High Street chain collapse sweepstake

[lukey]

I certainly remember the Waterstone's of old was a fab place to wander around and browse (second only of course to Thin's before they keeled over) but over the last decade (and particularly the last five years) it has systematically dismantled its specialist stock in favour of multiple volumes of uninteresting people's autobiographies. I haven't really felt a marked improvement since its takeover (but that's partly because my local branch is pish) but I can't imagine them really wanting to really skew things back towards stocking a wide cross-section of interesting books - with their limited square-footage they can never meaningfully compete with Amazon on anything other than the usual populist stuff they've been stocking throughout their decline. I can only think a format that tries to capture an indy feel (that is, passionate staff - outreach with their local customers etc. etc.) is the only way they can mark out any territory.

[Pete]

(but that's partly because my local branch is pish)

it's got a nice coffee shop though.

I miss the days of having Ottakars, Borders & Waterstones in the one city. Obv am ignoring WHS as its pish (although the branch at Dundee station is something to behold).

[aeonsource]

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask: Who still uses Argos these days?
Are there people who still think it would be more practical going to a shop, leafing through a laminated catalogue, writing a number down, going to a till and queueing up for a product rather than just ordering it online?

[Pete]

Well click and collect has removed most of the fuss with argos

[m-in-m]

Well click and collect has removed most of the fuss with argos

I must say it depends what else is near by?

There aren't many things I buy from Argos but there are some. As Pete says Click and Collect and QuickPay take a lot of the hassle out.

[scottishtv]

I quite like Argos for it's instantness. Usually after a bit of researching online where I know whatever exact product it is I want, and I realise it's available from Argos for a decent price and is in stock, then I'd often rather head over in the car, pay and collect - than face the issues that always seem to beset me with getting stuff delivered to my flat and/or office.

The discussion about HMV has made me think about other retailers who can't seem to adapt when the format of the product they sell changes. Perhaps Blockbuster Video? Surely no-one really rents DVDs any more from an expensive shop with limited stock, and the inability to let you shop freely at more than one branch? Or maybe the instantness factor I mentioned earlier is keeping them going.

I read recently that the US operation is in a bit of trouble but don't know much about how it's run in the UK. Will they be shrinking/disappearing soon?

[WillPS]

But you must have been, like, 10 then? Unless I've got your age outrageously wrong...

11, and I have a good memory.

I have a good memory but the concept I had of shopping when I was doing my Year 6 SATS (particularly at a boring grown-up shop like Waterstones) wouldn't compare very well to the concept I enjoy today. It's like when I see people on Facebook moaning that Toys R Us isn't as good as it was way back when - of course it isn't; it's not meant for you any more!

I've noticed there's a lot less of that "feel every word" stuff HMV were totting out though - I wouldn't be surprised if they went back to using the old serif logo in fact.

[WillPS]

I quite like Argos for it's instantness. Usually after a bit of researching online where I know whatever exact product it is I want, and I realise it's available from Argos for a decent price and is in stock, then I'd often rather head over in the car, pay and collect - than face the issues that always seem to beset me with getting stuff delivered to my flat and/or office.

I suppose that's the last stumbling block of online shopping - immediacy. I don't suppose it's unimaginable that in a year or so, there'll be retail park 'Amazon' warehouses where you can go and pick up online orders the same day?

I could see purchases up to 12pm being made available by 4pm at these Amazon locker thingies. Saw one at Lakeside for the first time a couple of months ago.

Actually it's surprising that more retailers aren't making the most of their existing supply chains. Boots for example let you buy anything on their website and in many cases have it delivered to your local store (even if it's a small store) the next morning for you to collect. You'd think HMV and Waterstones would have similar things in place by now.

With HMV there's the added issue of HMV Guernsey being a totally separate division of HMV Group to the retail stores - presumably to allow that division to continue when the rest inevitably collapses (as well as the VAT dodge).

There's also the labour considerations - reserve and collect works okay at places like Currys which are deliberately overstaffed and don't endure a particularly strong Christmas peak.

The discussion about HMV has made me think about other retailers who can't seem to adapt when the format of the product they sell changes. Perhaps Blockbuster Video? Surely no-one really rents DVDs any more from an expensive shop with limited stock

BlockBuster can't have long left, but it makes you wonder, at what point should a business call it a day? Obviously the point of a business is to make money, so why did nobody realise that the DVD rental business was imminently going to implode and that the best thing for BlockBuster to do would be to shut up shop whilst they were still in profit?

God only knows how Blockbuster continues. Both the British division and the mothership have been flagging badly for years. I think Chapter 11 has a lot to do with it.

[Andrew]

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask: Who still uses Argos these days?
Are there people who still think it would be more practical going to a shop, leafing through a laminated catalogue, writing a number down, going to a till and queueing up for a product rather than just ordering it online?

I bought an extension lead from there about a month ago when I realised I couldn't plug in the Christmas lights. I'm not sure ordering it online and picking it up no doubt from the sorting office a week later was really an option.

[WillPS]

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask: Who still uses Argos these days?
Are there people who still think it would be more practical going to a shop, leafing through a laminated catalogue, writing a number down, going to a till and queueing up for a product rather than just ordering it online?

I bought an extension lead from there about a month ago when I realised I couldn't plug in the Christmas lights. I'm not sure ordering it online and picking it up no doubt from the sorting office a week later was really an option.

Were they cheaper than Wilkinson?

[m-in-m]

Were they cheaper than Wilkinson?

This is my one gripe with Argos. I like the idea of having a massive warehouse of stock at my immediate disposal - but it's just too expensive, compared with buying the same stuff online - and on many occasions they haven't had what I wanted available.

Is this indicative of how the high street will be in a few years? A mixture of premium, very expensive products like the Apple Store, and bargain basement pound shops with extension leads for a quid, and no middle ground?

One of the issues with Argos is they rolled out the Extra range which initally was a seperate catalogue. They then merged this with the main catalogue and so you have the situation that stores either
a) stock only all non extra products
b) stock non extra products except those listed on their unlock list (for some stores this is a seasonal list)
c) stock non extra products plus a selection of extra products
d) select all products including extra

The end result is that if the store doesn't stock the item it can be ordered in (subject to being in stock at the appropriate warehouse) within 48 to 72 hours. How that is explained to customers and the success of them understanding impacts sales. Stores like my local I think have always been on some level of unlock. This means as much as you keep checking for some products - unless you order them in they will never be in store.