Death of the high street

SmallTeapot

partyguinness wrote: »

I moved to England over 10 years ago and the first thing that struck me was the sheer volume of stores that all looked the same and sold all the same beige tatty stuff. Every High Street looked the exact same and myself and the wife has a little game where we namechecked all the usual stores when visting a new town/city.

Impossible to tell one from the other. It is all quantity over quality.

Ireland is actually a lot better for shopping IMO but that is down to the smaller size which is advantage. Easier to get away with rubbish over here due to the sheer size of the population.

Totally agree... everything was and I guess continues to be, nondescript... and the number of 'sales' in the retail year is mind-boggling :rolleyes:... even compared to the 90s when the only real 'sales' that I remember were the post-Christmas sale and a sale around summer-time before going back to school.

The high-street now-days is full of inflated RRP's while the vast majority of clothing is sold at some measure of discount.

jos28

Bluefoam wrote: »

I'm sure there are buyers out there, or individuals with a fashion focus... those types will have more leverage to get decent sites... maybe focus on individual interestes... vegan, sustainable, slow fashion, traditiona craft based fashion. High end fashion focus... theres plaenty of creative an entrapenurial people in this country. Need to get away from global businesses that have a negative effect on local economy and emploment.

With more focused retailers in locations like grafton street etc, they would also be able to run websites and distribution from those locations.

The core items I picked up this month are the very opposite of fast fashion... Aran Cardigan, Doc's, Wool Shirt, Tweed Jacket...

The Irish market needs to express itself rather than just accepting the cheap crap thats sent from England.

I love the idea that we could focus on Irish produce. In an ideal world we would all focus on quality and not quantity. As Twee points out though, there are very few Irish manufacturers and I'd love to see that change. Change doesn't happen overnight and perhaps if we encouraged small Irish companies to fill the empty retails spaces they could flourish. Just a thought.
I've been listening to a podcast by Mary Portas called the Kindness Economy. She believes that the standard format of big retail companies is diminishing and promotes a more ethical approach where staff are a big part of the story.
It's a very interesting topic and she has interviewed some interesting people.

eviltimeban

The irony is that there's lots of nicer affordable stuff out there, e.g. Cos, Selected, or even Samsoe Samsoe, Arket, and Armed Angels.

I never got the appeal of the Forever 21 style polyester "fast fashion" thing (well besides the obvious, that it was cheap). High streets would be so much better if they had more "experience" shops that sold decent gear that was actually affordable.

Suitsupply have nailed this - the shops are beautiful, the clothes are well designed and made, and they are very affordable. If only they had a store here.

meeeeh

eviltimeban wrote: »

The irony is that there's lots of nicer affordable stuff out there, e.g. Cos, Selected, or even Samsoe Samsoe, Arket, and Armed Angels.

I didn't know Armed Angels before and I see they are German brand but the rest are Scandinavian brands. I think they all cater for slightly different older target market.

I've never been the fan of many UK high street brands because I don't think the quality of material was there but they were very good at following and in case of Top Shop even setting the trends. Now Asos and Boohoo are doing that cheaper.

I love Arket and COS but something that appeals to customer over 35 might not be what appeals to customer in their twenties. Add to that Zara and to some extent Mango who target very well broad age range with cheap and trendy stuff and suddenly a lot of the market is gone.

doublejobbing 2

Mr.S wrote: »

Price - on par with individual brand stores, if not cheaper. The only time a brand store is cheaper is when they are running their own sales which not not be on ASOS, but see next point.

Most high street stores are in a permanent state of sales. New items normally don't remain at full price for more than a few weeks. Next truckload of gear arrives from Asia, price down to get the old stuff off the rails.

Sales - ASOS / Zolando have regular sales or discount promotions with drive the cost down even further
Variety & Connivence - 100's of brands and next day delivery - pretty hard to beat that.

I have never seen anything dramatically cheap on these sites, but always see stuff staggeringly expensive. Typically 20 plus more expensive than the same thing I have bought in store, very occasionally same price or a few coins cheaper- certainly not cheap enough to justify the hassle of buying it online.

The only two benefit's of the highstreet clothes stores these days to the average consumer is if you need something instantly, or prefer trying on clothes - but with how easy ASOS make returns, maybe not a big issue.

Benefits-

- Getting out of the house
- paying cash instead of card
- cheaper
- bringing the item home with me, rather than wondering if the delivery man will get the address right, will he bother knocking on the door, or will he throw it over the side gate of a random neighbour
- try ons (albeit curtailed in the current climate, can still try on a top or a jacket at least)
- know exactly what the product feels like/ texture

Everyone I know who buys online seems to find the unreliability as a bit of a fun of the chase, a funny story they can tell about how oversized, wrong coloured or whatever the rubbish they bought was. "What's the stupidest thing you have ordered drunk?" I'll pass thanks. The high street might strike you as expensive if you buy the 200 euro 70's looking rubbish that TK Maxx sells. Actually take a wander around and you will find most places are cheaper than online.

