folks complexes near them so they couldn't give help!

it is awful in there at the moment. Those blouses and trousers so boring. my mother always warned me to look at who was buying, or appearing to consider buying the same item in M&S when I was looking at clothes. Lately it was always somebody rather frumpy. Who else would buy there?
On the radio it said their shares were going down.

It is just that I keep hoping. I have bought so many things there in the past and have such nice memories of browsing round pushing a buggy and enjoying a bit of shopping, breaking up a boring day with small children. When I had a bit of money spare I could always find something.

What is?

That's the nailsea one NOT the portishead one

Waitrose check-out staff also say'thank you for waiting'.They only have one 'baskets only' checkout and there's always a long queue there.

haven't shopped at M & S since I moved here over 4 yrs ago- not worth going into Bristol for.

I used to buy all my office-wear from M&S, because they had plain, well-cut skirts in different lengths, with jackets to match if you wanted, and proper fitted shirts/blouses. That was many years ago - now there is hardly any choice, everything's seasonal, hence the wall to wall florals and dippy-hemmed t-shirts....

Every time I go in M & S my eyes have glazed over within 5 minutes: far too much stuff, too 'busy', no focus and no clear indicator as to where anything is. Most shoppers are on a quest - i.e. a dress for a wedding, a new pair of trousers for work - yet you have to dart from one side of the store to another to to find them dotted all over the place and, by the end, you probably can't find the first one you saw and now decided that you want to try! Also, it's time the scales fell from their eyes as to what older women want. We don't want elasticated waists, ghastly prints and floaty dresses. We want jewel colours, elegant but snappy designs (with sleeves please!) and, most of all, please can we have small sizes as well as large! A lot of older women are the ones who have kept their figures and work out, so please don't penalise us for that and not have enough 6, 8 and 10s! These used to be called size 8, 10 and 12 anyway in the 60s and 70s.

One of the strange things about Marks is that they have such a limited and boring selection of business wear. Loads of women have to wear smart clothes for work, meetings etc.
I went shopping with my mate who specifically needed a whole new work wardrobe. Anything in M and S ? One possible jacket tried on in Per Una was all. Main business wear section completely depressing and dreary. What is wrong with having one fabric and doing a mix and match range for instance with 3/4 skirt and trouser styles and 3/4 nice jackets that suit different figures (and are not boring in the extreme). Why on earth do they not do that kind of thing?

The food has always been expensive but WAitrose is just as good and now local in 'Little WAITROSE'.
I find the whole idea of huge clothes shops with millions of the same item such a turn off....... I like vintage OK second life .... but you can get fabulous quality things , be green and support small businesses( often owned by ladies),
or a wonderful charity!! Who wants to put money in the pocket of some vastly overpaid exec at M and S!!
All the huge concerns have ruined so many small towns..... they all look the same , rates are up in the sky ..... small start ups do not stand a chance!
Watch the space...... I think some well known names may fall before long !!