Whos next?

[Hawkwind]

You can't control rents in that manner or you'll never get any investment. Why the fuck would buy a £1million retail building if they knew they could only get £5,000.00 a year rental?

Parking control killed off high streets in any event. I can't be bothered using any of the ones near me simply because that £20 item I could get from the local electrical store will likely land me a £60 parking fine if my tyre slightly touches a kerb stone.

I think the real underlying issue in a lot of these things is that they negotiate stupid deals when times are good that cripple them when times are bad, you don't need 100's of stores everywhere you need profitable stores.

Agreed, but rents in some city centers are absolutely astronomical. Friend of mine ran a small boutique shop in Basingstoke, owned by the Prudential. When they first moved in they were paying rent of around 30k per year. 4 years later that more than doubled to 70k. They had to close down. I totally agree that any investors have to be able to make a reasonable profit but the kinds of rents these companies are asking for are totally unreasonable. Rents controls are used by many countries, even the UAE, to stop massive escalations. Personally I think it's a good idea. The business case for the building owners just has to take it into account. Putting rates up well above inflation is simply not fair to the small businesses in those premises.

 

[Scouse]

Go to Hebden Bridge instead, very pretty place. I'd like to move there (or Todmorden).

Fuck me! I'm moving there tomorrow!

 

[sayward]

i just wrote a post that didn't go any where? Just can't buy clothes on line. No sizes are the same. I have to take 3 or 4 sizes into the fitting room. Really like Jane Norman and there are hardly any shops left. Hate High Street shopping inless I really have to and then I usually tack it on to a visit to the optician or something. Apologies if this appears twice I hit Post Reply and nothing happened.

 

[Zarjazz]

Fuck me! I'm moving there tomorrow!

Surely that would mean you would have even less chance than anywhere else?

 

[DaGaffer]

i just wrote a post that didn't go any where? Just can't buy clothes on line. No sizes are the same. I have to take 3 or 4 sizes into the fitting room. Really like Jane Norman and there are hardly any shops left. Hate High Street shopping inless I really have to and then I usually tack it on to a visit to the optician or something. Apologies if this appears twice I hit Post Reply and nothing happened.

You're doing it wrong. Distance Selling regulations mean you can return anything bought online within seven days, and if it was free delivery out, its free delivery to return. Typical ASOS customer will often buy the same item in 3-4 different sizes and return all the ones that don't fit.

NB. I agree about the size thing; I run the online division for a department store and inconsistent sizing is a pain to manage. Like lots of people we're working on CRM solutions to help deal with the problem.

 

[Raven]

I buy most things from Tesco...or the wife gets fed up with what I am wearing and buys me something from somewhere

 

[Wazzerphuk]

The Tesco near us have introduced so many shit things recently:

- A loud, squawking fake bird call tannoy system, to try and rid the car park of starlings. It hasn't worked, but they still play it. All the time.
- Randomly changed the shopping trolley system to pound coin release, with no warning. This was after months of them not bothering to actually tidy the trolleys up and move them out of the bays to the shop front.
- A tendency to not have even half the checkouts staffed on Saturday afternoon, their busiest times. Queues now are regularly 20+ minutes and several trolleys deep.
- INCREDIBLY rude staff: can't be arsed to even give you your receipt, give you any bags. One woman was slamming our food down so hard she was ruining it. Passing your clubcard over and instead of them handing it back they just drop it down.

As such we're going less and less and doing the bulk shop at the quieter, nicer Waitrose. I pop along to Tesco off-peak now to buy any branded/cheaper things we need.

 

[Tom]

Online supermarket shopping is utter crap for me. I tried it once with Ocado, they gave me a delivery date about 5 days in advance. Except I haven't a bloody clue if I'm going to be working or at home in 5 days.

I want online shopping that'll deliver on the same day, else the whole thing is just pointless.

I bloody love Waitrose though. Shopping there is just fantastic, you have to try it to know what I mean.

 

[DaGaffer]

The Tesco near us have introduced so many shit things recently:

- A loud, squawking fake bird call tannoy system, to try and rid the car park of starlings. It hasn't worked, but they still play it. All the time.
- Randomly changed the shopping trolley system to pound coin release, with no warning. This was after months of them not bothering to actually tidy the trolleys up and move them out of the bays to the shop front.
- A tendency to not have even half the checkouts staffed on Saturday afternoon, their busiest times. Queues now are regularly 20+ minutes and several trolleys deep.
- INCREDIBLY rude staff: can't be arsed to even give you your receipt, give you any bags. One woman was slamming our food down so hard she was ruining it. Passing your clubcard over and instead of them handing it back they just drop it down.

As such we're going less and less and doing the bulk shop at the quieter, nicer Waitrose. I pop along to Tesco off-peak now to buy any branded/cheaper things we need.

