Talks continue to save Woolworths

Snax · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:01

the best thing about woolies is their JV wih the BBC in media publishing. that is keeping them alive.

tbh their electrics are astoundingly good sometimes and astoundingly bad at others. they source components at source- sometimes that can be a 15 bar pump for a £25 espresso machine (which is great value) and someimes it can be shoddy jap cd players.

i love them, i hope they survive.

dangerstat · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:09

Snax to survive they need a "make over" they need to stop having that pound shop image and be somewhere that you actually want to step into. For me it's classic Waterstone's, they are a VERY well led business. Now I never head into town for a book, in fact I'm use "insert major online book store here", but 9/10 times I find myself in Waterstones having a look round, or I head in there because I want a coffee and they have embedded coffee shops in them...very very smart of them.

For Woolies they have nothing, nada, zip. I walk in there and I want to leave. They have options, theming comes to mind like "Woolworths Home" where they specialise in homeware and do a decent job at it, rather than being a jack of all trades and achiving none of them. They should challange WH buy trying to get foot holds in highly profitable railway / airport stands. In fact, screw it they should just hire me, if you listening woolies I'll make you sucessful if you pay me 1.2 Mil PA

OpenToSuggestions · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:10

Woolworths don't really sell anything in particular. There is nothing that I think I can get that I think "I can get from Woolworths". Its a rubbish shop.

Coolasmoo · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:12

mglover070588 said:
There is nothing that I think I can get that I think "I can get from Woolworths".

The JML Pro Ceramic Potato Peeler

OpenToSuggestions · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:14

Coolasmoo said:
The JML Pro Ceramic Potato Peeler

I apologise for my crap grammer

I will bear the potato peeler

pull2808 · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:14

Jack of all trades, master of none. Sad to see it go, worked for them for nearly 2 years whilst at college. Can't see it making a recovery really.

SideWinder · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:22

shifty_uk said:
I take it you either own shares or you work for them?

Work.

Indy500 · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:23

Sounds like my friend will be out of a job soon then.

fini · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:25

Talks continue to save Woolworths

Surely they only have to save it once? :confused:

Indy500 · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:26

fini said:
Surely they only have to save it once?

It means the initial negotiations weren't successful.

JAMAL · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:28

lucasade1 said:
Interestingly Alan Sugar very nearly took a sizable stake in the company only a few weeks ago. He must still see something in it:

http://sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=2387382
http://sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=2401958

They have some fantastic store locations, i'm sure he's after that for some reason

Bengaboy · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:31

SideWinder said:
I'm in trouble, a certain 'Indian food type electrical shop' is now at their lowest EVER...10p or something a share.

Ahhh, a fellow DSGi employee I see?

Get going on those connections - one of the biggest money earners in the company at the moment and will probably pull us through the tough times my friend!

Also, it will be sad to see woolworths as I used to go there all the time as a lad with my mum for the pic n mix, but like many have said before, they havnt moved with the times, and now is probably the time to go.

fini · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:31

sr4470 said:
It means the initial negotiations weren't successful.

xb8browney · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:35

The one in Sunderland closed about ~3 years ago and I don't miss it

Azagoth · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:39

Woolworth's are great! Where else on the highstreet can you pick-up the Stargate boxsets for £15?

dangerstat · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:45

Azagoth said:
Woolworth's are great! Where else on the highstreet can you pick-up the Stargate boxsets for £15?

Who else in the country would actually want to buy the Stargate boxset? Sounds like a match made in heaven for you.

Azagoth · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:50

dangerstat said:
Who else in the country would actually want to buy the Stargate boxset? Sounds like a match made in heaven for you.

Well, I'm guessing people who like Stargate would want to buy them.

Duke · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:52

I haven't been into a Woolworths for a couple of years. Last time I went in there they just sold toys and pick'n'mix still.

Sanguinnus · 22 Nov 2008 at 21:34

jack of all trades master of none springs to mind

Berserker · 22 Nov 2008 at 21:35

dangerstat said:
Snax to survive they need a "make over" they need to stop having that pound shop image and be somewhere that you actually want to step into. For me it's classic Waterstone's, they are a VERY well led business. Now I never head into town for a book, in fact I'm use "insert major online book store here", but 9/10 times I find myself in Waterstones having a look round, or I head in there because I want a coffee and they have embedded coffee shops in them...very very smart of them.

Our local Woolies has pulled off that trick with the building trade. They're building a new shopping complex nearby and all the builders seem to be heading to the Woolies cafe for 'supplies'.

Sadly, it seems their time has passed. I used to go in there for odds and ends, but now I just go in the pound shop across the road from the big supermarket. I have too many odds and ends I don't use so there's no point spending time looking elsewhere. Last thing I got from Woolies was a camping lantern for £9.99 in 2006.

It'll be a shame to see them go, particularly as I'm currently working on something relating to them (no, I don't work for them), but it seems they'll be joining MFI, Rosebys, and Motor World. Wouldn't surprise me if JJB, Homebase, DSG, and a few others went too before we're done.