The warranty should be backed by an insurance company.
Another High Street retailer bites the dust (Comet)
- Thread starter Twirlywoos
- Start date
- Status
The warranty should be backed by an insurance company.
Associate
- Joined
- 1 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 2,124
Well, they arnt the same company in the slightest now are they
Shall be interesting to see what the intranet says about comet when i get into work on Sat morning, no doubt the higher ups are currently dancing about
If anything this is just poor management, the internet is powerful but I don't think it will ever destroy the highstreet, you still need clothes stores etc. Plus, take 'Apple' stores as an example, they exist and thrive despite a big chunk of their business probably being processed online. These old-hat companies just need to restructure themselves properly.
Soldato
- Joined
- 20 Aug 2003
- Posts
- 6,703
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Not even, OpCapita took over the Comet but were given a £50m dowry by Kesa and Kesa maintain the company pension liability.
Comet posted an operating loss of 30 odd million quid the year preceding the sale so if £50m has lasted less than a year it must be really rough.
Apple isn't a good comparison. They have fixed prices pretty much. Makes no difference if you buy online or in shop.
Clothes shops also aren't a good example. Clothes fit changes etc.
A TV is a tv, you don't need to try it on. Clothes shops are doing well, overpriced gadget/appliances stores aren't.
I think it's purely the staff these places employ nowadays.
I had quite a few positive shopping experiences years ago in the 90s, they used to employ proper salesmen who actually understood what you wanted and endeavored to give you proper service. They had proper experts in whatever they were selling (e.g. hi-fi experts, TV experts etc, not just any daft buggar rotated round the shop). When things couldn't be done for whatever reason they usually bent over backwards to get it sorted. I remember trying to get an original Playstation for Christmas once and they'd sold out. Instead of just fobbing me off outright they took my phone number and hunted round a load of other branches and eventually managed to get one for me (this was before the internet). What sales assistant nowadays would go out of their way like that?
The last time I got anything in there was about 6 years ago now (think it was a fridge or a washing machine) and the home deliveries people turned up and just outright said "can't take it round the back mate, elf 'n safety like..." even though I'd described the situation to the sales assistants in detail (all of which were about 19, devoid of any conversational skills, one or two word answers, eyes glazed over, chewing fingernails etc) and had been promised that there'd be no problem. When confronted they couldn't care less, they'd taken my money and got their sales figures up that's all they were bothered about.
Went and got it from some independent place in the end and they delivered it no bother.
I had quite a few positive shopping experiences years ago in the 90s, they used to employ proper salesmen who actually understood what you wanted and endeavored to give you proper service. They had proper experts in whatever they were selling (e.g. hi-fi experts, TV experts etc, not just any daft buggar rotated round the shop). When things couldn't be done for whatever reason they usually bent over backwards to get it sorted. I remember trying to get an original Playstation for Christmas once and they'd sold out. Instead of just fobbing me off outright they took my phone number and hunted round a load of other branches and eventually managed to get one for me (this was before the internet). What sales assistant nowadays would go out of their way like that?
The last time I got anything in there was about 6 years ago now (think it was a fridge or a washing machine) and the home deliveries people turned up and just outright said "can't take it round the back mate, elf 'n safety like..." even though I'd described the situation to the sales assistants in detail (all of which were about 19, devoid of any conversational skills, one or two word answers, eyes glazed over, chewing fingernails etc) and had been promised that there'd be no problem. When confronted they couldn't care less, they'd taken my money and got their sales figures up that's all they were bothered about.
Went and got it from some independent place in the end and they delivered it no bother.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 20 Jun 2010
- Posts
- 3,251
Didn't OpCapita buy Game, shaft it's shareholders by binning it and relaunching it under a new company name, magically debt free.
These guys know how to do business, srysly. Basic operating strategy of **** everybody.
These guys know how to do business, srysly. Basic operating strategy of **** everybody.
I'd like to see a TV running before I buy it. There are of course reviews but picture quality is, to a point, subjective.
