First retail ‘name’ to pop off 2018
Discussion
Dog Star said:
Imagine never ever being able to eat KFC again. Ever. 
It’s crap now compared to what it used to be like and I’m sure “the colonel” would find it hard to recognise his company. If KFC went down the tubes it would be easily replaced. Even the “secret recipe” isn’t so secret anymore
Funnily enough I'm "oop north" at the moment and went into a large ish Maplins on a BUSY trading estate. The estate has a Currys a Pets at Home / Dunelm Mill/ TK Maxx/ Poundland/ Staples and an Aldi. Just across the car park is a large Morrisons. Its what would be called good footfall.
Completely empty of customers inside. uninspiring displays full of a mix of tat and genuinely good stuff. There was a really good offer on some routers £100 off some top of the range stuff.
Then there was the reduced section full of the tat that was left over from xmas Totally stuffed full of remote control cars and other mass market stuff that you can get way cheaper.
Place is f
ked
Completely empty of customers inside. uninspiring displays full of a mix of tat and genuinely good stuff. There was a really good offer on some routers £100 off some top of the range stuff.
Then there was the reduced section full of the tat that was left over from xmas Totally stuffed full of remote control cars and other mass market stuff that you can get way cheaper.
Place is f
ked Maplin has its value for money lines online, but in store they only seem to have the overpriced options. So Click and collect is the way to go with them.
My local one tends to be quiet too though, they seem to have 3-4 staff at anytime too when you imagine one would do majority of the time.
My local one tends to be quiet too though, they seem to have 3-4 staff at anytime too when you imagine one would do majority of the time.
techiedave said:
Funnily enough I'm "oop north" at the moment and went into a large ish Maplins on a BUSY trading estate. The estate has a Currys a Pets at Home / Dunelm Mill/ TK Maxx/ Poundland/ Staples and an Aldi. Just across the car park is a large Morrisons. Its what would be called good footfall.
Completely empty of customers inside. uninspiring displays full of a mix of tat and genuinely good stuff. There was a really good offer on some routers £100 off some top of the range stuff.
Then there was the reduced section full of the tat that was left over from xmas Totally stuffed full of remote control cars and other mass market stuff that you can get way cheaper.
Place is fked
Yep. They have just opened a brand new store near me to replace the existing one which is being redeveloped. On the upside they have taken less space, but it is in a poor location.Completely empty of customers inside. uninspiring displays full of a mix of tat and genuinely good stuff. There was a really good offer on some routers £100 off some top of the range stuff.
Then there was the reduced section full of the tat that was left over from xmas Totally stuffed full of remote control cars and other mass market stuff that you can get way cheaper.
Place is f
ked They seem to survive on people needing components and small items at really short notice, but Amazon are closing in on that market with same day delivery. The bigger ticket items are almost always cheaper elsewhere.
Papers reporting that the sandwich chain EAT is struggling and heavily in the red, administrators brought in to restructure.
Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
hyphen said:
Papers reporting that the sandwich chain EAT is struggling and heavily in the red, administrators brought in to restructure.
Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
Always seems a bit of a sub-Pret chain to me. It is a bit cheaper, but they don’t seem quite as attractive, and I’m not really a fan of Pret either.Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
Unlike Pret, they don’t seem to have expanded their reach beyond central London. That said, their website seems to miss two branches that I walk past every day, so perhaps there are others not listed.
hyphen said:
Papers reporting that the sandwich chain EAT is struggling and heavily in the red, administrators brought in to restructure.
That’s not strictly true. KPMG financial consulting are working with them to look at business restructure to save costs which might mean some stores close. That’s not administration although KPMG do that also.There the are far too many branches in London too close to each other so I can see quite a few closing as costs vs profits of some stores must be marginal.
Maplins quoted as having 48 hours to avoid administration:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/maplin-in-48-...
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/maplin-in-48-...
techiedave said:
Maplins quoted as having 48 hours to avoid administration:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/maplin-in-48-...
Or even less....https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/maplin-in-48-...
Hornby, They removed stock from stores to prevent under selling... and the latest offerings are either too complex or too expensive rumours are they are selling off the Scalextric brand but i cant remember where i heard it (forums most likely) and i cant remember the last time airfix were popular.
V40Vinnie said:
Hornby, They removed stock from stores to prevent under selling... and the latest offerings are either too complex or too expensive rumours are they are selling off the Scalextric brand but i cant remember where i heard it (forums most likely) and i cant remember the last time airfix were popular.
Last time airfix was popular with children was after the James may documentary. We could not get enough kits. Funnily enough not many bought another model.V40Vinnie said:
Hornby, They removed stock from stores to prevent under selling... and the latest offerings are either too complex or too expensive rumours are they are selling off the Scalextric brand but i cant remember where i heard it (forums most likely) and i cant remember the last time airfix were popular.
Sadtimes if there is any truth in this. Agreed though that Hornby sets are eye wateringly expensive. Just to add anyone know how Games Workshop are getting on?.
kingston12 said:
hyphen said:
Papers reporting that the sandwich chain EAT is struggling and heavily in the red, administrators brought in to restructure.
Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
Always seems a bit of a sub-Pret chain to me. It is a bit cheaper, but they don’t seem quite as attractive, and I’m not really a fan of Pret either.Never used it much, as food offering weren't pitched right for me, and they tend to be located within a few footsteps of better alternatives. Wasn't keen on the branding and look and feel either personally.
Seemed to be popular though well city locations anyway.
Unlike Pret, they don’t seem to have expanded their reach beyond central London. That said, their website seems to miss two branches that I walk past every day, so perhaps there are others not listed.
Pity about Maplin, the local one to me is quite small and the staff are knowledgeable enough for me (small leccy stuff), but the PC components are too expensive and the previous poster was right, get it all next day from Amazon. God knows how much the one in St Pauls costs to rent/lease/whatever.
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