Marks & Spencer Sale!! now final reductions

christineg79

Yes minimal reduction to start with. They draw their sales out too long now :-\

LittleMax

TheDancingBanana wrote: »

Since when did Primark become a competitor for M&S? They are totally different ends of the spectrum. Waitrose doesn't sell clothes and GAP is aimed primarily at the younger market.

In the last sale I ordered a dozen items from M&S, the quality was terrible and I only kept two things. So Primark offers better quality. Gone are the days that M&S was the best quality, however they still price their garments as though they are. So I agree Primark are taking some of their market share.

Waitrose don't sell clothes ... but M&S do sell food!

alx2013

LittleMax wrote: »

In the last sale I ordered a dozen items from M&S, the quality was terrible and I only kept two things. So Primark offers better quality. Gone are the days that M&S was the best quality, however they still price their garments as though they are. So I agree Primark are taking some of their market share.

Waitrose don't sell clothes ... but M&S do sell food!

Primark said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the deaths of up to 187 people following the collapse of an eight-storey building in Bangladesh used by one of its suppliers.

Sorry but I don't agree with the way Primark produce their clothes regardless of quality.
I still rate M&S!

alx2013

kats53 wrote: »

Yet another sale at M & S starts tomorrow. Go and grab some bargains!

Thanks OP - really pleased you posted this, bought some nice outfits and pyjamas for the kids!

LittleMax

alx2013 wrote: »

Primark said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the deaths of up to 187 people following the collapse of an eight-storey building in Bangladesh used by one of its suppliers.

Sorry but I don't agree with the way Primark produce their clothes regardless of quality.
I still rate M&S!

I don't agree with their ethics either ... but I would double check other retailers, they don't all have better ethics just because they charge more.

My point though was that the quality at Marks' has slipped and this makes Primark a competitor of M&S. Lots of shoppers don't consider wheere clothes are produced and this will not stop Primark taking some of M&S market share.

Doc_N

TheDancingBanana wrote: »

Since when did Primark become a competitor for M&S? They are totally different ends of the spectrum. Waitrose doesn't sell clothes and GAP is aimed primarily at the younger market.

Primark is very much a competitor. M&S used to provide me with ALL my clothes - now it's hardly anything, and Primark's the first port of call. Their clothes are a fraction of the price of M&S, and the quality's little different, if anything at all. The styling's much more up-to-date, the stores are brighter and fresher, and the price difference is huge.

To those who have concerns about their ethical credentials, I'd argue that they're exactly the same as anyone else's - they just don't add the same margins. M&S margins are enormous by comparison, because it's such an inefficient company as against Primark.

Waitrose do actually sell some clothing, but my point was that they're taking away a lot of the M&S food sales. Much more convenient stores, better range, lower prices for the same quality.

And GAP? Shouldn't M&S be concerned that they've pretty much lost the younger market?

M&S is now the place of last resort for this family. Outdated, unfashionable stocks, grossly overpriced (because it relies on sales every few weeks to shift the stuff), inconvenient locations, poor internet service (frequently out of stock, but days after placing the order)............and does anyone else wonder about the customer service standards of a retailer that has, as part of its standard script for till staff: "Sorry to have kept you waiting"?

TheDancingBanana

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

You wouldn't catch me dead in Primark, I hate everything about it, from it's scruffy stores to its chavvy clientele and I totally disagree over the quality issue.

I wasn't aware of Waitrose selling clothing, never seen it in my local store. Yes, I know they sell food but I was concentrating on the clothing side.

GAP, I haven't shopped in since the kids grew up but I was never aware of them doing stuff like school uniforms, which M&S do very well.

I like M&S however I'm not blind to its faults but I would miss it terribly if it went.

As for the ethics thing, personally, I'm not interested, it's of no interest to me who makes it or where it's made.

PDC

While I agree much of their range can be a little bland, to me they seem to aim for some middle ground between trendy and classic and often miss, but I've always found the customer service and staffing levels to be very good in Marks.

I don't really see the comparison between them and Primark, I haven't bought anything from Primark that has lasted beyond a couple of seasons.

sky111

Doc_N wrote: »

M&S is now the place of last resort for this family. Outdated, unfashionable stocks, grossly overpriced (because it relies on sales every few weeks to shift the stuff), inconvenient locations, poor internet service (frequently out of stock, but days after placing the order)............and does anyone else wonder about the customer service standards of a retailer that has, as part of its standard script for till staff: "Sorry to have kept you waiting"?

Totally agree. Have you noticed the 'sale' signs are more discrete now?
I understand the 'price high' policy to maximise profit margins whereas, Primark's policy is an initial competitive price to shift stock quicker and not relying on gimmick sales every few weeks. Come on M&S, people are clued up on your marketing strategy :cool:

flandot

I only ever go into M&S during the last few days of the sales as I like their bras & kids clothes but wouldn't dream of paying anything near full price.
I find the women's clothing either drab and boring or waaaaay over the top. The quality is rubbish. I always feel items of clothing and everything in there just feels thin and cheap. So I head to Primark and pay very little for the same material and don't mind if it only lasts a few months or if I get a stain on it.
Although Primark's ethics are questionable I agree that many pricier outlets are operating under the same ethics but making a larger profit which to me is actually worse than what Primark are doing.
Aaaaanyway I am so bored of M&S sales - there have been so many recently that my bra drawer is stocked well enough to last me years! The reductions at the minute are also very minimal and not tempting at all. Bring back manager's reductions - I used to get great bargains!