Poundworld in trouble....
Discussion
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More accurate would be to say the High Street in its current incarnation is on borrowed time. Why do we need the High Street in its traditional incarnation anyway?From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Kermit power said:
More accurate would be to say the High Street in its current incarnation is on borrowed time. Why do we need the High Street in its traditional incarnation anyway?
From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Marks and Spencer do a click and collect option that you could use for this service, but they can't do a 4 hour turn around. A 4 hour turn around would require warehouses close enough to do efficient turnaround of stock. Increasing the number of warehouses then speculatively sending stock every few hours to the store would be very expensive.From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Best way I can see the high street existing long term is for high end luxury purchases, were the act of purchasing is as much part of the experience as the actual goods. Such as engagement rings, expensive watches, and so on.
tankplanker said:
Marks and Spencer do a click and collect option that you could use for this service, but they can't do a 4 hour turn around.
I did exactly this. I needed a suit for a funeral, but I'm 6'8'' tall, and quite slim (compared to what they expect from a large person anyway.)I ordered the combinations of suits and trousers that would cover me, depending on the actual fit, and went in to collect. I tried them on, found the best fitting, and immediately had the rest refunded. The staff were pleasant, changing rooms clean and tidy, and I didn't need to faff about with returning stuff in bags and such like.
In the future, I'll use their service again.
tankplanker said:
Kermit power said:
More accurate would be to say the High Street in its current incarnation is on borrowed time. Why do we need the High Street in its traditional incarnation anyway?
From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Marks and Spencer do a click and collect option that you could use for this service, but they can't do a 4 hour turn around. A 4 hour turn around would require warehouses close enough to do efficient turnaround of stock. Increasing the number of warehouses then speculatively sending stock every few hours to the store would be very expensive.From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Best way I can see the high street existing long term is for high end luxury purchases, were the act of purchasing is as much part of the experience as the actual goods. Such as engagement rings, expensive watches, and so on.
Vocal Minority said:
tankplanker said:
Kermit power said:
More accurate would be to say the High Street in its current incarnation is on borrowed time. Why do we need the High Street in its traditional incarnation anyway?
From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Marks and Spencer do a click and collect option that you could use for this service, but they can't do a 4 hour turn around. A 4 hour turn around would require warehouses close enough to do efficient turnaround of stock. Increasing the number of warehouses then speculatively sending stock every few hours to the store would be very expensive.From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Best way I can see the high street existing long term is for high end luxury purchases, were the act of purchasing is as much part of the experience as the actual goods. Such as engagement rings, expensive watches, and so on.
Truckosaurus said:
iphonedyou said:
So it is coincidental?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negativeGenuine question - you can answer either as a human or via the medium of unelaborated link.
Edited by iphonedyou on Friday 27th April 20:35
Ultuous said:
Vocal Minority said:
tankplanker said:
Kermit power said:
More accurate would be to say the High Street in its current incarnation is on borrowed time. Why do we need the High Street in its traditional incarnation anyway?
From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Marks and Spencer do a click and collect option that you could use for this service, but they can't do a 4 hour turn around. A 4 hour turn around would require warehouses close enough to do efficient turnaround of stock. Increasing the number of warehouses then speculatively sending stock every few hours to the store would be very expensive.From a purely selfish perspective, I like the idea of many places vanishing, as anything they sell I already buy online anyway, and if they're no longer competing for floor space on the High Street, it hopefully allows for more variation in restaurants and other services that I do want to visit at more competitive prices, as they're not having to pay such high rent.
Having said that, it staggers me that nobody has gone with what - to me - seems like the obvious choice of combining the best of online retail with the best of in store retail for things where size matters...
If I order clothes on Amazon, for example, I can get an infinitely wider range than I can in a physical shop, but I won't know if it'll fit me until it arrives, then I've potentially got the hassle of sending it back if it doesn't.
If I go into town for clothes, I can try on what's there, but only from a smaller range, and they may not have my size even in the product range they do have.
Why not combine the two and place an order online for what you like the look of, maybe in two or three different sizes, to then be delivered within 4 hours from a central depot to a High Street fitting room. You can then saunter into town knowing that the shop will have the styles you want in the sizes you want to try on, without the need to re-package them and return them if they're not right, and the retailer gets to distribute a far wider range of goods through the High Street without having to constantly hold such a large amount of inventory in expensive High Street premises.
It would be interesting if anyone who actually works in retail logistics or marketing could tell me why the above wouldn't work, as on the face of it, it strikes me as being so simple, I don't understand why it doesn't already happen. Sure, you can do click and collect in plenty of places, but that's still only from a relatively small range of products compared to the likes of an Amazon.
Best way I can see the high street existing long term is for high end luxury purchases, were the act of purchasing is as much part of the experience as the actual goods. Such as engagement rings, expensive watches, and so on.
I doubt it will be long before technology renders the issues moot.
Ultuous said:
I'd add that the likes of Next do similar but deliver the items to store the following morning - that is surely as quick as things can get (I think you can order up to midnight the day before) without inflating overheads!
+1The bricks and mortar businesses that have the best chance of survival are the ones that combine a fluid internet and retail presence - M&S (clothing & maybe furnishings), NEXT and Argos. Tesco do it well also.
I quite like the M&S setup because it works both ways. I was in a store picking out some work clothes and the assistant who was in that area was able to use a tablet to order up a couple of bits i wanted using a tablet and had them posted home to me (could have picked them up in store also). I paid for them with the rest of the stuff and a couple of days later it arrived. Saved me having to create an order myself when i got home.
NEXT is great for the speed of delivery.
Argos excellent for the reserve and collect.
Slightly O/T but I found a fulfilment company today that takes small etailers and can accept an order as late as 8.25pm for next day delivery 6 days a week.
I was amazed at this and it will accelerate the death of the high street and allow smaller players to compete better online.
With regard to collection / shops I’m thinking a big place with a drive through to collect your parcels from eBay / Amazon / M&S / Jackamo (!) would be an interesting business.
I was amazed at this and it will accelerate the death of the high street and allow smaller players to compete better online.
With regard to collection / shops I’m thinking a big place with a drive through to collect your parcels from eBay / Amazon / M&S / Jackamo (!) would be an interesting business.
literallyDSLiverpool said:
Slightly O/T but I found a fulfilment company today that takes small etailers and can accept an order as late as 8.25pm for next day delivery 6 days a week.
I was amazed at this and it will accelerate the death of the high street and allow smaller players to compete better online.
With regard to collection / shops I’m thinking a big place with a drive through to collect your parcels from eBay / Amazon / M&S / Jackamo (!) would be an interesting business.
Already happens, to some extent. Garage forecourts and supermarkets act as collection hubs for other retailers. I ordered some trainers from Sports Direct and they were delivered to the local Asda convenience store.I was amazed at this and it will accelerate the death of the high street and allow smaller players to compete better online.
With regard to collection / shops I’m thinking a big place with a drive through to collect your parcels from eBay / Amazon / M&S / Jackamo (!) would be an interesting business.
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