Lacklustre Marks has lost its spark
IT IS sad to read about Mark & Spencer’s troubles, but its fashion has been struggling for ages. I used to buy all my work suits, dresses and separates from M&S. Recently, trawling through its vast range of clothing online, I have chosen classic and fashionable items, but on nearly every occasion, my size was sold out. It would appear M&S doesn’t have sufficient stock levels to cope with demand. This means lost sales and lost revenue. It’s a sign they don’t know their stock or their customers. In contrast, I can’t wait for M&S to launch its food delivery service. The quality and range of groceries it offers is the best on the High Street. Please, M&S, make sure you’ve got the stock and staff in place to respond to what will be an unprecedented demand. Don’t mess it up!
J. M. HAINES, Cambridge. BUSINESS editor Ruth Sunderland’s analysis of M&S was spot on. Its fashion buyers seem to have lost the plot in regard to the age of the store’s shoppers and what they want to buy. I needed a suit for a relative’s wedding, but the fashionable styles in M&S came only in skinny or slim fit, while the regular sizes were all dull colours. The average size of the men wandering around my local branch of M&S is definitely not skinny or slim.
TREVOR HAYES, Knaresborough, N. Yorks.
I AGREE that M&S does not cater for the older age group. When I attempt to buy lingerie, my local store never has my size or the classic style I want. Instead, there are racks and racks of flimsy bras in all shapes and colours. Doesn’t M&S realise teenagers don’t shop in their stores? I am happy to use M&S as my corner shop for food but have given up on the clothes.
J. A. GOUGH, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. SADLY, my most recent visits to M&S have only annoyed me. There are always long queues at the checkout because too few tills are open.
H. MACDONALD, Icklesham, E. Sussex. UP TO 7,000 M&S workers will lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson keeps his job as a reward for incompetence.
RAFIQ RATTANSI, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. AS a former M&S employee, I have written a couple of times to chairman Archie Norman and CEO Steve Rowe about what ladies of a certain age would like in the way of fashion. M&S seems to have lost its mojo. Take T-shirts, for example. We hate slashed necks and would prefer a scooped or square neckline that’s not too low, with some fancy detailing and a design of small prints. We don’t want to wear classics, but up-to-date styles. I used to buy from the Indigo and Per Una ranges but they have lost their way. Wake up, M&S, we have money to spend if only we could find clothes we wanted to wear.
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