Halfords axes staff

[Fittster]

"Car accessory retailer Halfords also said it would shed around 250 jobs. The specialist chain said approximately 200 posts would be cut across its network of more than 450 stores, along with 50 more at its head office in Redditch, Worcestershire."

It's really not nice out there.

[Negative Creep]

Not surprising, takings are well done. Last few months it's been dead every single day, even weekends

[ChrisDT]

Yet they are shelling out god knows how much money on my local one in Worthing, they have done a complete revamp including moving the entrance and extending it.

[TonyHetherington]

There are some bloody good staff in Halfords, really helpful.

[youngsyr]

I hope they don't go under (not that there's any indication that they will); it may sell a lot of tat, but it's bloody useful for the odd tool etc that you only find out you need as you're half way through taking your car apart.

[dele]

250 jobs across 450 stores isnt really that many people, probably just usual turnover of the student spec staff isnt it?

[youngsyr]

Anyone else think that there are possibly too many Halfords stores out there, from a business model point of view?

Personally I'm never going to complain about having a choice of the stores to go to, but there are 2 within 3 miles of me.

I was recently at a friend's down in Portsmouth and needed a couple of bits, so my friend directed me to one over the phone, I got lost, asked for directions and ended up at another Halfords about 5 miles from the one I was supposed to go to.

Just seems that it's the sort of store you drive to, yet there the concentration of stores is quite high.

Is that just my experience though?

[lescombes]

Unfortunately Halfords has removed choice from my town as they managed to undercut 2 small stores and now raised their prices afterwards, I find their prices are outrageous and overinflated, maybe if they cut the prices by 60% on most items they would get throughput.

I hardly ever go in one due to the costs and buy from trade factors instead and via the 'net.....

I went in one a week or so ago with mum in law for some wiper blades over at her place,checked out prices of bulbs and usual consumables too. Their H7 bulbs were £19.99 each but they had a BOGOF promotion, the very same week Lidl had Tesla bulbs +50% brightness at £3.99 per pair, now Tesla make bulbs for most of the "uprated" sellers so they are good stuff, see where I am coming from, I am not a skin flint but I am not being ripped off.

Come on Halfords, wake up before you do a woolies.........

Edited by lescombes on Wednesday 3rd December 12:23

[youngsyr]

You can buy online pretty much everything that Halfords sells for less money, but that's not the point.

The way I see it is that the ability to drive to a nearby store and inspect and pick up parts and tools there and then is supremely convenient; it's this convenience that you pay the extra for.

Similarly with refunds, which in my experience Halfords have been excellent with.

[clanger]

Big for Halfords from me

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Another positive vote for Halfords here.

[triggersbroom]

Always used the to bail me out of a situation regarding a tool or something.

Staff are pleasant enough, although some know more than others

Maybe there are too many stores - who knows!

[Chr1sch]

I have no issue paying a little more at Halfords, by the time you add postage the difference is negligable, and i prefer to be able to walk into a store and speak to some one!

[pkitchen]

250 jobs from 450 stores plus their HO is quite small I would have thought, don't know how many they employ though. They do provide a service and I for one use them occasionally when I need a tool/part immediately and don't want to wait.

[lescombes]

Chr1sch said:

I have no issue paying a little more at Halfords, by the time you add postage the difference is negligable, and i prefer to be able to walk into a store and speak to some one!

I can walk into a local trade motor factors, if he hasn't the part on the shelf he will supply by the afternoon in the main and the database is 2nd to none, just enter your Reg no and bingo all your parts are listed, and you pay about 80% less than Halfords and that's retail too.
As for the 'net I tend to use for those hard to source parts for my Mazda.
It's time for Halfords to get realistic with their pricing and UK folks to shop with their feet until they do

Edited by lescombes on Friday 5th December 08:53

[LeoSayer]

Chr1sch said:

I have no issue paying a little more at Halfords, by the time you add postage the difference is negligable, and i prefer to be able to walk into a store and speak to some one!

You can pre-order from Halfords online at a big discount then turn up at the store and the stuff is waiting for you.

[mp3manager]

Just grabbed a mega-bargain at my local Halfords.

Two megs gift bags with NXT shampoo, glass cleaner, wax, one applicator pad & a wash mitt for £25.

These normally retail for £35 each, but where on sale for £15 and I had a £5 gift voucher, so the total was £25.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

[surfeit]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Another positive vote for Halfords here.

thats a TVR you own isn't it,
I'd have thought you must be on first name terms with your local cHaV-CeNtRe

[James_N]

Halfords isnt too bad if you can get a trade card (not difficult in itself)

Oil costing around £18.99 is reduced to £10

Recently bought some coolant which was up at just under £15. That came in at a tenner too.

Service items are really cheap with a trade card, and bulbs cost pence.

i dont think 5 litres of oil for a tenner is too bad personally

Halfords pro tools are also very good, but i agree that the majority of the stuff is over priced in the 1st place!

[surfeit]

Private joke shared on a public forum

terribly sorry to have shattered already bruised ego




there there