Kevin Harrington // marketing // blog

Posts Tagged ‘Marks & Spencer’

At what point will all retail shops in the UK be the same? Is it inevitable that they will all sell the same product range one day? Think about it:

Tesco sells petrol – BP sells food
WHSmith sells stamps – Post Office sells stationary

Leaving aside the food range how different is Primark from Marks & Spencer?

Perhaps the differentiator becomes who has the best car parking and the best car wash facilities. And it’s interesting to note that even the car wash in the car park is effectively us paying to have security in the area but the car wash facilities are all the same.

Now I know not all shops are the same. And I know that most shops you can tell where you are when you are stood in the middle. I think I am maybe mourning the halcyon days of the independent retailer.

Please cheer me up with your positive stories about UK retailers.

Surely the vague adoption of clothes/dress sizes within UK fashion retailers is tantamount to deceit?

An online survey of 1,000 women, indicated that 15% bought a bigger dress size than they expected when shopping at Primark.

Top Shop and New Look were also named as stores with smaller sizing.

Marks & Spencer, Asda’s George brand and Next had the most generous sizes.

Source: BBC Business News

Why can’t a 12 be a 12?

How many returns are there a year simply because retailers choose a different definition of size?

Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if a mans 17″ shirt changed a size or two from shop to shop?

Is charging for carrier bags a tax on impromptu shopping?

While I was in Reading earlier today I suddenly decided to buy some cheese scones from Marks & Spencer. There was a moment of panic as I couldn’t find them…they are a favourite and once I get the idea my mind it can become obsessional. No problem though, someone had swapped their shelf place with the fruit scones.

As I had not planned to buy anything I had no bags with me. Is it therefore right that I should pay 5p for a carrier bag. By my estimation M&S would make a large profit on the deal. And more importantly:

Plan A: We should cease impromptu shopping.
Plan B: Marks & Spencer should rethink their high and mighty salvation of the world campaign.

Take your pick.

Lauren and Sarah, you can add your opinions as well

I was off to a BBQ at the home of a French man yesterday. I thought I’d take a couple of bottles of English wine.

So off I trotted to Marks & Spencers at The Meadows near Camberley. Not a bottle of English wine in site.

Then I wnt to the Tesco megastore next door. Hundreds of wines from all over the world: but just one English wine on sale.

English wine manufacturing may have made great strides in recent years but, from my experience, the distribution is lagging behind!

The English Wine website:

Key facts about English wine

1. There are around 400 English vineyards
2. ‘Quality wines’ are subject to rigorous controls
3. Where’s the biggest English vineyard? Only 20 miles from London (Denbies, Dorking – 250 acres))
4. Whites – wide variety, but traditional English whites have very floral bouquet & high acidity – very refreshing!
5. Reds – Once thought impossible – but it is and they vary from light, thru mellow and even full-bodied
6. Sparkling – The great success story – similar soils to champagne and edgier climate mean truly great English sparkling wines – as evidenced in international competitions”