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Is the High Street doomed

ska invita said:
dont these prices just get passed on to consumers thought?
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The problem is how much materials go up between issuing a quote, and ordering the materials or delivery if there's some wait due to shortages, some things are literally going up every week, they have had to change to issuing estimates and highlighting the possible increase in prices, then customers start getting arsey about it.
 
"inflationary pressures are hitting smaller builders the hardest as they do not always have visibility of demand, the cash to buy supplies in advance, the room to store them or the ability to pass on costs to customers, especially when fixed price contracts have already been agreed. Changes to accounting and VAT rules and rising insurance costs have also weighed on the sector."
 
Cloo said:
Out of town has held up very well over the last few years, somewhat to people's surprise. It's the free parking that helps a lot, plus these days they usually have somewhere to sit and have a coffee, so it doesn't surprise me if M&S are looking to that model.
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Recreating the high street in an out of town shopping centre.
 
cupid_stunt said:
The problem is how much materials go up between issuing a quote, and ordering the materials or delivery if there's some wait due to shortages, some things are literally going up every week, they have had to change to issuing estimates and highlighting the possible increase in prices, then customers start getting arsey about it.
Click to expand...

A friend of ours is currently in discussions with a builder who’s quote has more than doubled from the original half way through the job. Thing is, most of the materials are already on site, so it does seem like the builder is taking the piss.
 
Spymaster said:
A friend of ours is currently in discussions with a builder who’s quote has more than doubled from the original half way through the job. Thing is, most of the materials are already on site, so it does seem like the builder is taking the piss.
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Does sound like it, in that case.
 
Never seen them live. Not sure I would for 300 quid. Doesn't get played often but I do like most of their albums. Actually I was listening to the Spaghetti Incident again recently.

Them / Slash, and Zak Wild make me wish I had a Les Paul.
 
Artaxerxes said:
Nobody sane is going to do a full shop at Marks, it’s the food to go and slightly posh stuff that gets picked up either for a treat or on the go.

Out of town makes no sense for that market
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Totally. OK it's my fault I wasn't a regular. Especially now working from home but I'd use the M&S in Bristol city centre occasionly, just for that. The posh ready meals etc.
 
xenon said:
Never seen them live. Not sure I would for 300 quid. Doesn't get played often but I do like most of their albums. Actually I was listening to the Spaghetti Incident again recently.

Them / Slash, and Zak Wild make me wish I had a Les Paul.
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I'm imagining a high street shop that sells both flowers and firearms.
 
I walked down Oxford Street for the first time in a few years probably and christ it was depressing. I realise it's probably never been as glamorous or exciting as it seems when you're younger but so many empty spots now, full of the infamous tourist tat shops and "candy" stores, and even the people wandering around seemed a bit grim. Dead on its arse and can't imagine the decent shops that have stayed will want to if it doesn't improve quickly.
 
I gather that online retailers are starting to charge for returns which will surely deter people from speculative and over ordering on line which may in turn encourage them to return to the high street.
 
hash tag said:
I gather that online retailers are starting to charge for returns which will surely deter people from speculative and over ordering on line which may in turn encourage them to return to the high street.
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I get the feeling that they're just dealing with the more extreme piss-takers at this stage.

I mostly only order clothes online when it is something I know I won't have send back (copies of something I already have, but in a different colour etc.).
 
hash tag said:
I gather that online retailers are starting to charge for returns which will surely deter people from speculative and over ordering on line which may in turn encourage them to return to the high street.
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Who is charging for returns?

ETA: ah boohoo
 
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pbsmooth said:
I walked down Oxford Street for the first time in a few years probably and christ it was depressing. I realise it's probably never been as glamorous or exciting as it seems when you're younger but so many empty spots now, full of the infamous tourist tat shops and "candy" stores, and even the people wandering around seemed a bit grim. Dead on its arse and can't imagine the decent shops that have stayed will want to if it doesn't improve quickly.
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Oxford St is certainly taking a tumble. Marks are looking to demolish their flagship store with a view to building lots of office and or flats above. There is still no HMV on Oxford St, which was home to its original shop. House of Fraser and Deb's both now gone? I now read John Lewis are looking to rent out their upper 2 floors. London’s Oxford Street: from retail heaven to candy store hell
 
This sort of belongs here. I went in here a year or two back to shop for a sofa. Such an odd place. No sales assistants as such and I don't think they were even able to take an order from you in store yet alone pay for it. Everything had to be done on line.
BBC News - Made.com goes bust with up to 500 jobs lost
www.bbc.co.uk

Furniture firm Made collapse: Customers in the dark over refunds

Customers are told they may not be offered refunds as thousands of orders are cancelled.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
hash tag said:
This sort of belongs here. I went in here a year or two back to shop for a sofa. Such an odd place. No sales assistants as such and I don't think they were even able to take an order from you in store yet alone pay for it. Everything had to be done on line.
BBC News - Made.com goes bust with up to 500 jobs lost
www.bbc.co.uk

Furniture firm Made collapse: Customers in the dark over refunds

Customers are told they may not be offered refunds as thousands of orders are cancelled.
www.bbc.co.uk
Click to expand...
I think i have bought maybe 6 sofas over my life - never ordered one on-line - I go to a shop, sit on it , and then order it - I never got how Made.com was worth so much when it floated last year ? nearly a billion quid?
 
pbsmooth said:
I walked down Oxford Street for the first time in a few years probably and christ it was depressing. I realise it's probably never been as glamorous or exciting as it seems when you're younger but so many empty spots now, full of the infamous tourist tat shops and "candy" stores, and even the people wandering around seemed a bit grim. Dead on its arse and can't imagine the decent shops that have stayed will want to if it doesn't improve quickly.
Click to expand...
I went to London in September, first time in Oxford St since pre pandemic and I got a shock. Big stores boarded up, money laundering tat shops galore and a vast amount of rough sleepers. It felt seedy and unsafe. Went into Soho to go to some sewing shops and to a seminar in a hotel and it was as if these areas had swapped places, Soho was thriving with small independants and seemed a lot cleaner and less sketchy in contrast. I think the greedy landlords of Oxford St got what they deserved TBH they drove rents up beyond what most businesses could bear. Now people shop the chainstores online and these businesses aren't prepared to pay these silly rents. Landlords have fucked up London.
 
cupid_stunt said:
I have a number of mates in the trades, and they are certainly suffering from the constantly increasing prices for materials.
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Same with friends who work in boat building, steel price in particular. Meaning people need welding done and can't afford the steel plate and have to scrap the boat. It's double what it used to be. We had our boat partially refitted when I won some PPI, in 2019, I don't think I'd be able to afford the wood, now.
 
hash tag said:
This sort of belongs here. I went in here a year or two back to shop for a sofa. Such an odd place. No sales assistants as such and I don't think they were even able to take an order from you in store yet alone pay for it. Everything had to be done on line.
BBC News - Made.com goes bust with up to 500 jobs lost
www.bbc.co.uk

Furniture firm Made collapse: Customers in the dark over refunds

Customers are told they may not be offered refunds as thousands of orders are cancelled.
www.bbc.co.uk
Click to expand...
I hard nothing but complaints from people I did know that ordered from them. Massive delays, wrong items, totally wrong colour etc.

Probably no surprise, they sounded a shower of shit.
 
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