Baby steps to mortgage freedom for beanielou.

Sun_Addict

I had a bad experience with M&S too. I took some sandals back I'd only had a couple of months because they were falling to bits. I didn't have the receipt and they tried to make out they were old stock they no longer sold and said by the state of them I'd had them a long time. Told them I was returning them because of the state they were in after a very short time. It was a battle but I eventually got my refund, albeit very begrudgingly. 

doingitanyway

Just catching up.
Pleased to hear about the cat.
I am another who has been bitten by the MnS refund policy. Not what it was for sure...

beanielou

So glad it is just not me.

peb

Calling by to see how Miss S is, delighted by the news.  Also pleased to hear about the bag win....


I'm not happy with m&s as the knickers I bought online cost £7 but are labelled £6.  

beanielou

peb said:

Calling by to see how Miss S is, delighted by the news.  Also pleased to hear about the bag win....


I'm not happy with m&s as the knickers I bought online cost £7 but are labelled £6.  

Thanks 
Blimey. That's not good.

pollyanna_26

Second attempt to post. The fingers aren't good Beanie. Struggling to sleep tonight so thought I'd catch up. Realy pleased Miss Summer os ok. One less thing to worry you.

Sir Ian Rankin! I wasn't expecting that but he has been a big fund raiser and throughout the pandemic has highlighted the needs of the vulnerable like his son Kit and has campained non stop to get that message over.

He  has no idea what John Rebus would think of him getting a knighthood  but I'm glad this years honours seem to have gone to normal people rather than the privilaged few

Ian's twitter walks around  Edinburgh Old and New town good weather or snow kept me focused through two long not normal winters both unlike the usual everyone here Christmas times.

Re M&S I've noticed things go downhill in the last few years . I used to buy school uniform andclothes for myself and the children there from the 70s onwards. i was never able to buy skirts and trousers for me there. DD1 and I are like my dad was tall and slim . I tried the smallest size they did and so did dd1 but they were too big.

We took part in the annual survey but it took years for them to bring in 10 then 8 and even the more recent size 6 weren't right.

I have jumpers and cardies that fit perfectly and still as good as I bought them despite years of washing also blouses.

In 2001 I used to look at a long black wool coat, expensive but it fitted well and is still my winter coat.

When Geaorge started Per Una there were beautiful clothes . Youngest has a collection of Per Una skirts from back then that fitted her but I'd buy the smallest and take it back for a refund .

I did find two Twiggy Per Una cardigans half price in a sale different colours so bought them both then a couple of years ago another but that was it.

Youngest was lucky in more recent years to fing more skirts still with the tags on for a couple of pounds in a local charity shop so haunted that shop whenever we were in town.

Quality wise the first thing I noticed were the ankle boots I'd been buying over the years. Quality not so good then difficult to get on so read the reviews and took them back

I'd started buying my slim bootcut jeans in Next who did a size 6 good length and I still have a lot of those in perfect condition. Just as well because a few years ago I was having to return them as they were very thin and poor quality.

Marks underwear used to be good . I found multi packs of knickers with a stretch lace waist in a 6 which were perfect a couple of years ago they were having to go back for a refund.

Eldest dd who worked in retail since graduating said we should research what was going wrong and the answer was outsourcing manufacturing abroad for both Marks and Next.

There was quite a lot of publicity at the time as they were using sweatshops with poorly paid staff pretty well sleeping in their workspace so we voted with our feet with both firms.

Fabrics etc were poor quality. Out of curiostity I bought a multi pack of the knickers I'd been buying for years and they were back for a refund a couple of days later.

Both companies were supposed to clean up their act but in the last couple of years but I've looked at seams. hems and fabrics and a lot of things aren't right.

I'm lucky to have a good amount of clothes from when quality was good.

I bought a pair of winter pyjamas in Marks last winter. Made in England and they're ok so far. Socks are hit and miss nowadays.

I can buy very low priced Pringle socks in the big shop round the corner from Marks  TK Maxx or the go out outdoors and similar shops. Three pairs of warm boot socks for £10 and they last for years .

I wont support worker expoitation whether in the UK or abroad. It's wrong so that's hoe it is.

I've never had problems  returning things to Marks or Next but they've known me for decades so that probably helps.

Something dd1 identified was vanity sizing where the sizes aren't true so people think they can get in to what appears to be a smaller size when it isn't and that was our problem as our size wasn't really our size.

DD1 used to work Thursday and Saturdays in our branch when she was in 6th form college  and longer shifts in UNi holidays.

When she graduated they wanted to fast track her for management but she wasn't very happy with the way ladies dripping with furs spoke to the staff She was approached by HMV and ran the Trocadero for a while then went to Waterstones living around Europe for many years . She emailed me a year of so ago to tell me she'd resigned too many arguments with Wee Nicola over having to open and then close all her  stores from Scotland to NW England  due to lockdowns.

I agreed with Nicola but she resigned . Trained as a gardener and Garden designer and is also working for the RHS and happy as can be.

Her retail experience did come in useful when the pandemic began and I talked to her as I was concerned Marks had packed far too many racks and fixtures on the ground floor as they's closed off the back of the shop and the upper floor.

No roomf for social distancing . Youngest couldn't get through with her walking stick and no one with a wheelchair or assistance dog stood a chance if fire  broke out.

I spoke to the floor manager that day who couldn't care less so I asked to speak yo the Store Manager , too busy.

Youngest was already texting a disability charity and sending them pictures of the layout so he demanded her phone. No chance.

DD1 sent a long email. Fire regs , how accessible are the doors - not they were closed and it was a case of wait for a staff member to let you out. How much floor space?

I sent an email to the store manager followed by a recorded letter  both copied to our fire service. As if by magic  the ground floor was as it should be next day complete with the social distancing stickers. No apology but the fire service said they would keep an eye on the situation;

M&S used to be a store you could trust but I don't now. A store manger should know what is happening in their store.

I had a horrid time when DD1 decided I could be a secret shopper in our local Waterstones. Really stupid because they knew who I was due to the fact I would sometimes be with her when she was home for a few days and would suggest we look at the displays in the shop.

We'd have a look at the books then she'd morph into Attilla the Hun. Why haven't you changed the signage as I ordered last time? Why is the Chick Lit hard to find ? Are you blocking the fire exit again?

A few weeks later it woud be mum when you're i n town I need you to check the signage, fire doors , chick lit. and report back.

The fire doors led to a side road and weren't in a sales area so a bit obvious to wander there especially when they knew who I was.

Unopened boxes of books blocking access to the fire doors. I went home and resigned as her not so secret shopper and was very relieved when she resigned herself. She got a huge payoff from the company and half price books for life and I got the glare.

Very relieved she is now happy in her life now. I went in the shop the first day of masks hoping they wouldn't recognise me but they did and relaxed when i confirmed yes she had resigned.

pollyx

beanielou

Good to hear from you polly  x

I have closed my M & S account.
Been meaning to do so for ages so it is finally done.

girlatplay

I'm so glad to hear the news about Miss S xx

beanielou

girlatplay said:

I'm so glad to hear the news about Miss S xx

Thank you.
Such a relief  xx

beanielou

Ninja thingy is going back I think.
DS & GF were here today & they agree it's not really for me.
It's too big & too heavy to have to move.
So their input was really really helpful.
I will phone Ninja tomorrow.