First retail ‘name’ to pop off 2018

[funkyrobot]

WH Smiths?

Went in there in my local town yesterday for the first time in ages. I was looking for an ink cartridge recycling box. They didn't have any and the shop only had a few people in.

I guess the stores in train stations and airports are profitable? Don't know why though if they are as they are quite expensive.

[valiant]

garagewidow said:

C&A next I reckon.....

Yep, gone from the UK but still do business in Europe.

Thought Waterstones would be a goner but they seem to have found a way to trade profitably in the Amazon age. My local branch is always busy.

Not sure how travel agents seem to survive in the Internet era. There must be a least a half dozen in my town including two Thomas Cook's and always look quiet. Once the oldies who are scared of the 'net start dying off, the traditional travel agent can't be too far behind.

[Beati Dogu]

One I wouldn't shed a tear for is Lush, who stink out many a high street with their vile soap products.


Homebase was bought by Australian firm Wesfarmers in 2016, who are currently revamping & rebranding the stores under they Aus / NZ name of Bunnings. Gone or going are the Laura Ashley and Argos concessions, along with Nectar cards.

MrNoisy said:

As Hemingway famously said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in Blackpool”

It may have been another NW seaside town though...

I think that was what Mark Twain supposedly said about San Francisco, but I doubt he ever went to Blackpool to be fair.

[B.J.W]

valiant said:

Once the oldies who are scared of the 'net start dying off, the traditional travel agent can't be too far behind.

Interesting...... an alternative view (and I might be in the minority here) could be based around a backlash against the impersonal process of purchasing things online. I do it for convenience, but I also like the interaction you get from talking to another human being (particularly when that individual is knowledgeable about their subject). At 43 I do not consider myself to be an oldie.

For a number of years I purchased my business suits from Slaters in Birmingham. The Gold Room (as was) was looked after by an old chap called Winston. It was a pleasure dealing with him, and he always remembered my measurements (with a wink when it was obvious I had put on a pound or two). He's long retired now, but old school service like that is limited to specialists these days. A friend recently purchased a new Rolex from an independent retailer and had a similar experience.

[Funkycoldribena]

funkyrobot said:

WH Smiths?

Went in there in my local town yesterday for the first time in ages. I was looking for an ink cartridge recycling box. They didn't have any and the shop only had a few people in.

I guess the stores in train stations and airports are profitable? Don't know why though if they are as they are quite expensive.

Keep up,I got my nipples tweaked for suggesting them.

[iwantagta]

craigjm said:

Toys R Us are pretty much doomed. I bet they are in administration in early January

I'm suprised they are still going now, i thought an announcement would come out on boxing day or the 27th so any gift vouchers they sold would be worthless.

[snuffy]

David87 said:

My nomination is Euronics. ...and I would imagine the only people that go in there are very old.

My in-laws shop there because they appear to like being ripped off ! Mind you, most old people seem to enjoy paying over the odds for things you can buy a lot cheaper with the magic of the internet.

I reckon as older people pop off, those shops that charge way too much will just run out of customers - and slowly die. Like their current customers in fact !

[snuffy]

funkyrobot said:

WH Smiths?

Went in there in my local town yesterday for the first time in ages. I was looking for an ink cartridge recycling box. They didn't have any and the shop only had a few people in.

My local WH Smith is always busy whenever I walk by, not that I venture in much myself.

[dazwalsh]

bazza white said:

Many of the ones mentioned are pretty secure for a few years yet.


Superdrug may be worth keeping an eye on.


Ill also go for wicks. Not setup for fluffy retail customers and trade customers go elsewhere.


Atleast one of the restaurant chains. Way over saturated market.

Wickes is in good health, major store refurbishment plan and gaining market share. Also owned by travis perkins so all hunky dory.

[FiF]

Funkycoldribena said:

funkyrobot said:

WH Smiths?

Went in there in my local town yesterday for the first time in ages. I was looking for an ink cartridge recycling box. They didn't have any and the shop only had a few people in.

I guess the stores in train stations and airports are profitable? Don't know why though if they are as they are quite expensive.

Keep up,I got my nipples tweaked for suggesting them.

Thing is though, it all depends.

The WHS in our nearest town is usually devoid of customers, charges a fortune for stuff, £1.15 for a packet of Minstrels ffs, not even the slightly bigger Big Bag which is the same price in the motorway services. Choice of books not much better than Sainsbury's etc. It's untidy, crammed with stuff, but never seems to have what you want, eg go in for a pen refill, find any type available other than the one you want. Buy a magazine, say, get to check out, No I don't want a wheelbarrow sized block of chocolate made by company owned by lizards.

Yet go into the one in the county town and it's generally rammed partly because the main post office counters bit has taken up space in there.

