Poor old Comet

[simon hudson]

I feel really sorry for the staff of Comet I certainly am staring down the gun so to speak.I've been in the electrical goods buisness for more years than I can remember.We in the trade have seen this coming for a long time.Everyone seems to blame it on the internet,but at the end of the day you can be a busy fool.Perfect example this week I was asked fro the price of a certain item in a certain colour.I went to the SRP list and gave a quote to include delivery and removal of old Guess the rest.Customer came back quoteing the two big companies literally cheaper than we could buy in the goods.We deal directly with the manufacturer.So I rang the rep and he tried to help in the end he wanted us to make under £20.00 to include delivery and removal pay wages pay tax."It's a mad old world" .

Usually we can get somewhere near and being an independent we give service second to none ie if it's in stock "do you want it yesterday do you want free delivery and free installation" Plus we wont twist your arm up your back "Buy an extended guarantee go on you need it"

I feel even more sorry for a very good friend and colleague who get's his pay off today as i said at the begining it will probably be me next

But as the B.B.C said last week "The recession is over it's official"

[Pannier Tank]

I've not purchased anything from Comet for many years (10+); our local branch had plenty of items on show but had very little in stock, so you simply went somewhere that did.

[simon hudson]

Unfortunately they hadn't been paying up on time so a lot of the manufactures were reluctant to supply them

 

edit to change wording

[Bernard Lamb]

I found that over the last couple of years prices in Comet have gone up while at Argos they have gone down.

As the two shops are only seperated by a carpet shop on the local estate the choice is very simple.

The actual purchasing procedure is also much slicker at Argos.

Sadly Comet did not keep their eye on the ball.

Lack of choice can ultimately only make things worse for the customer.

Bernard

[simon hudson]

Bernard it will probably be the big A next. Look at their figures and guess the rest I agree they have kept their eye on the ball but they certainly arnt in the best of health so to speak

[The Fatadder]

I understand one of the biggest issue with comet, as with woolworths is that towards the end of kingfishers ownership they sold off the ownership of most (possibly all) their stores, with kingfisher keeping the return rather than the split companies)

Net response is that they now get hammered on rent compounding the high overheads that stop them competing on price with online, while currys ramp up in service to combat best buy negated comets existing reputation for being the slightly better service big electrical retailer.

 

[DDolfelin]

A neighbour has just received an offer of Insurance from Comet on an appliance bought some time ago.

[Boris]

It's terrible, Comet going bust just before Christmas what will Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen do on the 24th now?

[Pugsley]

I'm not surprised. Any time I ever left there with something I often felt that it was despite their sales staff, rather than thanks to them...

[simon hudson]

Comet may have fared better if they wern't quite so keen to sell the warranties and insurances with thier products - and why ask or ones postcode?

Their staff are shall we say more than encouraged to sell extended guarantees just like the other big C retailer and the reason for your postcode is for one of the big insurance/service agents is to pester you

[Steven B]

The trouble is folk will go and look at TVs (or what ever) in the likes of Comet, decide what they want and then buy it online for less.

 

In a few years time people will grumble that they won't be able to see what they're buying before the courier knocks on the door.

 

We can't have it both ways.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[simon hudson]

Steven you've hit the nail on the head,working for an independent we do see it all. People come in ask about the product then off they go buy on line and when it goes pear shaped they come in and pester us. We can usually tell the type I had one yesterday bought a sound system it was crap (his words) how did he connect it how did he use it what am i doing wrong ,.Some polite questioning he bought it from a retailer on Monday we suggested he go back then recieved a mouthfull of abuse about how unhelpul we are and he wont ever come in our shop again.This customer is known to us so we know he never buys from us. back to the point what will everybody do when the likes of us have gone blame the internet I suppose

[Gilbert]

Steven you've hit the nail on the head,working for an independent we do see it all. People come in ask about the product then off they go buy on line and when it goes pear shaped they come in and pester us. We can usually tell the type I had one yesterday bought a sound system it was crap (his words) how did he connect it how did he use it what am i doing wrong ,.Some polite questioning he bought it from a retailer on Monday we suggested he go back then recieved a mouthfull of abuse about how unhelpul we are and he wont ever come in our shop again.This customer is known to us so we know he never buys from us. back to the point what will everybody do when the likes of us have gone blame the internet I suppose

 

I do go to an independent in our local HIgh Street for my electrical stuff - I probably pay over the odds but remember cost does not always equal value and I do go so far as to pay them a small annual warranty cost as well on my TV DVD etc. Can't fault them. They come out install everything tune it and leave when it works etc all as part of the purchase cost.

Chris

[30801]

The trouble is folk will go and look at TVs (or what ever) in the likes of Comet, decide what they want and then buy it online for less.

 

In the case of Comet you try and buy something and it's never in stock (unless it's an overpriced cable or extended warranty).

Forget the internet they've been like that since I saved up my paper round wages and tried to buy a Commodore 16 in nineteen eighty something.

[BoD]

I do go to an independent in our local HIgh Street for my electrical stuff - I probably pay over the odds but remember cost does not always equal value and I do go so far as to pay them a small annual warranty cost as well on my TV DVD etc. Can't fault them. They come out install everything tune it and leave when it works etc all as part of the purchase cost.

