Metropol

It’ll be a big loss if it does close entirely. I never fully trust the quality or how consistent the range will be at the likes of Poundland or B&M. I’m not entirely sure being squeezed out by online is as much of an issue as the commentators on the news keep saying. Surely people tend to buy the boring household essentials they sell at Wilkos at the closest most convenient store they are passing next.

It does seem the middle market is being squeezed out, if you want some bin liners going forward it’ll either be very thin one that tear easily from Poundland (and of a size and style you’ll never see again) or some costing about £6 from John Lewis

One of the issues Wilko has had in recent months has been on price. They simply haven't been able to subsidise the prices on certain products.

Before Wilko stopped stocking Plenty (more likely the parent company of Plenty weren't getting paid), they were charging considerably more for the kitchen towels than next door Iceland, so I got them from there. Bin liners in Iceland which are also stocked in Poundland and Poundstretcher are of a better quality and they do 25 bags each on 3 for £5. They also stopped stocking Cushelle toilet rolls, so I also get them from Iceland, a store more known for frozen food that household goods.

Own brand stock has also been hard to come by, presumably due to suppliers not getting paid promptly. Just buying a pack of food bags can take between 3-5 weeks between restocking after selling out.

Yet there are other sections of the store fully stocked, such as the gardening and pet sections.

Andrew wrote: Thu 10 Aug, 2023 22.29 It’ll be a big loss if it does close entirely. I never fully trust the quality or how consistent the range will be at the likes of Poundland or B&M. I’m not entirely sure being squeezed out by online is as much of an issue as the commentators on the news keep saying. Surely people tend to buy the boring household essentials they sell at Wilkos at the closest most convenient store they are passing next.

It does seem the middle market is being squeezed out, if you want some bin liners going forward it’ll either be very thin one that tear easily from Poundland (and of a size and style you’ll never see again) or some costing about £6 from John Lewis

Well you mentioned part of the answer in your first paragraph - B&M. If I wanted a generic bin bag I could trust, then I'd go for a roll from B&M. They're leagues ahead of Poundland (3 times the revenue, for one thing).

Indeed, the B&M convenience factor is a major aspect. I am near one branch of Wilko (open 0830-1730 Monday to Saturday), but I'm near a B&M with Garden Centre (0800-2200), a standard B&M Store (0800-2000), and a B&M Home and DIY store (0800-2000), plus three branches of Heron Foods on top of that.

The early closing times have been mentioned quite a few times on social media today. Even Iceland stays open in the shopping centre until 7pm. (Other Iceland stores stay open on weekdays and Saturdays until either 8 or 9pm).

A reporter on Channel 4 News stood outside a closed Wilko store in East London after 7pm which says it all.

B&M isn't as easy to get to where I live despite being in London, it's in an out of town retail park which requires two buses to reach there, where as Wilko is a 20 min bus ride away.

If it requires two buses to get there, perhaps B&M should open another branch on the first of those bus routes?

JAS84 wrote: Thu 10 Aug, 2023 14.04

Martin Phillp wrote: Thu 10 Aug, 2023 02.07 The Guardian reported that the logistics firm that handles Wilko's store deliveries suspended deliveries for two days last week while they were awaiting payment.

Home delivery is suspended, but thanks to store deliveries resuming click and collect is back to normal.

And surprisingly, still operating despite them being put in administration. Usually websites are taken down when that happens, which would've disabled it.

Well that didn't last long, they stopped click and collect today.

Martin Phillp wrote: Thu 10 Aug, 2023 17.29 Photocopies of the CEOs letter to customers have been put up aceoss my local store but you can't read them properly.

It's been like that for quite some time - in our local Wilko the in-shop printed price signage has been coming out with streaky/low toner for months. Guess their office supplier must have cut the credit line when they saw things were not going too swimmingly.

This is a screen shot of the Wilko store checker for me today. To be fair, this has been an issue for months.

Wilko's Administration sale has started.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/23467813 ... discounts/

Wilko's potential closure doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Whenever I have been in there, its always been a bit naff. The shop interior is very dimly lit, its not laid out in a way that makes sense, and I never quite understood what they sold, and the stuff they did sell was not reasonably priced. . I always feel that these are things that lead a lot of shops to fail.

bilky asko wrote: Fri 11 Aug, 2023 00.36

Andrew wrote: Thu 10 Aug, 2023 22.29 It’ll be a big loss if it does close entirely. I never fully trust the quality or how consistent the range will be at the likes of Poundland or B&M. I’m not entirely sure being squeezed out by online is as much of an issue as the commentators on the news keep saying. Surely people tend to buy the boring household essentials they sell at Wilkos at the closest most convenient store they are passing next.

It does seem the middle market is being squeezed out, if you want some bin liners going forward it’ll either be very thin one that tear easily from Poundland (and of a size and style you’ll never see again) or some costing about £6 from John Lewis

Well you mentioned part of the answer in your first paragraph - B&M. If I wanted a generic bin bag I could trust, then I'd go for a roll from B&M. They're leagues ahead of Poundland (3 times the revenue, for one thing).

Indeed, the B&M convenience factor is a major aspect. I am near one branch of Wilko (open 0830-1730 Monday to Saturday), but I'm near a B&M with Garden Centre (0800-2200), a standard B&M Store (0800-2000), and a B&M Home and DIY store (0800-2000), plus three branches of Heron Foods on top of that.

See personally I don't see B&M as the same market anymore but that's probably the problem with the place.

It either needs to decide whether it wants to be a complete discounter and sell, mostly let's be honest, complete junk. Like your Poundland and B&M or whether it want's to delve in the Woolworth's market and arguably go against the likes of B&Q (DIY), Dunelm (Home), Supermarkets (Kitchen and Bathroom cleaners) etc.

Right now, it's a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none and I don't mind the place. Can't stand B&M generally though, it's full of rubbish I don't want or imported food and drinks.