Changes on the High Street

[denphone]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

There was me thinking that hairdressing was a growth industry.

Our cousin does mine with my clippers although there is less hair to clip once you enter grey hair territory.

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Don't they wrap your head on hot damp towels as well?

Your face, yes.

[denphone]

Mothercare is to appoint administrators for its UK high street chain, putting 2,500 jobs at risk.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...0-jobs-at-risk

The mother-and-baby-goods retailer said its UK retail operations, which comprise 79 stores, lost £36.3m last year and after a review it had become clear that the business would not return to profitability.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Turkish barbers tend to do shaves as well.

And nose/ear waxing as well

One of my treats is every fortnight going and getting hair cut, beard trimmed. the relevant bits that have hair that shouldn't have hair sorted.

Come out feeling like a new pin, shame the feeling only lasts a day

[Carth]

Originally Posted by denphone

Mothercare is to appoint administrators for its UK high street chain, putting 2,500 jobs at risk.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...0-jobs-at-risk

I was quite surprised when I saw that . . thought they'd gone years ago

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Carth

I was quite surprised when I saw that . . thought they'd gone years ago

They have been in trouble for a while but like some other companies they have failed to adapt to a fast changing market.

[Carth]

Originally Posted by denphone

They have been in trouble for a while but like some other companies they have failed to adapt to a fast changing market.

Gonna stick my neck on the block here and say that 'failing to adapt' probably means 'unable to churn out cheap crap like Amazon do'

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Carth

Gonna stick my neck on the block here and say that 'failing to adapt' probably means 'unable to churn out cheap crap like Amazon do'

That is one of the reasons but there are others like Ebay , cheap poorly produced imported rubbish , a poor online presence , a market incumbent inertia.

[Carth]

Originally Posted by denphone

That is one of the reasons but there are others like Ebay , cheap poorly produced imported rubbish , a poor online presence , a market incumbent inertia.

Nail well and truly smacked with hammer mate.

On the contrary, the baby products market is one in which people are prepared to spend an absolute fortune. A huge chunk of the market is occupied by highly technical or extremely personalised stuff that retails for a king’s ransom. What Mothercare has failed to appreciate is that people are motivated enough to research online to get exactly the kit they want, rather than choosing from the limited range in a Mothercare branch (some of which is indeed appalling tat). Their business model seems to have been to assume that as babies keep being born, people would keep shopping in Mothercare. That wasn’t the case even 16 or so years ago when the Mrs and I were in the market for baby kit and I doubt it’s the case now. Even back in the relatively early days of the web, we did our research online, knew what was out there, what we wanted, and how little of it was available in a Mothercare shop.

[Carth]

Point taken (and conceded) on Mothercare, but there's still an awful lot of crap out there on the net masquerading as decent stuff.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Chris

On the contrary, the baby products market is one in which people are prepared to spend an absolute fortune. A huge chunk of the market is occupied by highly technical or extremely personalised stuff that retails for a king’s ransom. What Mothercare has failed to appreciate is that people are motivated enough to research online to get exactly the kit they want, rather than choosing from the limited range in a Mothercare branch (some of which is indeed appalling tat). Their business model seems to have been to assume that as babies keep being born, people would keep shopping in Mothercare. That wasn’t the case even 16 or so years ago when the Mrs and I were in the market for baby kit and I doubt it’s the case now. Even back in the relatively early days of the web, we did our research online, knew what was out there, what we wanted, and how little of it was available in a Mothercare shop.

Great post. People are prepared to spend good money on children, pets and other things if you tap their needs correctly.

[denphone]

Clintons in survival talks over shop closures and rent cuts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50365605

The retailer, which has about 2,500 staff, is in restructuring talks with landlords in another sign of the High Street crisis.

[Carth]

Just seen that, the theme of landlord rents crops up quite a lot in these cases.
One would have thought that, in these times of failing businesses, a lower rent would be of more use to a landlord than no rent?

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Carth

Just seen that, the theme of landlord rents crops up quite a lot in these cases.
One would have thought that, in these times of failing businesses, a lower rent would be of more use to a landlord than no rent?

Indeed that was my thinking as something is better then nothing l always find but as most of these landlords are big retail land companies they seem uncompromising and inflexible.