The retail climate

drc

I was in central London yesterday (not buying anything myself, just accompanying a friend on a shopping trip). Anyway, I was shocked at how empty the shops were, even the big department stores.

We went into a very large well-known store and got into conversation with a middle aged lady working in the curtains/upholstery section. She told us that she now has to work 12 hour shifts, finishes at 12 midnight. Doesn't get paid any extra for this and company does not provide any kind of transport home. She said that the economic environment was awful and that she was lucky to have a job so she couldn't complain. She sounded absolutely bleak though. I think things are a lot worse than people realise...

heathcote123

I was insulted yesterday by a gentleman inviting me to use the new self service tills in waitrose!

If I shopped at tesco's, I'd expect it, but paying over the odds for your shopping anyway and being asked to serve yourself? what is this world coming to?

shortchanged_2

It was a very sunny day though yesterday. I imagine everyone was on the beach buying ice creams instead.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

drc wrote: »

a middle aged lady working in the curtains/upholstery section. She told us that she now has to work 12 hour shifts, finishes at 12 midnight. Doesn't get paid any extra for this

Highly doubtful.

Staff will be paid for the hours worked, and any contravention of this is illegal. No "well known retailer" would ever sanction the breaching of employment law in this manner.

Now it may well be the case that the employee has had a change of hours to later shift times, and may be moaning about not getting extra for a "night rate" or similar. But there is no legal obligation to increase hourly rate for evening hours, and in an increasingly competitive retail environment it's unlikely that most companies would.

and company does not provide any kind of transport home.

I remember the days of "staff taxis" for late workers. Those days are largely gone. It's just not an affordable luxury for most companies nowadays, especially when they're competing with low cost online retailers.

If people want to pay the least amount possible for the goods they buy, they'll need to accept that companies selling them those good will also have to operate in the lowest cost environment possible.

She said that the economic environment was awful and that she was lucky to have a job so she couldn't complain. She sounded absolutely bleak though.

She sounded like a right moaner who has absolutely no business being in retail.

The job of floor staff in retail is to create a positive and welcoming environment, to sell products to customers, and to provide great customer service.

Not to gripe about their employers, their job and the economy.

If she worked for me, with an attitude like that she probably wouldn't have a job for long.

I think things are a lot worse than people realise...

You can see exactly how bad or how good things are in retail on a regular basis through the sales figures all the major companies release.

Things aren't significantly worse or better than they have been for the last few years.

shortchanged_2

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

You can see exactly how bad or how good things are in retail on a regular basis through the sales figures all the major companies release.

Things aren't significantly worse or better than they have been for the last few years.

You just keep telling yourself that Hamish.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

shortchanged wrote: »

You just keep telling yourself that Hamish.

Well if you lot were right every time you've told us how bad things were, the typical UK high street would look like this already.

shortchanged_2

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Well if you lot were right every time you've told us how bad things were, the typical UK high street would look like this already.

Is that Tottenham?

FTBFun

It was very busy at Bluewater yesterday. I have a feeling you're making this up.

Generali

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Highly doubtful.

Staff will be paid for the hours worked, and any contravention of this is illegal. No "well known retailer" would ever sanction the breaching of employment law in this manner.

As a student I worked for probably the most famous English hotelier and A-road petrol station cafe owner. Everyone in the hotel (50 people?) worked overtime but I was the only one paid for it as nobody else would work nights behind the bar except an alcoholic night porter who was found asleep on a sofa a couple of times a year by the morning shift!

It was illegal or at least a pretty clear breach of contract as our contracts stated we got paid overtime. They didn't give a flying fox.

shortchanged_2

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Highly doubtful.

Staff will be paid for the hours worked, and any contravention of this is illegal. No "well known retailer" would ever sanction the breaching of employment law in this manner.

I think you're showing you're naivety if you believe that during tough times (and probably during good times to) businesses don't try to cut corners.

atush

I am still spending as normal. I have even done a fair old bit of xmas shopping aleady. Got a hornby train set yesterday in Tesco with my 5 quid off voucher.

Am i alone in my support of the UK economy?

Of course I am being economical in what I purchase, and saving and overpaying the mtg. But I have always done these things, even when the times were 'good'.