Woolies, MFI.....

[Riddle]

It's real, it's going to get worse before it gets better and it will affect us all.

With these two major retailers gone, who is next?

I can't speak about the UK but over here in Ireland we are seeing the same massive issues of job losses and closures of big name businesses.

Are things really this Glum? Where did all the confidence go......

[nobby]

Really though... What did Woolworths currently have that made it so unique?

Their logo changed to Cheapy chav boring.

Overpriced everything and nothing new - ownbranded.

their own fault.

My opinion...







I know their history, but i'm talking about now.

[Mr Kot]

Nobby has a point. Well, apart from their choice of logo which is of no relevance to this thread whatsoever...

Currently, there isn't much uniqueness about the store any more. It had its thunder stolen by the supermarkets who started to extend their range of clothes, media and housewares as well as selling food.

It used to be the 'one stop shop' for everything back in the day. In fact, I used to give them my business from time to time, particularly when I moved house and I wanted cutlery and various kitchen stuff. There isn't much choice when it comes to kitchen shops in Bolton, so Woollies did the trick. Supermarkets didn't quite stock the specialist stuff I was after.

Of course, the store is just another casualty of the cost-conscious public (and it could be argued that the public's own financial situation is their own fault in some cases - job losses aside of course). One of the reasons I closed down my own business of ten years was because I was fed up of fighting this losing battle against customers who knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. One of the things I did learn in business - which is why I enjoyed more success than others in the same field - was of how to adapt to changing demands and to be in tune with your customer base. This is something the Woollies stores didn't seem to demonstrate, despite their website and wholesale business having the right idea.

[Jodo]

MFI have barely been legally operating as long as I can remember. There has always been a sale on that ends "this weekend", but if it's half price most of the year round, it's not really a sale. Now they've had their last weekend sale.

Woolworths turned into an overpriced chandlers ages ago and it's caught up to them. They were ok for the occasional thing but I never considered it a great place to shop.

The fixed price stores (£1 shop, 99p shop etc) are currently thriving, as customers are watching every penny, and are looking to expand.

[Riddle]

If you take woolies which as pointed out has almost become defunct and look for others who still seem to survive( For now!) for example. WH Smiths, when i was younger we used to buy all sorts from there, from stationary to school books, magazines etc.

Another "Nothing Shop" in my mind trying to offer books like a would be Waterstones? I don't know where they are going, surprising considering their MD is an X Argos MD, who manage to adapt to keep themselves ahead of the Tesco Giant fairly well.

I just find it very surprising that the recession has hardly begun and Big names are folding under the strain, when the real pressure Comes in Q1-Q2 of next year, those with a stronger position currently may also suffer the same fate.

It would be good to hear some good news tbh!

[Jodo]

A lot of the big names try to stay big by looking big which can work as long as there are no hiccups. If they'd have decided to downsize when they first encountered problems (likely years ago) they would probably be a lot stronger financially at this time. Companies are often to scared to tell their shareholders how bad things really are.

[StevenJ]

It's been said before now, but shopping at Woolworths was just hell. You'd never know for sure if they had something, as it was piled up to the roof in a weird jumble of nonsense, and what store signs they had were occluded by the shelving. It was just like shopping at a jumble sale, and this was the case before administration.

I went in to pick a pair of earphones up yesterday, and even with the shelves half-empty, it was a nightmare - as well as the dazed and confused people wandering around slowly or backwards - there were chocolate biscuits beside light switches, beside non-stick pans. There was no one thing that you'd ever need and think "I'll have to go to Woolworths to get that" - a "nothing shop", as Riddle says.

For the record, I love Waterstones :p