So which retailer is next?

[disruptive]

Could it be Argos? No, I thought so, but things seem to be fine for them...for now? Who off the high street is next?

 

[WalkinDude]

For me the link is very poor online operations. Argos are as known online as they are offline. Great service, reserve online, pickup on in store on the spot ect.

Alot of the firms going down have simply not bothered keeping up. I can't see how having an on and offline presence of matching capability isn't an advantage over businesses that are purely online or offline.

 

[tifosi]

Of the bigger chains? I'd be looking at CarperRight & Mothercare. There was a decent article in the Guardian recently saying that 40% of high-street shops will be gone by the end of the decade. Probably a conservative estimate.

Any seller of fixed-state (i.e. same when bought anywhere) tangible goods is under fire.

 

[eddieb]

My money's on WH Smith. Their core business is in direct competition with Amazon and they seem to have all-year round sales so the margins cant be great

 

[seemly]

Argos are as known online as they are offline. Great service, reserve online, pickup on in store on the spot ect.

Argos are well known for high mark-ups on their prices both offline and online...

Argos don't seem to attempt to compete price wise, which is why I selected Argos as my choice.

 

[websaway]

For me the link is very poor online operations. Argos are as known online as they are offline. Great service, reserve online, pickup on in store on the spot ect.

Alot of the firms going down have simply not bothered keeping up. I can't see how having an on and offline presence of matching capability isn't an advantage over businesses that are purely online or offline.

I would, if I were Argos, become a pick up centre for other companies that trade on line, they are geared up to do so.

 

[Blossom]

My money's on WH Smith. Their core business is in direct competition with Amazon and they seem to have all-year round sales so the margins cant be great

They seem to be a bit like Woolworths - they aren't really a go-to place for anything specific. I don't really see the point of them when you can go to Waterstone's or supermarkets for magazines, books and stationery. I think the only thing saving them now is their train station outlets.

 

[julian]

I agree - its only the decling group of old fart-sacks who can't learn to order online who still need to walk in WHSmith's.. I mean what is actually in 'Smiths thats worth looking at - ohhh yeah, some Blu-tack

I think Argos might be ok for a while as the UK public have a sick fondness of picking their tat up in person..

My money's on WH Smith. Their core business is in direct competition with Amazon and they seem to have all-year round sales so the margins cant be great

 

[fish]

My money's on WH Smith. Their core business is in direct competition with Amazon and they seem to have all-year round sales so the margins cant be great

They should have gone a long time ago imo, terrible service, awful shopping experience etc

One thing that helps keeping them afloat is their outlet locations, the key ones, (both in the UK & overseas) being airports & other transit stops where they have a continuous footfall stream and can get away with charging higher than normal high street prices

 

[Stas]

Argos has already decided to close 75 stores anyway. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...rgos-to-close-75-stores-in-internet-push.html
Hope they don't stop holding stock in other stores else there will be no point.

WHSmith make a killing at airports etc

Menkind are probably on 2 week lease anyway and not expecting to last long

M&S is great, for food anyway, and clothes stores don't seem to struggle. That's what people are going to High Street for - clothes, fashion, and restaurants

Dixons - made more money than expecting recently thanks to Comet going. They are keeping both PC world and Curries open next to each other in many locations so must not be struggling

Sports Direct still open? Think they definitely shutting few stores

 

[AssetDomains]

Amazon collect+ service could be a problem for a lot of high street retailers fixes a problem for those who cant get stuff delivered in the day because of work etc.

 

[tifosi]

Don't think any of these will be in immediate danger. Most have profitable niches, and some are brutally restructuring.

I'd be looking more towards the bulky-need-showroom type chains such as home furnishings / carpets, which have profit warnings & didn't do well in Q3. With Q4 rents due some will throw in the towel.

 

[max99x]

I don't think Argos will go as it's cleverly making lots of stores mainly collect points for online ordering. They are also pushing lots of resources into there ecommerce.

I voted for Holland & Barrett as you can get the stuff they sell cheaper online and there USP of offering advice is widely available on many of the health food sites that offer them cheaper anyway!

 

[tifosi]

Better not be Next... not until after the weekend when I've spent my vouchers!

 

[max99x]

on a side note, i'd never purchase gift cards/vouchers for any highstreet store as a gift for anyone in the future. Too risky

 

[Admin]

on a side note, i'd never purchase gift cards/vouchers for any highstreet store as a gift for anyone in the future. Too risky

Agree 100% - I think a lot of people will do the same.

Admin

 

[tifosi]

I only give Amazon vouchers. If they go bust we're all in trouble!

 

[doodlebug]

wh smiths is a rip off, dixons is part of a much bigger company so can probably afford to operate even through bad times.

Halfords to go next.

 

[cm1975]

I think the Dixons group has been slightly ahead of the other high street electronic retailers. They've had a decent online presence for a number of years and have extracted themselves from most High Streets and moved to out of town retail parks.

Some of their online deals are far better than can be found in their stores, so they are trying to remain competitive.

The only reported problems they've had was with their Pixmania online brand.

 

[Skinner]

Didn't Carpet right already go bust ? 2 of them near me closed with closing down sales, and a third was merged with a beds place, I assumed they went pop with so many closing in one area.