 

I try to use our local shop too and for exactly the same reasons. It also used to have a very loyal local following partly due to its attitude during the miner's strike (as Simon may well remember) not something that the bigger countrywide stores can boast about.

 

Another example of this 'local value' was when, a few years ago, I bought a portableTV as a Xmas present. It was the week before Xmas and quite busy. I selected the one I wanted, it was carried out the back of the shop to my car and I was told to "come back after Xmas to sort out the payment". You do keep going back to places like this.

[R A Watson]

Steven you've hit the nail on the head,working for an independent we do see it all. People come in ask about the product then off they go buy on line and when it goes pear shaped they come in and pester us. We can usually tell the type I had one yesterday bought a sound system it was crap (his words) how did he connect it how did he use it what am i doing wrong ,.Some polite questioning he bought it from a retailer on Monday we suggested he go back then recieved a mouthfull of abuse about how unhelpul we are and he wont ever come in our shop again.This customer is known to us so we know he never buys from us. back to the point what will everybody do when the likes of us have gone blame the internet I suppose

 

You could almost transpose this post into the current thread on the demise of the local model shop.

 

Just about sums up the current retail world.

 

Wally

[PhilH]

I always get the feeling in threads like this that a large percentage of members must be quite affluent judging by the 'I always use local businesses' type posts on here, which is very laudable if you can afford to.

 

On some larger purchases there can be a cost saving of upwards of a hundred plus pounds by using internet retailers, plus of course it's brought to your door - I simply can't afford to do anything other than shop around for most of my needs and wants.

[Bibby Line]

I am in the same boat as Phil. The inevitable consequence will be that the High Street will become one line of coffee and charity shops.

 

Its a shame because it is nice to browse, hold and feel and buy (and pay more). Also, my good lady works in a high street jewellery shop. very high rent and rates, so need a decent margin. Does anyone remember the advert on the London undergound. Something like "select at John Lewis and then but=y cheaper from Dixons/Currys".

 

Not very encourageing but i can see where Phil is coming from.

 

Eddie

[EddieB]

There is an exception - if looking for electrical goods and appliances, I usually check out John Lewis. No hard sell, extended guarantees included and a fair price-match policy that is honoured.

 

No connections, but proof that if you deliver service, you'll do business.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... what will Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen do on the 24th now?

They have been in the retirement paddock for decades. Santa then had Postal and Serviz until a few years ago, when they too retired to be replaced by Pointz and Clickz for the short sleigh ride between home and elfcall centre. Less romantic, but in a world increasingly without chimneys, there is not much alternative.

[Edwin_m]

Another reason to ask for your postcode is that it is a legal requirement to notify the address of anybody buying a TV receiver, so the TV licence people can hassle them. But I'm sure the shop is quite happy to add you to their nag list too. Even if Comet disappears completely those who bought items will still get junk mail offering them an extended warranty a year later. The details are sold on to a separate company such as Domestic and General.

[Butler Henderson]

Needed a smallish tv stand to fit a corner between a radiator and fire. Checked Comets web site and found they did one that was the perfect size so off to the local store only to find none on display. Enquired and was pointed to a larger one, pointed out they had the one I wanted on the web site so the stock was checked, "we've got eight"was the salesmans reponse. Might help if they had on display whats actually in the stock room.

[Derekl]

For EddieB: a year or so back, following the ads about speaking to the nice man at John Lewis (JLP) and getting advice on what to buy, then coming to "us" (can't remember who) the "Daily Mail" (I think) trundled into JLP, got the advice, then set up a laptop in the store to do an internet search for cheaper elsewhere, apparently with no objection from the JLP people.

Surprise, it was cheaper in JLP (although I got the impression that the JLP people were just as surprised).

I usually get this sort of stuff in JLP - you don't get hard-sell, you do get good advice, price is competitive and they are pretty easygoing about returns. Some years back, buying a VCR, and looking at the then quite vast range varying substantially in price, the JLP chap pointed out that you were getting the same kit inside in the cheaper models as the more expensive, the latter having more "bells and whistles". If you don't need those, he said, just get the cheapest one. Which I did.

As Eddie, I have no connection with JLP, other than as a customer.

[nightstar.train]

I had a branch of Comet just down the road from me and never used it. The reason why is it was poorly laid out and lit, had very little on display or in stock and not very helpful staff. My wife and i went looking for an oven and hob, and their display area had about 2, and about 4 large holes where other models should be. Like many others on here i now shop for that type of thing in John Lewis. The price is as good as any other high street retailer, they do their own brand white goods which are very reasonable, the service is excellent and the shop is just nicer, better lit and laid out. But then the staff at JLP own the company and have a vested interest in making it prosper, whereas everywhere else must obey the almighty shareholder, which never works out well for the customer in the long run.

[Mike Bellamy]

Not sure if it's just our PC here at home but whenever we wanted to do any price comparison or research, the Comet website was the worst of the lot that we looked at - seemed to freeze regularly and the comparison between two items never worked for us. Did anyone else notice that their website was slower/faulty/cr@p ??

 

Mike