Sad news for Opti

[TheBoy]

That is why most of the online people have done so well

But that's the point.  They haven't. Very few online only have made a viable profit, and the combined walk-in shops with online presence, the online has nowhere near made up for the drop in turnover from the shop.

There is a misapprension  that online is somehow cheaper. It aint significantly so.  And if you become a target, like BA did, you likely won't survive.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

[TheBoy]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

[aaronjb]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

I think they're missing out on a potential revenue stream, there.. I bet there'd be purchasers if they were appropriately marketed

[STEMO]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

I think they're missing out on a potential revenue stream, there.. I bet there'd be purchasers if they were appropriately marketed

Yep. All the charity shops do a roaring trade. 

[aaronjb]

Random thought for the day: My ex used to work in a charity shop .. the most common size of female shoe donated was size 9-10..

.. that's some "women" with really big feet ..

[TheBoy]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

I think they're missing out on a potential revenue stream, there.. I bet there'd be purchasers if they were appropriately marketed

But that means all customers would buy the heavily discounted returns, not the profitable "new".  Plus you have to pay staff to check them, sort them, repack them, and then resend them (along with storage and so on).

[aaronjb]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

I think they're missing out on a potential revenue stream, there.. I bet there'd be purchasers if they were appropriately marketed

But that means all customers would buy the heavily discounted returns, not the profitable "new".  Plus you have to pay staff to check them, sort them, repack them, and then resend them (along with storage and so on).

Who said discounted? Premium!

"Worn once by Sharon of East Grinstead for a hot night out with her Tinder date which ended with a steaming cup of tea" ... etc 

[TheBoy]

I hear that many young girls buy their clothes online wear them for a 'night out' and then return them saying the clothes are not suitable.....

Some online clothing retailers actually destroy all clothing returns...

I think they're missing out on a potential revenue stream, there.. I bet there'd be purchasers if they were appropriately marketed

But that means all customers would buy the heavily discounted returns, not the profitable "new".  Plus you have to pay staff to check them, sort them, repack them, and then resend them (along with storage and so on).

Who said discounted? Premium!

"Worn once by Sharon of East Grinstead for a hot night out with her Tinder date which ended with a steaming cup of tea" ... etc 

Maybe I've had a sheltered life, but I'd suggest that was quite a niche market....


...ok, I've had a sheltered life

[TheBoy]

the most common size of female shoe donated was size 9-10..

.. that's some "women" with really big feet ..

Errr, am I right in thinking that the LGBT community, particularly the T part, might be a reason?

Or have women sudden evolved to have big hoofs now?

[TheBoy]

the most common size of female shoe donated was size 9-10..

.. that's some "women" with really big feet ..

Errr, am I right in thinking that the LGBT community, particularly the T part, might be a reason?

Or have women sudden evolved to have big hoofs now?

Anyway, I'm more interested in cup sizes...

[STEMO]

the most common size of female shoe donated was size 9-10..

.. that's some "women" with really big feet ..

Errr, am I right in thinking that the LGBT community, particularly the T part, might be a reason?

Or have women sudden evolved to have big hoofs now?

Anyway, I'm more interested in cup sizes...

Well....get her to bring you a mug up instead of two tiny cups 

[Lizzie Zoom]

But that means huge amounts of capital are tied up in bricks and mortar, not being invested in trading requirements. It also means any retail business that does also has to take the full costs of maintaining those buildings, which can be avoided if a sound lease is negotiated properly.

Nah, when he rented the shops, he was still responsible for all upkeeps and repairs.  Plus if he made improvements, his rent would go up dramatically, as the shop was now more desirable.

That's how it works in the real world.

Sounds like you're more familiar with big, square units, which can't really be improved, or need huge amounts doing (structurally)

Oh no, far from it!

As for the lease, obligations and terms you negotiate those, well you do if you are a major retail player

I am glad though that you TB really still believe in the "shop", which of course I LOVE, in both a professional sense and a personal one; fell in love with shopping at the age of 5, started working in them at 12!!

But, in the real world TB, mimicking your phrase, you and me has to recognise that like Jaguar cars greatly changing with evolution, so is retailing to suit the modern world, and what is considered "to come".

Classic example for me personally over the last few days, has been with me purchasing some new garage equipment to meet the demands of my Omega.  Not that many years ago I would go to physical outlets, like Halfords, to get what still are "male" orientated tools. Being a woman I used to feel rather intimidated going into such male orientated shops (no, not those that no doubt many of you are now thinking  -  Opti!! ) The opposite to how many men feel about going into lingerie shops, and trying to establish what I needed.  The very practical things like comparing prices, what it did, what it can do, then getting it home.

I have just bought online a Wolf 2.5 tonne Quick Lift 2 in 1 trolley jack, with a max. lift height (with jockey block)of 550mm for £42.94, free postage to my door, without any fuss. Easy, straight forward and at a keen price, all done with clicks.  New car ramps and extensions are coming the same way. It has left Halfords without my custom as their prices and product offer was just not good enough, well not for me anyway!

Now I have also been, yet again out to Sainsbury's as many still do go to the physical retailers, especially in that sector.  But for so much non-food items it is so easy to go and shop, using your fingers on a keyboard, to Amazon, Ebay, and the other players.  I do that with Argos, but as they have physical shops, and I can avoid the delivery charges they usually apply, I still go and collect.  But for how much longer?  Already Argos is trying to reduce it's operating costs by going into Sainsbury's more and more.

So, yes, all of us may not change our shopping habits, but evolution is always there, and is speeding up with, as I hinted before, many key retail players looking at their 5 year, let alone 10 year, plans, and making hard decisions that are already costing jobs, and will eventually reduce the whole estate of retail bricks and mortar units, albeit with coffee shops, restaurants, hair dressers, and the like doing well.

Even the bookies are now being hit by the change in those damn gambling machine stake limits.  Units will close in some quantity as the cost of running bricks and mortar shops has already become too great, and it will go to the growing sector of online gambling.

[Lizzie Zoom]

the most common size of female shoe donated was size 9-10..

.. that's some "women" with really big feet ..

Errr, am I right in thinking that the LGBT community, particularly the T part, might be a reason?

Or have women sudden evolved to have big hoofs now?

  You joke, but I have noticed that the larger sizes of shoes, online, are often showing "sold out", especially size 8. Nines are unusual and rare though!

[TheBoy]

I am glad though that you TB really still believe in the "shop", which of course I LOVE, in both a professional sense and a personal one

I'd like to, but don't.  Our High Street (and retail parks beyond grocers etc) are likely to be non-existent in the next decade.  Really only the big boys can open in retail parks and shopping centres, and the big boys are mostly living off invester capital, rather than maintaining enough profit to pay debts.  Small shops, which make up the High Street, probably keep mostly going by the enthusiasm of the owner (or me personally, in the case of the now close sweet shop in town ).


But that's by the by.  The only point I've tried to make is that online has not taken up the slack. Nowhere near.

And you try and get investment for a new online shop, you will be laughed out of the meeting.  Too many investors remain the dotcom snafu.