M&S - no longer my favourite (Marks & Spencer)

Member Name: mandyhaley

Product:	Marks & Spencer
Date:	26/07/01 (268 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No quibble returns

Disadvantages: A retailer that has lost its way

My earliest memory of Marks and Spencer goes back to when I was about 5 years old. I remember trips into the city centre, and as a treat was rewarded with wonderful crisps. At that time I didn’t realise it was Marks and Spencers food hall – I just knew it was something special.

That was 30 years ago, and unfortunately M&S no longer has the same appeal for me. As I grew up into adulthood, and found myself with a very busy lifestyle, I relied on M&S for my clothes. I appreciated the quality at reasonable prices. True, M&S cost more than many of the high street stores, BUT I did think it was worth it. Having little time for shopping, I certainly appreciated the fact that you could take items back without a quibble. I often bought a selection of clothes to try on at my leisure. This met my needs. Okay, I was irritated by their not accepting credit cards, but I overcame that by an M&S chargecard.

So, what has gone wrong? In my opinion, there are two major problems. Firstly, the clothing is not what it was. For a number of years M&S has trotted out the same lines each season, and customers have just got bored. Unfortunately, I think they have now over-compensated for this, because their new ranges are truly awful. They seem to have gone from being fairly conservative, to ultra modern, and I am no longer sure what customer base they are trying to attract. It certainly isn’t me anymore!

The other problem is their food hall. I have always been a fan of M&S foods, right from my earlier days with their crisps. I still find their foodstuffs to be of a high quality, but the supermarkets have caught up. Tescos have their “finest” range, Sainsburys “taste the difference”, and Waitrose has always been good. This means that M&S food can no longer justify its premium price. The other irritation I find in the foodhall is the queues. Inevitably there are always several people in front of you – M&S just don
217;t seem to have enough cashiers.

So, I will join many people in saying that M&S has lost its way, and I cannot see how it will recover. At one time M&S was my first choice, now I seldom go there. And, whilst I might be sad at the end of an era, I can’t say my life is any the worse for it!

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