How the hell do Currys stay in business?

[Diddums]

Rant time. I've been to Curry's many, many times over the last 13 years I've lived in the UK. It's always, and I mean always more expensive than I can find online, there and then on my phone. The service is non-existent, to the point I've actually wondered if anyone works there at all. On the very odd occasion I've actually had any service or witnessed their "experts" provide "service" to a customer, it's invariably obvious within seconds that they haven't got a clue what they're talking about.

This hasn't been a one off, this has been consistent, every single time, and when I say don't know what they're talking about, I mean trying to sell me an ADSL modem for a cable connection, or not knowing the difference between Full HD and HD ready (remember those days? heh). I'm not talking about enthusiast level stuff, but the basics, their bread & butter, they know none of it.

Yet there they are, on the high street, selling stuff. I saw a deal on HUKD today and wanted to pop in store to pick one up, walked around for about 15 minutes, nothing. Not a single person. Asked at customer service if anyone was available, was told someone would be with me. Another 10 minutes, nothing. Eventually I collared someone who was clearly dashing through the store in low-profile mode in the hope that nobody saw him, and asked him a few questions. Again, he knew nothing and was more interested in shaking me and buggering off.

I honestly don't know what I was thinking, expecting anything other than such crap service, but my optimism regularly fails me.

The only reason I can think of that this company makes any money is finance, or those who want their stuff right now dammit!

/whinge over

 

[Slam62]

Apart from that, what are the positives?

 

[andy_mk3]

My experience with them hasn't been too bad. I rarely shop there, but I have picked a few bits and pieced up in the past when offers have come up. I've near enough always been asked by staff if I need any help while I'm browsing. End of the day it's a retail shop and for joe public, it's perfectly good enough and a lot of people don't shop around. The advice from the 'experts' may not be so helpful to those of us who are into tech, but for everyone else they wouldn't know much at all.

 

[glenimp617]

It obvious how they stay in business. Most people don't know of an alternative. Currys in a lot of people's eyes is the only place to buy electronics from.

Not every family has an IT friend who can help out. Plus a lot of people have given up helping because of the hassle it can cause.

Few years ago I built the mother in law a PC. It's ready to be replaced and I've told her just to go to Currys. Whatever they buy will be enough for them and if it goes wrong they can deal with it in store.

There's still a huge number of people who like to see before they buy so online is a no no from the start.

If they pay a few quid extra so be it. That said my new surface laptop came from Currys and only cost me £680.

 

[Randomface74]

They're the only electronics shop in my town, so not much choice for people who like going into physical stores.

 

[Camalot]

Can't remember the last time i went in curry's.

Why have you been going for many, many times in 13 years if they give you consistent, every single time, poor service?

I'd not have gone back at all lol

 

[Junglist]

End of the day it's a retail shop and for joe public, it's perfectly good enough and a lot of people don't shop around. The advice from the 'experts' may not be so helpful to those of us who are into tech, but for everyone else they wouldn't know much at all.

Very much this.

I wouldn't put much faith in anyone in retail knowing what they're selling. Hell, I worked and designed kitchens for about 5 years before starting my career. What the hell did 17 year old me know what people want and need in kitchens yet I had to pretend I knew enough about them to put confidence in the customer.

I sort of feel that way when I go to the Apple shop and I have someone telling me about tech
(to be fair, Currys have always done me fairly)

 

[almoststew1990]

I sometimes forget I briefly used to work there, for the summer after I graduated uni 6 years ago. The aim was always to make contact with a customer within five minutes of them entering the store.

When I last visited, I was told there was a queue to speak to someone! The guy was making stuff up as he went and tried the classic "you need this £25 cable which is half price from £50 when buying this 4k TV in order to use your 1080p PS4 on your TV."

An by the way I've noticed you can now buy 720p TVs (again?) at the super cheapo end. They can do HDR! Why would you want 720p over 32"... With "HDR" !

 

[new boy]

At work, we had a switch die and needed one quickly. I went there, (pc world I think) purchased a 4 port one for £9.99, just the job.

That's about the only time currys / pc world will get my custom.

 

[EGuitarStar]

Most people don't know of an alternative. Currys in a lot of people's eyes is the only place to buy electronics from.

This.

I do look at them for things I want to buy in 2018 I purchased from them a few times, twice they had some lenses and a camera I wanted cheaper than anyone else, and then during Christmas they had SNES classic in stock £10 cheaper than anyone else. I would never go in there asking for advice on goods that I want to buy.

Back in the late 90s/early 00s I worked at Tempo no one cared or knew much at all about what they were selling it was more just saying yes to everything and hoping for the best.

