Another Two - More To Come No Doubt

[Bazile]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43223175

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43225248

Maplin and Toys R Us - Gone Under ( Unless They can be rescued )

[UKSWF]

Internet shopping has killed retailing, its a shame.

[youngmafbog]

Internet shopping has found out the companies that are not flexible enough.

No surprises on these three.

[Bazile]

The last time i bought anything from TRU was when my daughter was pre or just starting her teenage years - she is now in her thirties .

I can't remember the last time since then , that i have gone into a TRU store

[Bazile]

I didn't realise that Staples presence ,is now only on line

[Kromovaracun]

Maplin and TRU have proved perfectly capable of competing with online retailers until very recently. According to them, the major challenges are a weaker pound and declining consumer spending.

[Mamyalynne]

There have been problems at TRU for a while.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42409254

[youngmafbog]

//the major challenges are a weaker pound//

Haha, so the weaker pound made the USA parent go into a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan. Right-oh.

Both are too expensive, you cannot do that any more as you will be found out. It's not just the internet shops either, folks can go online and compare prices on the high street easily too. It is one good way to end rip off Britain.

[naomi24]

We discussed the demise of Toys R Us a while back. When companies aren't competitive, which Toys R Us isn't, people shop elsewhere.

[Kromovaracun]

I suppose Maplin is just lying when they say the weaker pound is a major factor, then...

[youngmafbog]

Krom, stop wriggling. You stated Maplin AND TRU said it was the weaker pound. I am pointing out that TRU case for that excuse is thin. No one has said Maplin are lying.

[goodgoalie]

I was quoted over £50 for a new lead for my laptop at Maplins. I got one (via a link provided in 10 minutes by a helpful ABer) for £14 on Amazon, delivered two days later, with no delivery charge. No wonder people have stopped shopping at Maplins.

[naomi24]

Krom, I don't know if Maplin is competitive or not - but I do know that Toys R Us isn't. Usually when businesses aren't competitive buyers shop elsewhere.

[anotheoldgit]

Do kids still play with toys, the ones I see only seem to play video games.

I remember years ago my wife and I queued throughout the night at our local Toys are Us store, so as to get our hands on a Tracy Island for our Grandsons.

[Kromovaracun]

Fine. At the very least, Maplin's troubles are in large part because of the weaker pound. I wasn't aware that TRU had longer-term problems, which on further inspection seem to be more complicated.

[Bazile]

AOG - I think you'll find TRU sells/sold other products apart from toys :-)

[vulcan42]

They're all at, went to my local art shop to buy tubes of watercolour paint. Two 5ml tubes £15, the three colours he didn't have I ordered on line, three 21ml tubes, so four times as much paint per tube, plus postage, £12.

[youngmafbog]

Digging around it seems Maplin are using the "Brexit Pound" as a cover. It is also blaming a weak consumer environment. However others are in exactly the same boat and dont appear to be having the same problems. Looks to me like it needed more money and could not raise the credit. I also strong suspect Rutland Partners were not seeing the return they wanted and have put the brakes on. Maplin have been struggling for a number of years.

[weecalf]

toysrus is an anagram of Us Tory’s no connection nah .Maplin going receivership it’s anagram In palm (in hand )

[New Judge]

It’s nothing to do with the weaker pound. A weaker pound should encourage foreign visitors to spend their money here. I’m not say Maplins is lying. I’m suggesting they are stretching the truth.

The High street retailers must realise that they need to provide something the internet does not. People have to trudge to the High Street, pay to park (if they can find a space), traipse round the shops only to find that what they want is not available. Alternatively they can sit at home, browse the internet, compare prices, check stock and have the goods of their choice delivered to their door a day or two later. The only thing shops can provide which online sellers cannot is customer advice and good service. This is where many of them fall woefully short. The last time I wanted something from Maplins I wasn’t sure quite what I needed. The person I spoke to in the store had knowledge of what I wanted but was barely able to speak English. His colleague had no knowledge of the goods I was buying and I had to make myself understood virtually using him as an interpreter. I ended up empty handed because having finally established what I needed, it was out of stock. Ten minutes after returning home I’d located an online source for my goods and had them delivered two days later.

The High Street, understandably, cannot compete with online sellers on price. They must do something else and most of them don’t. Stand by for more High Street casualties. Keep an eye on WH Smith. Who last went to buy something at WH Smith? What do you go to WH Smith for these days?

[goodgoalie]

Agree about WH Smith, NJ. I've mentioned before on AB what a throwback it feels going into a branch, as I occasionally do (only to buy a newspaper) - even smells the same as when I used to call in to the branch in Brighton on the way to visit my parents. Seems nothing has changed in decades, and I'm amazed they've survived this long.