Stores need to change though, they have to compete, if not on price then service. They have the edge in having the item on the day, easier returns and you can actually talk to people.
Problem is, they still try lying to customers over what's best for them, sell them overpriced tat. Why? When will they learn people can literary google the product while stood infront of it.
Do you remember Escom taking over most of the Rumbelows shops? Having a specialist shop selling PCs on the high street was quite something...
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 8,620
- Location
- Glocestershire
I'll give you Rumbelows, but Ratners was special case. It was doing quite well until the MD went on TV and said the merchandise was crap.
I think they're working up to a Little Chef style slow death. They've been closing loads of stores and also merging their retail park stores.
In 15 years time it'll be one of those shops you only find in places like Margate or Worthing. Basically anywhere that still has a Wimpy.
I can't see the big electrical retailers bouncing back. On one side they've got people like John Lewis and Richer Sounds giving much better service for not much more money. On the other you've got online retailers and supermarkets selling much cheaper.
Last edited:
Permabanned
- Joined
- 9 Aug 2008
- Posts
- 35,717
I go into other places like PC world e.t.c ... theres never anyone in them stores!
Escom only did that as they were given a 12 month lease for free. Once they had to pay for the stores they found they couldn't afford them and shut down.
You could look at it another way, although it's not going to help in the short term :
The money that Comet made, now has to be spent elsewhere by consumers - and put into businesses that have a sustainable model and will be able to employ workers as a result of that. Eventually the jobs will be made up, but not necessarily in the same place, or to the same level.
Unfortunately the internet is the death knell of the this kind of retailer, and the same requirement can be serviced by a website and warehouse - It's unfortunate but these things have to happen to keep things moving forward. Old industries have to make way for the new industries.
Adapt or die.
The money that Comet made, now has to be spent elsewhere by consumers - and put into businesses that have a sustainable model and will be able to employ workers as a result of that. Eventually the jobs will be made up, but not necessarily in the same place, or to the same level.
Unfortunately the internet is the death knell of the this kind of retailer, and the same requirement can be serviced by a website and warehouse - It's unfortunate but these things have to happen to keep things moving forward. Old industries have to make way for the new industries.
Adapt or die.
Permabanned
- Joined
- 9 Aug 2008
- Posts
- 35,717
Golden business rule.
Meh, I wish Maplin would go bust instead, those are the real thiefs. Like 30p for a bloody resistor, and all their stuff is junk bought out of China before they compressed it in to scrap metal. Oh and some leds and capacitors cost like £5 each LOL
Ah, interesting.
Rumbelows. Man that brings back memories. Bought my 1st computer from there, well it wasnt my 1st but it was the 1st one I paid for myself. Amiga 500 it was and it was the business back then. Should have been for £500
.
You can't win on the highstreet these days unless you sell a product which is price fixed or needs to be tried before purchase.
You can't possibly expect a bricks and mortar store to match online prices, the overheads are vastly different.
You also can't expect to go in a store and not be approached by a salesman. If they don't approach you they should be fired because they aren't doing their job.
Lastly to all those moaning about the extras they add on such as expensive cables and warranties. That is all they make profit on, just selling a laptop / tv is pointless as they aren't making any money.
I don't work for a retailer but I do run a lot of promotions so get to talk to a lot of sales guys. They aren't all bad, however most have lost commission now so they have no real incentive to sell. Well other than the crappy wage they get.
You can't possibly expect a bricks and mortar store to match online prices, the overheads are vastly different.
You also can't expect to go in a store and not be approached by a salesman. If they don't approach you they should be fired because they aren't doing their job.
Lastly to all those moaning about the extras they add on such as expensive cables and warranties. That is all they make profit on, just selling a laptop / tv is pointless as they aren't making any money.
I don't work for a retailer but I do run a lot of promotions so get to talk to a lot of sales guys. They aren't all bad, however most have lost commission now so they have no real incentive to sell. Well other than the crappy wage they get.
Last edited:
- Status