WH Smiths Merry Hill (West Mids) to close.

[jchinuk]

Just now, AY Mod said:

 

Statement of fact or just speculative opinion?

 

Not speculation, several model suppliers are advising of delay in shipments from China, in addition Apple, JCB & JLR are all saying shipments from China are disrupted. 

 

I am assuming that all shipments are subject to delays and disruption, and as 90% of Poundland's non-food stock appears to come from the Far East I think it's a reasonable assumption.

 

According to reports to the Shanghai stock exchange, most companies across China have serious staff shortages, mainly because people went to their home towns during the Lunar New Year and are unable to return to work.

 

jh

[AY Mod]

1 minute ago, jchinuk said:

Not speculation, 

...

I am assuming

 

That is speculation then.

[t-b-g]

Closure of W H Smith branches is going to create merry hell on the MRJ threads.

 

How will we cope?

[jchinuk]

1 minute ago, AY Mod said:

 

That is speculation then.

Deduction, not speculation.

[AY Mod]

3 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

How will we cope?

 

To be replaced by the Cygnet Stakes and Titfield Trophy races.

[Phil Parker]

32 minutes ago, jchinuk said:

gree completely.  I have seen blokes sit down (in a branch of WHSmiths) on the floor and read a magazine

 

This used to happen in Ian Allen's Birmingham shop. When its closure was announced,  those "customers" were the most abusive to the staff wondering where they were supposed to go next.

[pete_mcfarlane]

1 hour ago, spamcan61 said:

Smiths and Boots are top of my 'how are they still going ' list, neither seem to have a real selling point in the 21st century.

Ditto M&S.

 

As for WHS, it's often hard work actually buying from them due to the crowd of browsers around the railway magazines. 

[kevinlms]

On 29/02/2020 at 04:45, number6 said:

Sure the irony isn't lost on you but maybe they had too many browsers and not enough buyers...

There is a difference between browsing and standing there and reading the articles of interest, then putting the magazine back, because you don't need to buy it now!

 

A quick skim 2 minute through ought to be enough to determine that it's worth buying or not, taking 10 minutes is unfair to the shop/publisher.

[Rivercider]

My local branch of Smiths in W-s-M re-opened last year after a major refit (it is a listed building that required structural work). I do shop there from time to time, and always glance in as I walk through the High St, but the number of customers/browsers in the whole store is pitiful most times I see it, and staffing levels now done to a bare minimum.  

As a major store it (and Boots) are just about last men standing in our High Street, and I don't think the future looks good at all.

 

cheers

[D9020 Nimbus]

Don't know whether it's commonplace, but WHS in Newcastle looks very dingy. Perhaps the dim lighting is to put the browsers off? These days, the only part of the shop that is busy is the Post Office upstairs.

I get most of my magazines electronically now — largely because I don't have room for any more!

[F-UnitMad]

29 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

There is a difference between browsing and standing there and reading the articles of interest, then putting the magazine back, because you don't need to buy it now!

 

A quick skim 2 minute through ought to be enough to determine that it's worth buying or not, taking 10 minutes is unfair to the shop/publisher.

Hit the nail on the head.

If I find an article of interest - & it shouldn't take long to find out - I want to buy the mag so I can take my time with the article at home. Of course with 4 main UK mags, plus C.M. and the American titles - oh go on then and MRJ the total time spent browsing can add up

 

I bought the recent 'bookazine' about the changing UK Railfreight scene after a quick browse sparked my interest. For someone like myself who took my eye off the UK scene for many years, it's been a good read & a 'keeper' for reference. I wouldn't have bought it online, or without having a look first. That does take us perilously close to the oft-debated "mag in a bag" issue of course!! Maybe best not go there yet again - but that does stop people browsing, either excessively, or at all..!!!

[LBRJ]

I always though WHS positively welcomed browsers, on the basis if one browses one may then go on and actually buy a magazine.

Waterstones seem to do OK trade wise, and the almost make you read the entirety of a novel browse the books.

[t-b-g]

I rarely visit a Smiths now as the nearest one is in a town which is a dreadful place I only visit when necessary.

 

When I do go, I am a browser. There is so little new interesting information on my chosen areas of interest that if the cover proclaims an article on it, I want to know whether it is the same old photos or information re-hashed or if it has anything new before I buy it.

