Forum Topic

What are M&S playing at?

Their opening time has changed from 8:30 to 9 most days. Lots of disgruntled customers outside just after 8:30 this morning. We all had to do our shopping at Tesco.Seems like commercial madness to me! Tesco must be laughing their socks off.

Susan Kelly ● 5658d25 Comments

Go to Hounslow, same clothes half price. so not bad at all.

Peter Chadburn ● 5641d

I have no idea what they are playing at anymore. I keep going back there through force of habit from twenty years ago when their stuff was the best on the market, though they never have my size any more (XL) in anything in the mens section. I am at a loss as to where to get the old M&S uality. Any suggestions anyone!

Charles J McGregor ● 5641d

I gave up queuing in M&S and rarely go into the Ealing Broadway branch.It ised to be very good but it is poor by comparison to Kew, Richmond or King William Street in the city which is excellent.There seems to be a staff morale problem in Ealing and it's not much better at WH Smiths, the so called new post office and HSBC.So M&S are not alone.

Oliver Gregan ● 5641d

My missus used to shop there on her way home from work at 8am.Now she doesn't. Simple as that. Her £150-200 spend in M&S is now internet bound or not at all. Food is now all from Morrissons in Brentford who have extended their hours in both directions.But I hop the manager is looking. We went into M&S on monday and spent a stonking £15 for refreshments for two. Nothing elaborate and it was all very nice.But to spend 20 mins in a queue is what you would expect from a cheap and cheerful 1960's style cafeteria.The few staff were polite, friendly and completely overworked. You could see the disdain and consciences on the faces of almost all the customers who did not dare complain but maybe the manager should have the gumption to take the flak and if not roll his sleeves up and help.After that my wife spent 20 mins trying to pay for a pair of tights, gave up and went to Primark. Big queue there but paid in 6 mins flat.

Michael Brandt ● 5642d

When I went in at 9 last Monday, I spoke to a number of customers whom I regularly used to see there at 8:30 and said, 'What about these new opening times then?' The responses were along the lines of, 'It's infuriating' or, in one case, 'I'm spitting tacks'.Still, I must have imagined these people since, according to Mr Allingham, there's no point in opening at 8:30 as there are no customers at that time.

Susan Kelly ● 5642d

I gather he's already been consulted by Mr Bolland's people, but, as I say, they just tell you you're wrong to complain.Still, in case he's reading: Mr Allingham, if you're not opening till 9 on the grounds that it's busier then, then for God's sake open more than one till at 9am. I queued for more than ten minutes on Monday. Self service tills are fine when you have a dozen items, but no good for a week's grocery shop costing £70-80. Do you really want to lose that business to another supermarket? Every week? For the next thirty years?

Susan Kelly ● 5642d

Mr R Allingham the Ealing Store Manager's attention has been drawn to this thread. It is said that for sure he will be interested in the feedback in this blog.Now you know.

George Knox ● 5642d

I emailed the CEO: marc.bolland@marks-and-spencer.com. Got the usual b*ll*cks in reply about how the customer is always wrong. Maybe if he got a few more emails about how badly the Ealing store is managed, he might take some notice.

Susan Kelly ● 5648d

When you compare with Tesco, there is a massive difference. Tesco is a very smart company and perhaps the leading one in use of Technology. You do not see empty shelves there because for over 25 years they have invested in IT systems together with partners and suppliers to ensure that is the case. Having worked for Express/Eden Value gavce me a very good impression of how the Tesco infrastructure works. It is really smart and in reality whilst I do not like their dominance, it is because others are not quite as smart.