Off at a tangent, went in Aldi for the first time a few years back, 'kinell, expected to see someone with a third eye in the middle of the forehead, 'council didn't even get close. Yet went into another in another town, completely different, tidy, stocked, even customers who wouldn't have got a second glance in Waitrose, ok some customers admittedly.

[scjgreen]

Dixons Carphone...

Shares down 52%
Talks of Mass Store Closures
Profit Warning
Investors and Shareholders getting uneasy

[hyphen]

bazza white said:

Ill also go for wicks. Not setup for fluffy retail customers and trade customers go elsewhere.

Aren't they opening a lot of in-store Toolstations though? (same owner)

Wickes is a good in-between place too between fluffy b&q, and less fluffy builders merchants.

king arthur said:

Maplins is a good bet I reckon. I think all I've ever bought in there was an HDMI cable or something like that and I never notice it being busy in there.

Do they have any high street competitors though?

Their click and collect is useful, like Halfords, online prices are better than instore.

Jazzy Jag said:

So which car manufacturer do we think will vanish or get bought out next?

I can't see MG lasting much longer in the UK TBH.

rumour was that the Chinese MD was given a certain amount of money to make the UK work.

He mush be getting to the bottom of the barrel by now.

When will Nissan realise the UK doesn't appear to warm to its Infiniti offerings!

Edited by hyphen on Saturday 30th December 14:17

[AlexS]

snuffy said:

B&Q. Based on a sample of 1 (me). My local one closed so now I use a small independent DIY shop.

Halfords. Based on another sample of 1 (me). I needed a new headlight bulb yesterday. £10 from Halfords, £2.88 delivered from Amazon.

Mind you, since my local McD shut, I do not go to them anymore. And I refuse to eat at KFC and Pizza Hut since their crap service pissed me off (I complained and they could not car less). But all 3 seems to be doing well, despite me withdrawing my custom from them !

Your Amazon bulb isn't going to be much good if you need it on a Sunday afternoon so that you can drive to work on Monday with a full set of lights.

Anyway Halfords are a bike seller who also do a sideline in some car bits.

[technodup]

craigjm said:

David87 said:

My nomination is Euronics. They have a name and logo that isn’t very Brexit-friendly and I would imagine the only people that go in there are very old. Must be hard to compete with AO.com and Currys.

This is, of course, based on no knowledge of the subject at all.

They are just a buying group / franchise type thing. The shops are independent.

Glen's, Hutchison's, Robertson's and Stepek. One for the older west of Scotland lot there.

Similar group buyers, mainstays of 80s radio advertising. Long gone.

[snuffy]

AlexS said:

Your Amazon bulb isn't going to be much good if you need it on a Sunday afternoon so that you can drive to work on Monday with a full set of lights.

I'll take that chance - I like to live life on the edge

AlexS said:

Anyway Halfords are a bike seller who also do a sideline in some car bits.

I'm not sure that's true. My local one is almost all car stuff with hardly any bikes/bike stuff at all.

And looking at their website right now:



Car bulbs, car cleaning, dash cams, socket sets, wiper blades, batteries. I'm not feeling the bike love !

[p4cks]

snuffy said:

Car bulbs, car cleaning, dash cams, socket sets, wiper blades, batteries. I'm not feeling the bike love !

Given it's winter I suspect it's targeted advertising to those who know their bulbs are shot as opposed to people wanting to get out and enjoy the weather on a push bike

[kylos27]

Claire's
Mothercare
Focus diy
C&a
Ethel Austin
Wimpy burger
RadioShack
Jessops
Dixons electrical
Jew sons builders merchants
Partners stationers
Early learning centre
Subaru uk
Quick fit

Edited by kylos27 on Saturday 30th December 15:46

[kylos27]

Claire's
Mothercare
Focus diy
C&a
Ethel Austin
Wimpy burger
RadioShack
Jessops
Dixons electrical
Jew sons builders merchants
Partners stationers
Early learning centre
Subaru uk
Quick fit

Edited by kylos27 on Saturday 30th December 16:13

[Robertj21a]

kylos27 said:

Claire's
Mothercare
Focus diy
C&a
Ethel Austin
Wimpy burger
RadioShack
Jessops
Dixons electrical
Jew sons builders merchants
Partners stationers
Early learning centre
Subaru uk
Quick fit

Edited by kylos27 on Saturday 30th December 15:46

Jessops was reincarnated.

[Jazzy Jag]

kylos27 said:

Claire's
Subaru uk

Edited by kylos27 on Saturday 30th December 15:46

And I think you could add Mitsubishi GB to that, too.

Only one product selling, the PHEV and now a lot of other manufacturers are producing competitive products.

Colt Car Co have had a recruitment freeze for years.

Both Mitsubishi and Subaru put all their eggs in the WRC basket and made a fortune out of Evos and Imprezas Now that market has gone, they have been left with little or nothing to offer.

All IMHO with a little inside knowledge.