M& S lost our loyalty because they made shopping confusing
WHEN it comes to Marks and Spencer there’s a lot of love and loyalty at stake.
I suspect thousands of women feel the same as me.
Sadly over the past decade we’ve become increasingly irritated by our one-time favourite store.
So last week, when it was announced M&S was closing 60 outlets, it was hardly a big surprise.
What has gone wrong at this giant of the High Street?
The place where we were fitted for our first bra, bought our undies, a dress for the office party, T-shirts for our summer holidays, winter woollies and school uniforms for our kids?
What happened to dependable, reliable Markies?
For me it started when M&S began outsourcing production of clothes in a bid to compete with new kids on the block like Primark, which was selling cotton skirts and tops and trousers at half the price.
Then the sizing was all wrong. I remember the frustration of taking six pairs of trousers in a size 16 short leg into a changing room, only to discover they
were all different lengths. Not one pair fitted properly.
Every winter I’d got into the habit of buying four V-necked woollen sweaters from M&S – black, navy, grey and cream – for work. They looked smart and washed well but in recent years they cost more and lost their shape quickly.
My local supermarket was selling the same items £5 cheaper among the baked beans and tinned peas.
So it gradually dawned on me that my love and loyalty was slightly misplaced.
I still enjoyed a visit to a big city centre Markies just to check out the trends.
But there were so many different in-house brands. Should I browse the Per Una range, the slightly hippy Indigo brand or the upmarket Autograph section?
Shopping in M&S just became more confusing.
Such a shame. Had they forgotten their core customer? It seemed like it.
We are the women who want to look trendy no matter our age. But we want to pay reasonable prices for clothes made from decent materials which are the correct size.
We want choice – but not endless variations on a theme.
Yet M&S were getting it so right in their food hall – an inspired £10 dinner with a bottle of wine and a delicious range of fresh veg and yummy puddings, not to mention their divine lemon drizzle cake…
But for your jeans and jumpers or a sparkly top for a night out, M&S just weren’t measuring up.
And our loyalty to our favourite store seeped away.
But relationships can be rekindled.
It’s up to you, M&S. We’re waiting and we’re watching. Go on – surprise us.