Jessops to go into administration ?

[Nexus]

I wonder who will fill the gaps in the high street now that they are gone? I mean there will be certain major towns and cities without a single semi-specialist/specialist photography shop.

There clearly isn't really a market for it, so there will only be the likes of Currys, Argos and some other retailers selling cameras on the high street.

There are plenty of independent shops that specialise to the more professional end of the market, but they are only ever going to be in places where they can be profitable due to the sheer amount of professional photography work that goes on there.

 

[Journey]

There clearly isn't really a market for it, so there will only be the likes of Currys, Argos and some other retailers selling cameras on the high street.

There are plenty of independent shops that specialise to the more professional end of the market, but they are only ever going to be in places where they can be profitable due to the sheer amount of professional photography work that goes on there.

I don't think that is true at all, there will be towns with literally no shops whatsoever. Jessops had too many branches losing money, and they could not stay afloat supporting them all, so all of the very profitable stores also suffered.

You only have to look at things like specialist Hi-Fi stores to see that there is room for at least one in big towns/small citites etc.

 

[Nexus]

I don't think that is true at all, there will be towns with literally no shops whatsoever. Jessops had too many branches losing money, and they could not stay afloat supporting them all, so all of the very profitable stores also suffered.

You only have to look at things like specialist Hi-Fi stores to see that there is room for at least one in big towns/small citites etc.

But Pros and even Serious Amateurs clearly weren't using Jessops. They were either buying online or using a good independent they know of.

If people in towns were regularly ordering upmarket lenses and pro cameras, then they would have kept stock of some in the store. Clearly though, people weren't, so thats why only Jessops in cities were likely to be carrying a better selection of kit.

So for regular point and shoot type cameras, there is no longer the boom there that there once was. For Pros they didn't really carry the gear. For the market of people interested in Photography getting their first DSLR, they couldn't compete with the big online retailers on price.

I personally don't think you see much in the way of many specialised Hi-Fi stores these days, sure you get some some independent ones here and there, like good camera shops. However its really only Richer Sounds you tend to see about the place and they are more about flogging TVs these days compared to being audiophile Hi-Fi experts, but then that just reflects the changing nature of markets.

Would you rather buy the item you want in a shop?
Or would you rather buy the same item significantly cheaper, delivered to you at home, protected by distance selling regulations and still the full warranty.... I think you will find most people go for the second option.

I am sorry that Jessops is gone, but I wasn't buying anything in there. I even live in London where I am spoiled for decent independents and I still tend to buy online.

 

[Hxc]

Finding the ex jessops staff group on FB very amusing, lots of photos of people messing around as they pack up the stores and lots of chatter about how terribly run the company was ahaha

 

[englishpremier]

I personally don't think you see much in the way of many specialised Hi-Fi stores these days, sure you get some some independent ones here and there, like good camera shops. However its really only Richer Sounds you tend to see about the place and they are more about flogging TVs these days compared to being audiophile Hi-Fi experts, but then that just reflects the changing nature of markets.

There's a Martins Hi-Fi, Richer Sounds, and Sevenoaks in norwich. Plus then you've got more mainsteam electrical stores like Hughes selling hi-fi gear.

I think that's plenty for a small town.

Of course we also have a huge WEX, and a small LCE here, so Jessops won't be missed.

 

[King Damager]

There's a Martins Hi-Fi, Richer Sounds, and Sevenoaks in norwich. Plus then you've got more mainsteam electrical stores like Hughes selling hi-fi gear.

I think that's plenty for a small town.

Of course we also have a huge WEX, and a small LCE here, so Jessops won't be missed.

Yeah, but norwich is supposed to be the second most shopped in location in the country or something except for London or something stupid.

It's nice being in norwich xD apart from all the people with six fingers :s

kd

 

[jaybee]

I welcome the death of the high street. It won't really be a death mind, just a change. Electronic retailers most of all just can't compete with online outlets now, at least not whilst they fail to notice that they need to adapt and stop stubbornly keeping the same old business models. Instead they sit there with high prices and overheads watching themselves go bust. Hello?
Clothes shops will survive because people want to see and feel such items in person. Food places will always survive, supermarkets, fast food. I also can see a rise in the Aldi/Lidl/pound shop type stores where they push bulk purchases of imported stuff and general consumables that we want, for dirt cheap. Like so cheap it's disposable cheap kinda thing. Some of it is actually good quality too.

The thing is, we as consumers have as little disposable income as we ever have done. We are also wise to the online market now. Almost every purchase is dependant on price. We research things at the type of a keyboard in seconds. We know what we want. We decide on it, and then we find it at the cheapest price. Times have changed. We don't go round the shops on a Saturday impulse buying things based on what we see whilst browsing. We are calculated in our decision making.

