Jessops gone. Who's next?

I just saw the news that Jessops will be closing all of their stores, and sadly a lot of people will be losing their jobs, but it occured to me that I wasn't in the least bit surprised that they'd gone under. I'm no market analyst, but there are some companies where I wonder "how is that still going" and I'm sure others do too.

So, what companies would you not be surprised to hear about going under?

HMV must be up on the list, maybe one of the big travel agents too. Not quite sure what Robert Dyas's business strategy is, seemed a bit randomly stocked last time i was in there (a bit like Woolies turned into a jumble sale before it folded). And I'm surprised Maplins has lasted this long.

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Comments

  • I'm surprised that Runner's World is still in business, as they just regurgatate the same material month after month, and don't seem to add anything new to their publication.

  • CindersCinders ✭✭✭

    But a lot of new people come into running Rickster so it's new to them so they buy the mag.

     

  • Cinders wrote (see)

    But a lot of new people come into running Rickster so it's new to them so they buy the mag.

     

    I suppose that's true, but they need to introduce some new material, as complacencey is what causes businesses to go under.

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Companies/shops that go under?

    Any that have to compete with internet mail order.

    Its why shops are now just food outlets, hair & nails, charity and estate agents.

    🙂

  • it seems the retailers that are really suffering are the big chains. One thing I have noticed, however, is all the new shops springing up locally. in my neighbourhood, and several other small towns that I have visited of late, the number of independent businesses (butchers, cheese shops, cafes, IT shops) opening (and staying open) has risen dramatically.

    perhaps entrenreneurship is alive and well?

    sure many will close within a year, but many will not.

     

  • Ric.you forgot pound shops in thereimage

    i thought jessops went a time back as our local jessop shop closed

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Seren Nos

    We did have a pound shop where I live but it closed down.

    We do have a row of shops of which 9 out of 13 you can eat from. A charity shop, a nail shop and a hardware shop - what! The others a pub.

    🙂

  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭

    HMV are on death watch these days. Any company that has to fight online sales or media going digital is really going to struggle, so anyone selling CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, books on the high street is pretty much screwed.

    I can see a most of the remaining big electrical goods sellers going too due to online sales and supermarkets diversifying.

    AgentGinger wrote (see)

    And I'm surprised Maplins has lasted this long.

    Maplin strike me as one that could survive. Just on the I need that part now market. It's a great shop for those odds and ends, even if it charges way over the odds for them.

  • Surprised WH Smith is still going although I think they've done the right thing in order to survive i.e. virtually abandon the high street in favour of railway stations.

  • Screamapillar wrote (see)

    Surprised WH Smith is still going although I think they've done the right thing in order to survive i.e. virtually abandon the high street in favour of railway stations.

    WH Smith charge a quid for a can of coke. Surprised they do any trade.

    Pound shops are so expensive. We have a 99p shop here in Nottingham.

  • jessops were more expensive than even most private indipndant camera stores, by quite some margin too. 

  • I get shopping vouchers from work that I can use in various shops, I'm currently playing bankruptcy bingo on them.

    So far Comet, JJB Sports and Jessops have gone. I reckon HMV will be next. Waterstones is probably looking dodgy long-term too, and although Homebase is apparently doing OK I can't figure out why.

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    WH Smith is what replaced the pound shop.

    🙂

  • PiersPiers ✭✭✭

    Whittard's must be struggling and I would imagine Thorntons as well.

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Homebase passes itself off as a type of 'supermarket'.

    Since supermarkets are cheaper than independants, the public are drawn in without realising that Homebase is actually more expensive than many smaller outlets.

    🙂

  • shocks me that toys-r-us is still going, its so much more expensive. 

  • Whittards and Thorntons have both been close to administration before

  • I'll bet it won't be the pound shop
  • Give a person 10 pounds to spend, and the person he spends it with will in turn have 10 pounds to spend. That person in turn has 10 pound to spends and so one. Dont give the first 10 pounds then there are a whole lot of 10 pounds not being spent.and places like Jerssop go under. The people who worked at Jessop will now have no money to spend and so the downward spiral continues. You dont plant less corn in the hope of getting a better harvest and solving a food shortage problem.

  • Places like Jessops go under because technology drove them under, the surprise is they lasted this long. How many people now take photos with a phone and how many can claim to have printed off a photo in the last year. The market for their product died years ago, they failed to grasp the change and died.

     

  • As for who is next, look towards the sale of DVDs and CDs massively in decline, unless there is a big change how about HMV

  • whsmith bought into lots of post office deals so saving themselves for the time being

  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    EKGO wrote (see)

    Places like Jessops go under because technology drove them under, the surprise is they lasted this long. How many people now take photos with a phone and how many can claim to have printed off a photo in the last year. The market for their product died years ago, they failed to grasp the change and died.

     

    They aimed at a different market to the phone camera market. Their main market was the proper photography enthusiast with DSLRs and the numerous lenses. What killed them was the real camera enthusiast could find the lenses and cameras online for a fraction of the price along with plenty of review information on the products.

  • Eggyh73 wrote (see)
    EKGO wrote (see)

    Places like Jessops go under because technology drove them under, the surprise is they lasted this long. How many people now take photos with a phone and how many can claim to have printed off a photo in the last year. The market for their product died years ago, they failed to grasp the change and died.

     

    They aimed at a different market to the phone camera market. Their main market was the proper photography enthusiast with DSLRs and the numerous lenses. What killed them was the real camera enthusiast could find the lenses and cameras online for a fraction of the price along with plenty of review information on the products.

    ^^ this, buying 2 lenses alone saved me over £500 by shopping online, i'll buy local if i can but those kind of savings i cant ignore, jessops were massively overpriced, even local independant places were much much cheaper.

  • Running specialist stores. I know of 8 stores around the Uk that are currently for sale, I also know of a handful more that are considering closing at the end of the tax year.

    Just like Jessops the stores are being killed by online pricing. 

  • I blame Article 110 Treaty Functioning European Union for preventing Britain from promoting trade of domestic made goods. image

  • Jessops has been propped up couple of times over the last few years, hans't?  I'm sure I recall HSBC chucking about £20M at them not long ago.  However, their demise still leaves me feeling a little bit sad.  I've bought a fair bit of gear from them over the last ten years, and have always had excellent advice from them, especially when I was getting in to developing my own film.  I never found their prices to be far off best internet price, particularly when buying pro-range gear.

    Next?  Blacks & HMV must be on watch, and I wonder if Currys/PC World has much longer than 5 years left.  Any idea what type of shop WHSmith's is?  It used to be a newsagent, but now?

    I suspect Play.com could pale in to insignificance now that they've stopped retailing their own stock.

    The simple fact is that town centres are far too big these days.  Most towns can get by with about 20 shops.  Even M&S carries reduced stock - just enough so that people can try on before buying from the M&S site.

  • My money is on HMV and DW sports, because like Jessops they do not see the need to change, and although I see no risk, now is the time to cash in on the Next share price

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