 

[ethan]

They now allow you to take things back.

 

[StriderX]

Only use for me is the USB drives that i needed recently and Amazon was too slow for it, they'll be gone soon enough, there's no way they can survive.

 

[MagicBoy]

Rant time. I've been to Curry's many, many times over the last 13 years I've lived in the UK. It's always, and I mean always more expensive than I can find online, there and then on my phone.

I think you need to re-adjust your expectations.

Their overheads are higher than an online seller. They don't give away retail park premises for free that magically staff themselve with experts. If they sell stuff at insufficient margin, they'll do an HMV. That DSG have lasted this long is a miracle, and also why they're staffed lightly during the week. When I worked for a related company 20 years ago the main profit earners were accessories, extended warranties and the finance packages. Even then they made next to no margin on the actual products, and in those days Amazon were a small operation selling a few books.

On the very odd occasion I've actually had any service or witnessed their "experts" provide "service" to a customer, it's invariably obvious within seconds that they haven't got a clue what they're talking about.

If you're expecting a sales led organisation to staff a retail shop with staff that have an encyclopaedic technical knowledge of everything from dishwashers to TVs and every modern gadgets for while paying near minimum wage you've got thing coming.

 

[Semple]

Had a part time job there in my youth many many years ago so definitely know the BS that goes around.

The one that absolutely shocked me... We had a Turkish guy who started as a Christmas temp. Within a couple of weeks he was getting the top sales each week. Back then you were heavily pushed on selling the extended warranties, and he was getting stacks of them.

The management also didn't really care how he was getting them, just that he was getting lots. He became the model employee, and we were told we should all be selling like him.

Anyway a few weeks later, the drama erupted. There were a number of customers making a lot of noise about these monthly charges having appeared on their accounts. Turns out that majority of the time he sold something he'd also signed them up for the extended warranties. Caused a lot of problems and they had to end up firing him.

 

[Chojin]

Bought a Fitbit from them for a last minute gift. Price was fine but I didn't like them asking for my address when I purchased it. They remind me of Maplin as they seem to have just as many staff (if not more) in the shop than the number of customers.

 

[ScoTTyBEEE]

Hate Currys with a passion. My last visit I ordered it online for collection in store because they're so utterly useless and I wanted to ensure the trip wouldn't be wasted. Went in, paid, waited 30 minutes to collect to be told they don't have it. Will never return, they're an absolutely terrible company.

I go to Richer Sounds for anything I can.

 

[robfosters]

Got a great half price deal on a microwave there recently. Well pleased with it.

Personally if I’m buying white goods, I like to see them first. Curry’s really is the only place you can do that, and if I like it, I normally just buy it from them rather than elsewhere. Their prices are ok in my experience.

 

[Wizzfizz]

Maplin was one of the worst places to work, glad they folded, unfair on the better staff. A bit like Currys I guess. All about trying to get a sale and not being honest and winging it to usually older people. Can say that about all sales people to be honest. Disgusting.

 

[Pawnless Endgame]

I don't mind the Currys side of their business. Yes it's not the cheapest, but they offer delivery, installation and collecting of the old unit in 1 overall package which is convenient.

I despise the PC World side of their business though. I helped a friend to choose a laptop and it apparently had to be PC World as it was an insurance payout and they could only use it in there. I think I'm allowed to mention this under the OcUK competitor rule as it wasn't a positive experience in comparison to OcUK. When we chose a laptop, a purple shirt sales guy tried to hard-sell us some extras:

- 3 year warranty (ok this was fair enough, choose 1 year as standard or upgrade to 3 years... it's a gamble)
- insurance cover (duuuuuur... this laptop came out of insurance money from an existing policy!)
- Microsoft Office (no thanks we'll use Open Office)
- Cloud backup (already got it)
- Anti-virus (already got it)
- A 3G / 4G data plan (what the actual ****?! Laptop doesn't have a sim slot)
- Services to have above software installed (declined)
- Services to have Windows 8.1 upgraded to Windows 10 (this was back when the upgrade was free)

Very desperate guy. 30 minutes of our lives that we won't get back and 30 minutes of his life that he won't get back. Not a very nice experience for any of us. So after declining everything, we paid for the laptop and ran.

The crux of my post is that most people know how to install software or know someone who can do it for them. In the Currys example though, most people don't know how to plumb in white goods or have the necessary vehicle to take the old unit away. Therefore the Currys extras is more valued than the PC World extras.

 

[thedoc46]

Last thing i bought from Curry's was a ZX Spectrum 48k