Much as I don't like too-powerful companies like Tesco, your experience sounds a bit unusual; the trolley tidying and the half-occupied checkouts in particular are big no-no's in the Tesco handbook. The rude staff thing is a harder call, personally I find it to be a regional thing, but in all cases this sounds to me like a manager who's not on the ball. Complain to Tesco Head Office (and Philip Clarke for that matter). If nothing else there's probably a few clubcard points in it.

 

[Mabs]

speaking of such things.. whats the turn around on complaints?
i wrote to a supermarket a while ago, and waiting to hear back :\

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Online supermarket shopping is utter crap for me. I tried it once with Ocado, they gave me a delivery date about 5 days in advance. Except I haven't a bloody clue if I'm going to be working or at home in 5 days.

I want online shopping that'll deliver on the same day, else the whole thing is just pointless.

I bloody love Waitrose though. Shopping there is just fantastic, you have to try it to know what I mean.

It makes a big difference to me that almost all their staff are polite and smile at you. It makes such a big difference from some moody middle aged woman who refuses to even make eye contact with you or bother to enunciate how much you actually need to pay.

 

[soze]

I think Tesco on-line shopping is fantastic. Can save all the regular items as favourites, can often pick the same or the next night up to about 10.30 all for about £3 (same or next night is £6). Do a massive shop every 2 weeks and that is great value no hanging about in the shop or travelling. Then to the butchers for meat and the market for fruit and veg.

 

[DaGaffer]

I think Tesco on-line shopping is fantastic. Can save all the regular items as favourites, can often pick the same or the next night up to about 10.30 all for about £3 (same or next night is £6). Do a massive shop every 2 weeks and that is great value no hanging about in the shop or travelling. Then to the butchers for meat and the market for fruit and veg.

Still got the same problem its always had; shit for fresh fruit and veg because they always give you stuff closest to its sell-by from the warehouse. We use Tesco online all the time because carting two babies around the store is a pain in the hole, but not for fruit and veg.

 

[Deebs]

I have to say the following:

Darren (aka data and dsmit) on IRC or around the web decided to stitch me up for his greater good. He knows it. He needs to fuckoff and collapse. Cunt.

 

[Scouse]

Surely that would mean you would have even less chance than anywhere else?

/rollsoutoldjoke

I'm the biggest lesbian in the world.

/putsawayagain

 

[Scouse]

Darren (aka data and dsmit) on IRC or around the web decided to stitch me up for his greater good. He knows it. He needs to fuckoff and collapse. Cunt.

Eh? What he do Deeblar?

 

[Deebs]

Eh? What he do Deeblar?

He could had saved me. Known him for over 10 years and he fucked me and you over. Cunt.

 

[Zarjazz]

Well shit. As someone who used to know / work with Darren that must be quite a blow Deebs.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-29-game-not-stocking-mass-effect-3-or-ea-games-past-ssx

Game are finished. Totally.

 

[DaGaffer]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-29-game-not-stocking-mass-effect-3-or-ea-games-past-ssx

Game are finished. Totally.

Wow.

 

[MYstIC G]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-29-game-not-stocking-mass-effect-3-or-ea-games-past-ssx

Game are finished. Totally.

True enough but that is because of this

If you have a pre-order, GAME will refund you via in-store credit, rather than with cash.

 

[Chilly]

refunding only in store credit is totally lame, too.

 

[Aada]

Had £67 in giftcard so went in there to preorder SSX and was told they just had news this morning that they will not be stocking EA games from now on that includes SSX and Mass Effect which the manager cancelled my preorder for.

They literally had preowned games only on the shelves, i spent my gift money on a 12 month sub/MS points.

First Ubisoft now EA? There is just no way they can come back from this., if you have any credit at GAME spend it now while it's worth something.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Especially when you don't sell anything the people want anymore.

 

[Raven]

Not stocking EA games? Bloody hell.

I will be first to admit that while EA games are generally poor quality, they sell well. To not sell them would seem it really is the end for them.

 

[Billargh]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-29-game-not-stocking-mass-effect-3-or-ea-games-past-ssx

GAME stores have been tragic since after Xmas, definitely spending my points soon like. GAME are in trouble now.

 

[Zarjazz]

Obviously EA just want everyone to buy their games via Origin.

 

[gohan]

lol game without FIFA?????? I'm sure the anual fifa splurge was the only thing keeping them open......

 

[Gumbo]

I'm assuming that the supply issue is because they are on stop with EA?

 

[DaGaffer]

Obviously EA just want everyone to buy their games via Origin.

Hardly. EA are selling boxed games through loads of other retailers just fine.

I'm assuming that the supply issue is because they are on stop with EA?

It looks like GAME wanted "help" with their terms from EA (probably extended credit or SOR or something) and EA have called their bluff. According to MCV, this ins't just an EA issue, looks like Nintendo could be going the same way.