Peter Chadburn ● 5648d

the shops seems to be in a right mess have they got a new manger because this one seems to have lost the plot I was in the store on the 16th with my wife the first thing is you go to cash machine that was out of order again its always out of order then we went round the shop it looked like a tip all the shelfs where all over the place the isles had got food staff all on the floor and as I am in a wheelchair it makes it very hard to get about and then if that was not bad they was just two tills open which had queues like christmas and all the self service tills where not working and when we did get to the till we where told its because they was putting a new computer system in, now they dont open till 9am you think this should be done before they open no wonder customer where going to tesco come on M&S get your act togeather

Harold John Ward ● 5648d

Actually, for Men's clothes the best thing to do is to go to their Outlet store in Hounslow. Half price suits of good quality. I have found ASDA clothes to be a bit mean in terms of material and so less comfortable. Agreed the staff can be a bit poor. I worked there one Christmas on night stacking and when the next shift came in they would re-arrange the cabinets that we had loaded up. That shift manager did not have the brains to tell the overnight one as to which cabinets were to be used for. So some not very bright people. Also whenever I asked about swimwear in the autumn twice (different stores different years) they say there is no call for it as the summer is over. However as we all know swimming pools do not close and also many of us enjoy a winter holiday. So in a way they have problems due to size and lack of brainpower at times.

Peter Chadburn ● 5648d

Agreed.

Mark Maytree ● 5648d

Just look at what Stuart Rose and his directors pay themselves and you can see where the penny pinching has gone. Certainly not into restoring the quality it was so renowned for.

Michael Brandt ● 5648d

Don't know what they are playing at! Going bust I think. Frankly, ASDA does better quality clothes at around a fifth of the cost.I would describe M&S as purveyors of extremely expensive tat. They never have the sizes that I want, can't get them in for me, and frankly the staff are useless: they are all "assistant managers" but never actually seem to do anything other than stand around and tell people that if it is not on the shelves it is not in stock. On the subject of quality, the food tastes great, but is EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY. Just look at the amount of salt, fat and other additives that you are paying for. Sic Transit Gloria Mundii.

Mark Maytree ● 5649d

My wife and I often pop - or should I say, used to pop - into M&S after dropping off our daughter at the nursery round the corner, so it's very annoying to us personally. But to be fair to M&S, I think there is probably some commercial sense in their decision. I must admit that I never saw that many people in the store between 08:30 and 09:00.

Alex Weel ● 5649d

Got caught out by their new opening times today. Almost walked into their (closed) glass door thinking it will open, but no: shut.  What a missed opportunity. All these parents on the way to or from school who want to pick up some food shopping.

Barbara Karayi ● 5649d

This morning, I find that they have installed new tills and not trained the staff to use them, so customers are queueing while cashiers call the supervisors for help all the time!This branch is so badly run, it beggars belief.

Susan Kelly ● 5651d

Susan, Thanks for your helpful suggestion but I actually wanted to try them on and wear them that evening as we were going to a concert at the Royal Albert Hall!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5652d

Jean, you can now order things on the website and have them delivered to the store for collection, free of delivery charge. I do that if they don't have my size.

Susan Kelly ● 5652d

A couple of days ago I wanted to buy a lovely pair of trousers in M&S store in Ealing but my size was not on the rack, when I asked an assistant for help she just replied, 'If it is not on display we don't have it in store' - how many times have I heard that one?They used to offer to go and actually LOOK for the size, or order it from another branch! Just couldn't be bothered!Anyway, fortunately I found the same trousers in M&S in Kensington High Street! Hurrah!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5653d

The clothes are pretty good - some lovely cashmere this season and the online sales work well...but finding any help in store is hopeless both in Ealing and West End.

Sara Nathan ● 5656d

Marks used to have the best staff on the High Street, friendly and polite, but things have gone down hill.

Susan Kelly ● 5656d

My wife reckons clothes selection has deteriorated.

Graham Weeks ● 5656d

I wondered about staff numbers - and helpfulness last time I was in...both seemed depleted.

Sara Nathan ● 5657d

I was in there yesterday and noticed they had shut down the till point nearest the Centre Square and only one till point upstairs.  Obviously cutting down on staff.

Pat Kingham ● 5657d