 

I am happy to part with a few quid for new photos or information but not for things I already have.

 

Magazines sealed in plastic bags don't even get a second glance.

 

 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

I thought WHS normally puts a display copy out of any magazine which comes in a bag?

 

They do in Liverpool. Usually found in the boxes attached to the shelves.

 

 

 

Jason

[nightstar.train]

9 hours ago, caradoc said:

 

Silverburn too does not have a WHS - Plenty of shoe and clothes shops however ! I don't think The Fort has a WHS either (although it does have a Waterstones). I try and use the Paisley branch of WHS when I can, but I also fear for the future of town centre shops.

 

 

What I was told once was that Tesco did a deal with Silverburn for no bookshop or Smiths, as they wanted to be the only book and magazine seller. 

[melmerby]

8 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

Smiths and Boots are top of my 'how are they still going ' list, neither seem to have a real selling point in the 21st century.

They are the top two shops amongst dissatisfied customers on the High St.

The Birmingham city centre one is now quite small, I'd be surprised if anyone buys many cartridges or paper from them as there are better opotions nearby.

 

Boots do a good sandwich meal deal though, better than all these baguette/cheapo sandwich shops.

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I thought WHS normally puts a display copy out of any magazine which comes in a bag?

 

They do in Liverpool. Usually found in the boxes attached to the shelves.

 

 

 

Jason

Not in Brum. The shelf boxes are stuffed full of mags.

Ian Allan used to have one copy of many mags marked up as a "Browse copy"

If it's in a bag, I don't buy.

[melmerby]

6 hours ago, LBRJ said:

I always though WHS positively welcomed browsers, on the basis if one browses one may then go on and actually buy a magazine.

Waterstones seem to do OK trade wise, and the almost make you read the entirety of a novel browse the books.

Borders used to do that and books were usually scattered around on the tables in the in-store Starbucks.

Look what happened to Borders!

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

10 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

The ones who nick the DVDs off the cover should be looking at a custodial though. 

Aren't they actually looking at Phil Parker making things..?

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Several of the High St WHS stores I know now include Post Offices, and I do suspect that their outlets at Railway Stations and Motorway Services (and Airports?) contribute to margins.

I seem to remember from a Hugh F-W health programme last year (BBC TV) that WHS sell 2% of UK chocolate. That might just be snack bars, but is still a lot.

There was (hopefully still is) a good WHS in Altrincham in Gtr Manchester, with a well-stocked model shop just a minute or two away as well.

[Pete the Elaner]

9 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

Smiths and Boots are top of my 'how are they still going ' list, neither seem to have a real selling point in the 21st century.

Sadly the same is true for many physical shops. Some can evolve how they run & what they sell, but this is not always possible.

As digital media continues to become more widely used, paper & pens are less in demand. As Andy pointed out earlier, what would you usually buy from WHSmith? Magazines, books & stationery is hardly a big spend.

 

[Andy Kirkham]

8 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Some can evolve how they run & what they sell, but this is not always possible.

 

 

Wilko stepped into the niche previously occupied by Woolworths and seem to be succeeding where their predecessor failed.

[Liam]

21 hours ago, jchinuk said:

 

 Yet the branches at main stations in London rarely stock much in the way of modelling magazines, of any sort.

 

Have you been to the one at the buffers at Euston? I’ve bought Hornby Magazine from there in the past, and away from London I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen the ‘big four’ (Hornby, BRM, Model Rail and Railway Modeller) on sale at the one in Birmingham New Street. 

[Liam]

21 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

Smiths and Boots are top of my 'how are they still going ' list, neither seem to have a real selling point in the 21st century.

 

Jessops, too - these days all smartphones are fitted with cameras and not many people, other than those who do photography professionally or have a firm interest in it, buy and use cameras, and especially my generation these days don’t tend to bother with printed photos when they can put their photos on Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter etc. 

[spamcan61]

11 minutes ago, SVRlad said:

 

Jessops, too - these days all smartphones are fitted with cameras and not many people, other than those who do photography professionally or have a firm interest in it, buy and use cameras, and especially my generation these days don’t tend to bother with printed photos when they can put their photos on Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter etc. 

I didn't know Jessops still existed! I used to use them when they were a mail order outfit in Leicester back in the 80s