Why is it that upmarket shops suck?

[The_morrell]

more upmarket than burton's, yes.

tend to disagree with you there, nothing upmarket about M & S clothing its the same price as burtons, next and all them other types of shops.

Just the fact that you bought a suit from there turns you in to an old man over night.

 

[jamoor]

Thing is, Mercedes (and many other car make) buyers are hit and miss, too.

Some will be buying 50 cars a year, and some one car every 5 years, and still think they deserve to be treated like royalty, just because they're buying a Merc. The latter are the Mrs Bucket type of buyer.

Some customers have wildly unrealistic expectations.

If I ever bought a merc I would expect to be treated better than in a Honda dealership as I am shelling out a lot more, well the honda dealers that I have been to have been brilliant.
In fact the "cheaper" dealers tend to understand your needs more, you wanna see that car? yes here are the keys, come back when you have finished seeing it, some others will hover over you while you see the car.

You want to test drive it? Here are the keys and here are some trade plates, bring it back when you are finished. others- Yep I will sit in the passenger seat and try to make smalltalk and give you directions.

 

[jamoor]

tend to disagree with you there, nothing upmarket about M & S clothing its the same price as burtons, next and all them other types of shops.

Just the fact that you bought a suit from there turns you in to an old man over night.

No it doesn't.
the cheapest suit I could find in M+S was £100 and that was called "the essential suit" and was nasty.
The one in burton was also £100 and was made of wool, not polyester

 

[[TW]Fox]

Thing is, Mercedes (and many other car make) buyers are hit and miss, too.

Some will be buying 50 cars a year, and some one car every 5 years, and still think they deserve to be treated like royalty, just because they're buying a Merc. The latter are the Mrs Bucket type of buyer.

Some customers have wildly unrealistic expectations.

I had a very interesting conversation with a woman in a large prestige car retailers bodyshop section. She said I'd be amazed at the differing attitudes of customers - she said you normally find the ones with the massively expensive cars walk in with a smile, drop the keys off, and say 'Call me when its ready, no worries'.

Then you get the people with 10+ year old bottom of the range examples of the marques car worth no more than 2-3k, and they expect 5 star service, are rude and abusive if everything isn't perfect, etc etc.

You'd expect it to be the other way round, but it would seem those properly accustomed to money don't need to be pampered 24/7 to make themselves feel better.

 

[Moredhel]

Dude, Reitek DVD-Rs are meant to be the best you can get...

 

[Klo]

Harrods is where you need to go if you want upmarket stuff, along with Bentley for the car.

 

[chimaera]

M & S make some amazing suits for good prices, you just have to know what to look for, no way burtons or next are anywhere near as good.

As the owner of Burtons/Top Man said a few years back, "the only people who buy our suits are those who are due in court the next day".

And as for M&S turning you into an old man, its a suit...hardly everyday clothes, you could buy a suit from M&S or Hugo Boss and it would make no difference, the principle is all the same.

Bought plenty of suits from M&S and always had great service as long as you go into one of the bigger stores with dedicated suit people (M&S Marble Arch is the best). End of the day you get what you pay for, one of their £100 suits will be pretty basic, go up in the range and you'll find some nice outfits.

 

[VeNT]

tbh I'd get a suit from NEXT rather than M&S (worked at M&S and saw the state some of the stuff was in) but tbh moss bross = win over both

 

[Alex_L]

Thing is, Mercedes (and many other car make) buyers are hit and miss, too.

Some will be buying 50 cars a year, and some one car every 5 years, and still think they deserve to be treated like royalty, just because they're buying a Merc. The latter are the Mrs Bucket type of buyer.

Some customers have wildly unrealistic expectations.

Definitely, the mercedes dealers my parents use are pretty good, just a couple of times I been looked at down the nose of some snotty idiot salesperson when I popped in to drop off my parents car for a service, or to buy a light bulb/wiper blades. Its really the whole 'you can't afford a merc, why are you here?' attitude I dislike, is it so hard to be polite?

I have seen some people in there who expect ridiculous things, and to be treated like royalty as you say, personally I just expect a bit of respect and politeness, and the offer of a cup of tea, if i'm waiting.

 

[Beansprout]

Harrods is where you need to go if you want upmarket stuff, along with Bentley for the car.

Agree on the Bentley bit, but Harrods is just a pretentious over-priced super-snobby Debenhams (with the exception of the food hall section, mmmmmm).

 

[Alex_L]

Harrods is where you need to go if you want upmarket stuff, along with Bentley for the car.

Harrods is a joke, I just refuse to go there, Harvey Nichols is a much nicer shopping experience, or even better just go to the individual shops for the brand harrods stocks either on bond street or sloane street.

 

[penski]

Flannels/Cruise - I look like a homeless. I literally haven't shaved or trimmed my beard in about 6 months. I wear faded, baggy jeans and t shirts....

But whenever I pop into a Cruise or Flannels, I get exemplary customer service. I don't spend a huge amount there (maybe £300 a few times a year) but I'm still treated brilliantly.

Top company.

*n

 

[daz]

US retail customer service > UK

 

[jamoor]

Dude, Reitek DVD-Rs are meant to be the best you can get...

no they aren't.

 

[jamoor]

M & S make some amazing suits for good prices, you just have to know what to look for, no way burtons or next are anywhere near as good.

As the owner of Burtons/Top Man said a few years back, "the only people who buy our suits are those who are due in court the next day".

And as for M&S turning you into an old man, its a suit...hardly everyday clothes, you could buy a suit from M&S or Hugo Boss and it would make no difference, the principle is all the same.

Bought plenty of suits from M&S and always had great service as long as you go into one of the bigger stores with dedicated suit people (M&S Marble Arch is the best). End of the day you get what you pay for, one of their £100 suits will be pretty basic, go up in the range and you'll find some nice outfits.

I was at the sheffield meadowhall store, about as big as they come, still useless and have lost the business of my family. We had credit cards with them too, they have lost that business as well.

 

[jamoor]

US retail customer service > UK

TBH Customer Service in Pakistan ffs is miles better than here anyday, I went there at Christmas and the people are actually interested in helping you, they are a lot more motivated than the ****'s in M+S

 

[Noxis]

You get pretty good service in Harrods


(or at least I do when I am with my Father in law (retired assistant director ))

 

[Carzy]

Being more upmarket than Burton doesn't make M+S in themselves upmarket by the way.

That's like saying Iceland is more upmarket than Netto, and therefore Iceland is upmarket.

And I agree with:

Some will be buying 50 cars a year, and some one car every 5 years, and still think they deserve to be treated like royalty, just because they're buying a Merc. The latter are the Mrs Bucket type of buyer.

Some customers have wildly unrealistic expectations.

Mrs. Bucket, haha

 

[Beansprout]

You get pretty good service in Harrods


(or at least I do when I am with my Father in law (retired assistant director ))

You sure do, and their staff parties rocked

But that doesn't change what they essentially are - the M&S of the upmarket.

 

[Errol]

Most of the shops you mention in your post are downmarket. You clearly have a very odd view of what 'upmarket' means.