Interesting.

[teacake44]

How a lot of the big stores/ businesses are suddenly blaming the pandemic for the failure of their business, now in a lot of cases this may be true, but there are many that were already on the verge of closure before such. A good example is Debenhams who have said they may be looking at liquidation and possibly fourteen thousand staff to lose their jobs, now this may be true, or a last ditch attempt to squeeze some cash out of government to keep going. May be they should have looked at their inflated prices on the goods they've been trying to market. I would also think that most shop floor workers are on zero contract hours anyhow, so would be better off on the dole, upper management over paid, no loss there.

[fiction-factory]

>I would also think that most shop floor workers are on zero contract hours anyhow, so would be better off on the dole, upper management over paid, no loss there.

Bit of a generalisation there I think.

But, yes, Covid has just expedited things, bringing forwards the inevitable for some of these retaliers

[andy-hughes]

As FF has pointed out, the pandemic has simply accelerated the demise of the High Street, which was already well under way and progressing towards the same ending, with or without lockdowns.

Despite misty-eyed nostalgia for the High Street, the brutal economic reality is that new generations do not shop there, they shop at out-of-town outlets, or increasingly on-line, and the demise of the High Street is the inevitable result.

The only way any High Street business can survive is by supplying a demand that is not available from the Internet.

[wolf63]

During the lockdown I read an article that stated that 75% of independent diners and restaurants in the US will not be in a position to reopen.

I suppose that like many business failures there will be many factors involved.

[teacake44]

Generalisation yes, but that's the way big companies have been working in general, zero contract hours, the greed been setting in for the last 15 years more so, people not been able to plan their lives because of job insecurity. Its mainly the very well off that are not coping very well, they are not used to seeing their bank balance take such a whack, now the not so well off who live month by month know how to struggle on.

[Baldric]

I shop online with Debenhams mainly for casual clothing,
I have always considered their prices to be very reasonable.

[teacake44]

17.11, Debenhams do sell online but their prices have always been insane compared to other companies selling the same product.

[allenlondon]

Decimalisation all over again!

[ummmm]

Why do you think they'll be on zero hours?

[Deskdiary]

I’m sad at the demise of the High Street, which seem to be filling up with more and more coffee shops and charity shops (how much frappocappolattecino is it possible to drink?).

However, I hold my hand up and freely admit I’m part of the problem; pretty much all of my shopping is online and has been for many years - it’s just so convenient.

As a single example, if I go to Vision Express for my contact lenses, it’s the best part of a week for the order to be filled, whereas a couple of weeks ago I ordered the same make from a UK supplier, at 50% of the cost of VE, and they arrived the following morning.

With Amazon Prime many products are delivered the day of ordering.

[ummmm]

We seem to be getting more specialist shops. Deli's cheese makers etc.

[teacake44]

Well for many years now their strategy for marketing any product has been to well over inflate the price of an item, lets say a pair of shoes, priced at £125 and that's not unseen in Debenhams, then after about 2/3 weeks they have a so called Bluecross week,or two or three, at 30% off, then after that they reduce the shoes to about what there worth, about £65. so most who were looking for shoes when they were £125 went somewhere else, when the Bluecross sale came in, the ones that did pay £125 were very cross :0) by the time they had reached the realistic price of £65, most had shopped elsewhere. Their shops are now always empty because of this strategy, because most customers feel cheated from their last purchase, it clearly don't work well, but have they changed it, NO.

[Baldric]

Bluecross weeks are when I shop, I always get an email to let me know when they are happening.

[barry1010]

I think the writing has been on the wall for Debenhams for some years. I live near a very large store and before lockdown went in regularly for coffee. It was very rarely busy even with the sales but in recent years whenever I have tried to buy anything the experience has been very disappointing. Not enough staff on the shop floor and I am usually told that that the item I want is not in stock and they can either order it for me or I can do it online.
Now that is not good enough.

I think department stores went out of favour ten years ago. They usually charge top prices and people who are prepared to pay good money prefer specialist shops that have a much wider range. Kitchen ware is a good example.

Also my Debenhams is in a very large shopping mall. A lot of the concessions inside Debenhams have their own shops within the mall - a much larger range with all the sizes. Seems bizarre to have a concession in a department store and a shop in very close proximity.

At one time the department store was the place to go for perfumes and toys. The mall has several perfume outlets that are cheaper than Debenhams and there is also a big toy shop and a specialist toy shop.

Debenhams used to stock a lot of its own brand kitchen ware, bedding, clothes - very little of this nowadays.
In my view the mall has made the department store defunct. All the shops you want under one roof - it is the same all over the country.

It's not just Debenhams, all department stores are a shadow of their former selves and in terminal decline.

[teacake44]

Your right barry, they have almost refused to move with the times, and totally refused to compete on price. People are even more so bored with the false sales, and can't be fooled any longer.

[barry1010]

I also think the layout makes shopping difficult. I want a pair of jeans - they are not all together. I have to go from one concession to the other, often walking round in circles because I find it very hard to get my bearings in those places as there are no straight lines and clear sight of exits. Then have the fun of hunting down their own brand which can be anywhere within the gents' clothing. The lighting is not what it should be.

And of course we have far more rights if we buy online - it is much easier to return goods for a refund. All these factors are ringing the death knell for the high street shop

[jno]

councils have been killing off their high streets for years, introducing parking charges to deter shoppers, then licensing superstores, or whole malls, away from the centre. Big Tescos drove out corner shops - then replaced them with little Tesco Expresses that charge more than the bigger Tescos. None of this had to happen, but councils encouraged it and shoppers have mostly gone along with it.

They're all struggling against internet shopping, but that's hitting bigger names like Debenhams as well. Some were already in trouble but for some of them Covid will be the last straw.

It may be wonderful to buy everything from Amazon cheap; but remember you're also paying their taxes, when they prefer not to.

[teacake44]

And lets not forget, when only Amazon is left, their prices will rocket because there will be now where else to go.

[Apc2604]

I haven't been shopping for anything (except food and essentials) for years now. It's all been online. The thought of walking round shops gives me nightmares. High street's are a thing of the past and were fast dying before Covid. Covid has finished them off. Corner shops though seem to be on the up since Covid.

[Apc2604]

Amazon surely is one big market place. There will be competition within Amazon.

[Apc2604]

I have had an amazon shopping spree over the last few weeks! I love on line shopping. A shopping spree is unusual for me, though. I just fancied some new cushions and cushion covers and kitchenware.