The high street has not reacted to change and this year will keep paying the price. Building rent and costs to keep real estate as mentioned is also at an all time high and will keep climbing. Online is a million times cheaper to do without customer direct contact, point of sale, staff etc etc.

It was so obviously coming that I find the articles and daily mail shock horror stories laughable.

I have no sympathy for anyone but the poor staff losing their jobs.

 

[Westyfield2]

Finding the ex jessops staff group on FB very amusing,

link?

 

[Kevin Clark]

There clearly isn't really a market for it, so there will only be the likes of Currys, Argos and some other retailers selling cameras on the high street.

There are plenty of independent shops that specialise to the more professional end of the market, but they are only ever going to be in places where they can be profitable due to the sheer amount of professional photography work that goes on there.

Won't be Argos. They're in big trouble as well. Could easily be next to go if Blockbuster don't get there first.
I think a few independent shops will keep going as the costs are much lower to just run one store instead of 150 odd. Outside of that it'll all go online eventually.

 

[ElDude]

The only down side of these big stores lasting so long before going under, is the small business man that they crushed, went under already. There will only be medium sized businesses left, like family run ones that expanded to having shops in several areas, or have large stock levels and a semi decent online presence.

The thing that worries me is that places like WEX may well be tempted to push up their prices as their rivals drop off one by one. The less direct competition there is, the less they have to worry about. It could easily swing either way, by which I mean more HK purchases than UK retailers purchases. WEX are competitive currently, but it wouldn't take much for the temptation to settle in there.

 

[eyetrip]

Too right, the high street is having a tough time of it at the moment. Just locally over the last months we've lost WoolWorths, Millets, Jessops, Comet. And everytime one goes up pops either a "pound shop" or another charity shop. Jessops going is a kicker it was always my bolt hole while the family did their thing..

Saw this and just had to ask if you were based in Twickenham?

 

[Nexus]

Won't be Argos. They're in big trouble as well. Could easily be next to go if Blockbuster don't get there first.

They haven't posted any profit warnings.

Yes the company is not doing as well as it would like, but they aren't in dire trouble and Home Retail is currently trying to refocus to being more online than catalogue based. They clearly are trying to adapt to an online model earlier than most.

 

[Nexus]

Saw this and just had to ask if you were based in Twickenham?

He could be anywhere in the UK....

What he has described is the very nature of what is/has happened to the typical British High Street. Big chains are failing and budget shops are cropping up where landlords want to make rent.

 

[ElDude]

Incidentally my mum went to Staples in Wrexham yesterday and they were closing. They said they'd known since October. Looks like they're downsizing too.

 

[GAC]

Incidentally my mum went to Staples in Wrexham yesterday and they were closing. They said they'd known since October. Looks like they're downsizing too.

our local staples has gone also. will be the story of many chain's this year or at least the ones who realize they cant carry on throwing money at rent in loss making stores.

 

[Nexus]

Presumably Staples must make a lot of its revenue from business customers, rather than personal.

I would buy packaging supplies from them for use in eBay sales, but they are just too expensive.

 

[londonbairn]

Doubt Staples will go as a company, they supply a ton to businesses.

Retail maybe, but not their business segment...

 

[shaggyd]

PCWorld could be next. The state of the store in Bangor has been on a downhill trajectory over the past 3-4 years. Gone from being PC specialists, they went the way of selling tat iPap accessories and Wii gizmos nobody wants. Now, the store is taken over and PCWorld have moved into the back of Curry's, selling tablets and discounts software such as Myst or Bejewelled.

 

[shaggyd]

Or maybe Cineworld. The place looks really tatty and always trashed, as if a Tasmanian Devil just whirled through their main reception area twirling popcorn all over the floor. The staff grunt because you have interrupted their sleep, to buy overpriced tickets, since their quick serving auto ticket printing facility has been removed. The seats are damp from spilt drinks and when you sneak in during the commercial adverts, your foot crunches on popcorn that has been living on the carpet for the past 5 years.

 

[ElDude]

PCWorld could be next. The state of the store in Bangor has been on a downhill trajectory over the past 3-4 years. Gone from being PC specialists, they went the way of selling tat iPap accessories and Wii gizmos nobody wants. Now, the store is taken over and PCWorld have moved into the back of Curry's, selling tablets and discounts software such as Myst or Bejewelled.

I think they've been doing that since they nearly went under a few years ago. In Wrexham they're in the back of currys, and have been for a while now. I seem to remember them starting that way too. Their prices have always been up and down so they seem to have a semi decent supply chain. Trouble is their prices for smaller items like cat5 cables, network hardware etc seems to be vastly more expensive now.