Very interesting, do you mind if I lift it for the blog? I always credit, I also borrow observations off her for my twitter (@dresserman) so much love to you all for that. Tesco - well, Price drop 3 has launched and I don't recall anything from price drop 2 that was any good. What does it mean? It'...

Waterstones was purchased last year by a rich Russian. I'm sure he's aware of the short term implications of the purchase and able to get it through 2012 at least - same with Comet. The convenience sector is buoyant generally, I'd be surprised to see a whole chain of them like GT topple at once. I s...

Having a Branding Consultant in place high up could actually be proven to save money. That was the point in the Lambie-Nairn 1997 design, after all.

There's no need for it to be like that - a simple solution would be for HMV stores to act as an agent for HMV online, and sell e-vouchers (no different to how you can buy Debenhams vouchers at Sainsburys).

The travel and high street businesses are run as distinct units (as was the News operation before they sold it). I wouldn't be surprised to see them split. Wilkinson is so much nicer than Woolies ever was. They've made a great turnaround - although what possessed them to keep that clearly outdated b...

Homebase and Argos ?!? Not likely... the stores operate in completely different ways, and are not compatible for a merger, whilst both companies could cut any stock that overlaps such as Outdoor Electronics & Furniture, it is more likely that they will just close stores if the bills start to bi...

Andrew wrote:Do Tesco still have all the 'Discount Brands', or has all that died a death? I can't recall any advertising promoting those Aldi style made up brands lately.

They still have some. "Creamfields" dairy products is just one that springs to mind. There's also a faux italian brand.

Was rather excited to see the new store in Kirkby-in-Ashfield is being fitted out like the store in Wrexham. Can't wait to try it when it opens.

HMV is absolutely up the creek. Zavvi stores always seemed busy, and they hadn't made any money in the last 5 years they existed. Woolies were always busy - didn't mean they were making any money.

Cripes. It is a surreal thing to see happening. I was posting round CVs looking for a holiday/saturday job in 2005 when I saw bailiffs turn up at the Gadget Shop and turf them out. Immediately struck them off my list of places I was hoping to hit.

I'd also doubt that Game will go. Their two store formats (Game/Gamestation) pretty much have it cornered between them, and the preowned trade is probably doing relatively well for them, even if it continues to upset publishers. Their numbers have been pretty poor lately but I can imagine they coul...