High street shops

[Odsox]

There have been lots of news items just lately about high street shops closing.
I have got to the stage where I have problems tying the laces on my work boots and hit on the idea of getting some Riggers Boots.
For those who don't know, they are like short calf length leather wellies.

In my local hardware shop I found some on sale for €142 (£125) which I thought was a tad expensive. I found and bought a pair from a UK shop that advertises on Amazon for £24 delivered.
I checked the ones in my local hardware shop and guess what, they are exactly the same make.

I realise that high street shops pay a lot in property rates, but .......

[Green Aura]

It's really difficult, isn't it.

I understand shops have rates, utility bills, staffing costs etc and the Amazon "shop" might be someone's garden shed but assuming they're making some sort of profit on them, the mark-up on the High St ones is ridiculous.

Property rentals on High Streets are often extortionate, hence the growing number of empty shops. I know I'm not very good at this capitalism malarkey but I've never understood how it can make economic sense to have empty properties. Does an empty property makes money somehow?

(....shuffles off to read politics rules).

[Flo]

The coin has two sides.

Lots of times small traders don't look at the pedestrian flow when opening a shop. Neither do they look at the competition. Nor do they consider whether what they have to offer is going to attract the punters in that particular high street. Sad lack of market research.

Mind in one of our local towns, the bus station was moved up road to a better site that offered better facilities. For the buses. That changed the footfall in one area and led to the demise of at least one shop and possibly two or three more (mind none of them had done their market research). The old bus station was going to be turned into a smart upmarket shopping arcade of some sort. No-one was interested when the developer went calling due to lack of parking in the area or passing buses - oh and lack of footfall in the area.

[diggernotdreamer]

We just live in Rip off Ireland Odsox.

[Weedo]

Watch it folks! I bought work boots on line a few years ago and they also looked identical and were branded the same as those I usually bought locally. However, they only lasted a couple of months rather than the one or two years I normally get out of boots. The soles did not stand up to heat and oil, the stitching fell apart and the footbed compacted rock hard. Overall a very expensive pair of boots

[Flo]

That sounds like some of the stuff on eBay over here Weedo.

[ina]

I suspect that some of the really cheap stuff fell off the back of a lorry... Or is fake, as suggested.

My problem with quite a few of the small shops is their opening times! When you work full time, it's often impossible to use the local shops. Closed at 5, and of course on Sunday, which I don't mind - but I can't afford to take half a day off just to support them. One day late opening at least would help.

[Flo]

Ina that's part of the reason why the high street is not doing well. It's the old folks that go round looking in shops saying isn't that expensive and not buying things. Or the odd youngster like Odsox with nothing better to do.

[happyhippy]

I live in a small town.Just had a 2nd Vape shop opening.Not sure how long that'll last.I'd love to be loyal to the town and shop for what I need,but unfortunately they either don't stock what I need,or I can find it cheaper online.Last Xmas I decided to atleast try and do most of my Xmas gift shopping in town.After walking around,comparing prices etc,I came home and did it all online via a large national dept store which had a blue x sale.I saved a fortune.

[Flo]

I've tried supporting the local high street. Wanted a new printer - mono laser, print duplex, preferably Brother. Not a problem as there's a business shop down street that's been there for years. Most of his stationary is expensive but he's usually good with printers (last one took 24 hours to deliver and lasted 12 years before the paper roller went). Any old how, this one took 7 days (including weekends) to arrive (he no longer works Saturdays as no trade cos the street is dead) due to a cock up at his supplier he says. It's now back in the shop after 3 days use because it's faulty and I'm using the el cheapo one that was delivered within 4 hours from Argos as a fast replacement as I need to print. It's a crap printer because that's what Argos sells, doesn't do duplex but it's a printer. Could have bought it cheaper online but had it been faulty the service would not have been there. The family had a printer from him years ago, was faulty and immediately replaced as he had another one in stock and that's been working ever since.

The only thing I can say is that his service is lovely, delivered to the door the day it arrived in the shop and he came out after hours thinking he could repair it easy peasy (you know, daft customer syndrome). Sorry Keith. Not daft customer. Had gone through all the steps you did. Both of us are confused mind. I can see his dad who repairs printers will be called in here.

[happyhippy]

We have a computer shop in town,only been opened a year.Most of their trade is fixing computers.A while ago,on a Saturday morning,I was having issues with my laptop.Drove to the shop with laptop,to find they are not open on Saturdays.It could'nt wait so I drove to the next town,which also has a computer shop.It was open.Now to my way of thinking (And I'm no business woman either)would'nt it make sense to say,open half day Mondays,and then open Saturday mornings?I guess the proprietor wants their weekends off.

[Odsox]

Watch it folks! I bought work boots on line a few years ago and they also looked identical and were branded the same as those I usually bought locally. However, they only lasted a couple of months rather than the one or two years I normally get out of boots

I was going to point out that even if they ARE second rate fakes, I could still buy 6 pairs for the price of one .... BUT,
I'm a bit worried that I'm being stalked.

I went into said shop yesterday and those €142 boots are now on a super sale price of .... wait for it ...twenty four euro!
That coincidentally (or not) is the same price I paid in pounds for mine, and had they been that price originally I would have bought them locally, especially as €24 is cheaper than £24
Shooting themselves in the foot covers it nicely.

[Flo]

One of our local county councillors for town up hill is trying to drum up trade to get the locals to do their Christmas shopping there. Coming home on the bus that goes all round the villages to get into the other town along the road today I listed the items that I had wanted to buy for presents. The only item that might have been possible was a hand knitted jacket for the first of the great grandchildren from a small shop that is basically a knitting circle. But as I said, that I can do for myself. The rest of the list failed to find a supplier on the one shopping street. I didn't want a takeaway, a taxi, something from the bargain shop which usually sells food things just on or just over the best before date, a coffee and cake, a hair cut, to book a funeral, something from the "cheap shop" which sells all sorts of sub standard rejects ...

[ina]

Locally (I think everywhere in Angus) they've just recently introduced hefty parking fees - which means a lot of shops have already noticed a reduction in customers. They can't compete with the out-of-town large stores anyway, and now people say they might as well drive a bit further, park for free, and pay less for the goods... The museum where I used to work have also noticed fewer people coming to the talks, as it now costs them £3 just for parking. What on earth do the councils think they are doing? Do they really want to kill off all small businesses?

[Flo]

What on earth do the councils think they are doing? Do they really want to kill off all small businesses?

It hasn't dawned on those with safe jobs in the council that the way to fill up the lack of money in the council coffers is not to kill off the high street but to keep employment up and that small businesses do provide just that.