Marks & Spencer (M&S) One day 20% off sale.

Hi all,
Just a quick update on yesterdays 20% day.

Last night when the shop closed we had to take down the decor ready for todays trade. H/O imformed us not to throw the decor away. As we wont keep it for 12 months it sounds like M&S may be repeating the day within the next 2/3 weeks. Always a chance as we did this 4 years ago. Anyway keep a lookout.

sarahs999 wrote: »

Come now. Everyone wanted a bargain and went to the shop, so there was a queue. Not complicated, is it? If you didn't want to queue there was always the online option, which was easy, quick and queue-free.

I didn't want to queue!

Maybe the situation seems simple but just how much of a "bargain" is a "bargain" when you have to wait to pay?

Assuming you've nothing better to do with your day waiting around is fine, unfortunately those of us who have to work for a living have a value to our time.
Simply put if I have to stand and wait to pay for something the store is after all trying to "sell" to me its relative cost goes up! That is not money saving.

Valuing ones time is the most important factor in making money, ask any of the business gurus, valuing customers time is equally important if you wish to survive on the high street.
Retailers need to "sell" us the high street shopping experience if they want it to continue. The end result if they put us off to the point of not bothering and doing it all online as the first option then watch out for more closed shop units and of course the prospect of lower staff numbers. It takes very few bodies to run a high volume automated wharehouse distribution centre in comparison to a high street store and of course the premises costs are lower.

The demise of "local" shopping is generally blamed on supermarkets and "out of town" shopping centres that made the shopping experience "easier". The high street will go the same way unless its an attractive way to shop. Advertising a large discount promotion as you are struggling to maintain sales volumes and then not being able cope with the demand by not having enough people to "sell" your stock is a fundmental business error.

I wish M&S every success in attempting to keep their high street business going but can only feel they are choosing nails for their own coffin. Should they report poor Christmas period sales I will not have any sympathy.

Yes I did order online yesterday evening, not with M&S but another retailer whose £43.55 worth of goods have arrived this morning, I paid no more for overnight delivery and received a 10% discount voucher for a future purchase.

If my experience is replicated in only a small percentage of customers then expect the same percentage drop in high street sales.

Bargain and discounts are all relative terms!

Thanks for the heads-up on this!

i went yesterday afternoon - heaving - but by the time i'd looked around there was no que for the changing room or till! (an odd 4.00pm lull)

got the normal 2 for 3 on biscuits for family prezzies, a fab bra, lovely slippers-to-use-less-heating, a much nicer than i'd normally buy X-X-X-X for the OH, and 4 picture frames i'd had my eye on.
cost: £70
charge: £55
saving: £15 - the extra money saved was spent on the X-X-X-X! :0)

really hope there's another as some employees have hinted at, i'll do the tryon and reserve trick!

scotsblood wrote: »

I didn't want to queue!

Blinkin nora and you think others did? You sound like a petulant child. Perhaps, when you realised how busy it was, you should have put your item back and bought it at a later date when the store was quieter.

Anyway I didn't have to queue at all, I ordered online and the first of my orders from yesterday has already been despatched, I am very happy with the service from M&S:T

spot on.

we went on last night 23 presents mixed in 3 for twos etc should have been £150 got for £100 and free delivery excellent stuff and M&S will still be quids in especially as the wife got two meals for a tenner today.