Did I call Clinton Cards a while back? No, although I DID question whether people would spend money on their video cards. Turns out the answer is no.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012 ... n-retailer
High Street chain collapse sweepstake
Hard to understand how Clintons is in serious trouble as the margins on the shit they sell is enormous. Worked in a stationers years ago and (as an example) they bought in fancy gift bows at 4p and sold them for £1.95.
I mean, how much does it cost to print a card they sell for £3?!
I mean, how much does it cost to print a card they sell for £3?!
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bilky asko
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It's pretty easy to understand once you factor in the way supermarkets are the primary source for greeting cards for most people - Tesco has massive ranges of cards during the run up to Mothers' Day, so there's usually no need to go to a specialist card shop. Add on the fact that the custom card market is dominated by Moonpig and Funky Pigeon; other companies like Hallmark have decided to go it alone with their own custom card sites. In that remaining market share, a large amount is taken up by discount card shops. That leaves Clinton with a small market share, and a far too massive store portfolio.marksi wrote:Hard to understand how Clintons is in serious trouble as the margins on the shit they sell is enormous. Worked in a stationers years ago and (as an example) they bought in fancy gift bows at 4p and sold them for £1.95.
I mean, how much does it cost to print a card they sell for £3?!
Then you have Card Warehose which has cards at 29p, 59p and 89 as standers, your be hard push to finder double that in the stores,
Clintons pushed it self out the market and with cheaper and better options people just went, I remember last year there had alot of Halloween stuff, that kinds shows you there need new markets
Clintons pushed it self out the market and with cheaper and better options people just went, I remember last year there had alot of Halloween stuff, that kinds shows you there need new markets
I wont be sad to see Clintons go. Horrible stuffy shop.
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bilky asko
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Or the 7 for £1 offer that has recently come back at Card Factory.barcode wrote:Then you have Card Warehose which has cards at 29p, 59p and 89 as standers, your be hard push to finder double that in the stores,
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Ebeneezer Scrooge
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- Location: Scrooge Towers
As long as women like to wash?
Snarky
Lush gives me the boke every time I walk by. How anyone can work in their stores is beyond me.
WHSmith are sadly one of the trio of companies I feel emphasise the "contempt for their customers" model that some stores get into (the others being Currys and Tesco). The constant flogging of toblerones and Anne Diamond cash for gold bags and no music because it costs money and never having updated their interiors for 10 years and carpets with massive bald sections on them and never having changed their stationery range for 6 years despite the quality dropping and the prices rising.
It's a shame, if Staples weren't so hideous and pricey their stationery is vastly superior.
Not really. WHSmith Travel and Smiths News are sound businesses. The only risky part is WHSmith Retail (the high street bit) which has a lot of premium locations. Many of these however are 1. very old and are likely to be at peppercorn rent, and 2. are being propped up by the Post office renting space inside their stores.I suppose WH Smith might be in trouble if the newspaper and magazine market collapses, but for the time being their convenience market will prop them up and e-magazines like on tablets and phones haven't completely taken off yet.
WHSmith are sadly one of the trio of companies I feel emphasise the "contempt for their customers" model that some stores get into (the others being Currys and Tesco). The constant flogging of toblerones and Anne Diamond cash for gold bags and no music because it costs money and never having updated their interiors for 10 years and carpets with massive bald sections on them and never having changed their stationery range for 6 years despite the quality dropping and the prices rising.
It's a shame, if Staples weren't so hideous and pricey their stationery is vastly superior.
"He has to be larger than bacon"
I'm surprised at the Clintons situation as I thought greetings cards was still an area where buying the cheapest wasn't acceptable to many people, as you have to be seen to be spending a certain price or be branded a cheapskate. (I can imagine people bitching about relatives who send a nastier Christmas Card than usual).
It's good news for WHSmith as that means less competition.
The selection of cards in my local Tesco isn't great, at Mother's Day it'll be just 2 cardboard racks, once you factor out all the variants Mummy, Mum, Mother, From you Son on Mother's Day etc, old fashioned one's you'd give a mother who was 90, one's a 10 year old would give etc, there isn't much choice. You'd expect there to still be a place for a specialist card retailer.
It's good news for WHSmith as that means less competition.
The selection of cards in my local Tesco isn't great, at Mother's Day it'll be just 2 cardboard racks, once you factor out all the variants Mummy, Mum, Mother, From you Son on Mother's Day etc, old fashioned one's you'd give a mother who was 90, one's a 10 year old would give etc, there isn't much choice. You'd expect there to still be a place for a specialist card retailer.
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tillyoshea
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That's interesting, as I would've put Clintons in the "lower quality" box. If I was looking for a really nice card, I'd probably be more likely to go to Paperchase - Clintons strikes me as the home of horribly tacky overpriced rubbish like outsized cards, cards with lights on them, etc - not high quality, well designed, nice products.Andrew wrote:I'm surprised at the Clintons situation as I thought greetings cards was still an area where buying the cheapest wasn't acceptable to many people, as you have to be seen to be spending a certain price or be branded a cheapskate. (I can imagine people bitching about relatives who send a nastier Christmas Card than usual).
That'll be even more true now thanks to the recent massive price increase on postage stamps.I'd say we generally send less greetings cards than a few years ago, and when we still do it's easier to pick up in the supermarket or at the train station, cheaper at Card Warehouse and customised if you order online. Or you can send a birthday text, write on a Facebook wall or send an e-card for free when previously you may have sent a card to casual acquaintances.