Listen, if you want to pay 20 quid plus more for a magical mystery lucky dip, work away. I'll be down BT, Arnotts and the shopping centres to see if they are all but giving away stuff like they were when they re opened in May 2020.

doublejobbing 2

On the topic of benefits of HS over internet, do you think changing rooms will make a return once this is all over? Or will retailers have gotten used to this way of doing things, as ridiculous as it is (makes getting a pair of trackies or jeans an absolute nightmare, I took a lucky dip on them 3 times in 2020 and thankfully got away with it)

I hope they return but a lot of the staff don't miss them.

mailforkev

For a lot of people it’s not even about the clothes, it’s all about the buying. Fast fashion is almost like a drug. Look at Penney’s when it reopened a few months back, queues down the street for cheap tat that nobody really needed. Half of it prob in the bin already. Bricks and mortar retail will survive thanks to this.
There will be some more consolidation and casualties (I’m not sure how Debenham’s lasted as long as it did) but it’s really only the middle getting squeezed, the cheap and fancy stuff is doing well.

jadie

I love shopping IRL and browsing, esp. in UK cities, I did find some nice stuff in Matalan, Peacocks and the like over the years. I wouldn't say it's all tat. I liked home bargain, savers and the like- we are ripped off here for beauty and medicinal stuff. Online just isn't the same for me but I did buy a lot on Ebay UK which is now also out of the equation! I will try and support more Irish stores in the future now.

eviltimeban

meeeeh wrote: »

I love Arket and COS but something that appeals to customer over 35 might not be what appeals to customer in their twenties. Add to that Zara and to some extent Mango who target very well broad age range with cheap and trendy stuff and suddenly a lot of the market is gone.

True, but over 35s still like to walk down the high street and go shopping.

The Cool

I'm a big ASOS fan and buy from them often, have the premier delivery etc and what I like about online shopping is how I can keep items I'm considering in my wishlist or favourites, go away for a day and come back and see do I still want them, so in that way it does cut down my unnecessary spending. But I'd be sad to see the back of high street shopping - some things like jeans would be a nightmare, you really need to see them in person to feel the quality, thickness, stretch, especially being curvy - I could take 10 pairs of River Island jeans into the changing rooms to try, between sizes and styles, and maybe not like a single one of them. Realistically to do that online it means forking out a huge amount of cash to actually buy all the pairs and then going through returns and having to wait for your refund for all the pairs you don't want.
There's also something to be said for being able to pop to the shops at the last minute, maybe deciding on a Saturday afternoon to treat yourself to a new top to wear out that night, or realising the day before a wedding you hate the shoes you were going to wear! Plus the social side of going to the shops for a snoop with a friend. Surely that's what brings a lot of custom to cafes and restaurants too. Online shopping is great for convenience and range, but as much as I love it, it's a bit boring?

doublejobbing 2

eviltimeban wrote: »

True, but over 35s still like to walk down the high street and go shopping.

I do see far more groups of teenagers thronging town than middle aged people, to be honest. With no mortgages, car costs or childcare to pay for some of them probably have more disposable income than the older folks.

I think people who are obsessed with online buying are just louder about it, frankly.

partyguinness

doublejobbing 2 wrote: »

I do see far more groups of teenagers thronging town than middle aged people, to be honest. With no mortgages, car costs or childcare to pay for some of them probably have more disposable income than the older folks.

I think people who are obsessed with online buying are just louder about it, frankly.

Problem now is that groups of teenagers have no part time jobs in order to accumulate cash to spend.

doublejobbing 2

partyguinness wrote: »

Problem now is that groups of teenagers have no part time jobs in order to accumulate cash to spend.

Most of them who were employed when Covid hit have actually never had a better year financially. Got more in welfare than they would have working in most cases, plus fewer entertainment outlets (pubs, clubs, holidays, cinemas) to spend their money for most of the year.

bee06

I’m over 35 and do all my clothes shopping online even pre Covid. I have two small kids, I have no time to be wandering in and out of shops all day like I did in my 20’s. I also find the likes of Cos, Arket etc a bit boring. Lots of greys, creams, black and the whole oversized trend now does nothing for me. I’ve been doing a lot of my shopping 2nd hand the last few months. Depop and Facebook groups. Picked up some amazing bargains as a result.

eviltimeban

bee06 wrote: »

I’m over 35 and do all my clothes shopping online even pre Covid. I have two small kids, I have no time to be wandering in and out of shops all day like I did in my 20’s. I also find the likes of Cos, Arket etc a bit boring. Lots of greys, creams, black and the whole oversized trend now does nothing for me. I’ve been doing a lot of my shopping 2nd hand the last few months. Depop and Facebook groups. Picked up some amazing bargains as a result.

I'm with you on the time aspect; though I work in the centre of Dublin so would be a short walk from Grafton street etc, I much prefer to spend my lunch break browsing in a book or record store than clothes shopping. Having to undress from a full suit and tie to try on a t shirt is more hassle than it's worth.

Twee.

The Cool wrote: »

I'm a big ASOS fan and buy from them often, have the premier delivery etc and what I like about online shopping is how I can keep items I'm considering in my wishlist or favourites, go away for a day and come back and see do I still want them, so in that way it does cut down my unnecessary spending. But I'd be sad to see the back of high street shopping - some things like jeans would be a nightmare, you really need to see them in person to feel the quality, thickness, stretch, especially being curvy - I could take 10 pairs of River Island jeans into the changing rooms to try, between sizes and styles, and maybe not like a single one of them. Realistically to do that online it means forking out a huge amount of cash to actually buy all the pairs and then going through returns and having to wait for your refund for all the pairs you don't want.
There's also something to be said for being able to pop to the shops at the last minute, maybe deciding on a Saturday afternoon to treat yourself to a new top to wear out that night, or realising the day before a wedding you hate the shoes you were going to wear! Plus the social side of going to the shops for a snoop with a friend. Surely that's what brings a lot of custom to cafes and restaurants too. Online shopping is great for convenience and range, but as much as I love it, it's a bit boring?

I love wishlist features! If there's something expensive I don't want to splurge on I'll watch it on the wishlist and see if the price drops in a sale or I know exactly where it is if there's a discount code on. Or for stuff that I don't really mind the colour/pattern of, I'll watch and wait to get them for cheaper, stuff like scrunchies, decorative hair clips, plain hoop earrings.

As you say there is a whole experience based around in person shopping too. With office life not looking to return and shops closing everywhere it will be hard for small cafes and the likes.