Woolies is dying - but it aint dead yet.

 

It has run up huge debts and will be taken over. That doesn't mean it will cease trading.

 

I'm sure some stores will be closed but the bulk will remain.

 

I hope somebody who understands retail can turn it around.

 

I think it is salvageable.

 

Most stores are on prime sites and it is a matter of doing less things very well rather than doing too much not so well.

 

Some of my formative record buying experiences were in Woolies - but back then they stocked so much more than they do now. To be honest, with the exception of pick n mix there's barely anything that Woolworths caters for on the high street that the ever growing supermarkets haven't branched out into. People pick up their Woolies-style tat from the supermarket now and as far as records go, there's barely one that I'd buy from the entire stock of our local branch.

 

Nope, it was an institution but it's been superceded by competitors. Close them down and give more custom to local, small, independent record shops I say.

I never found the wollies in ipswich lol, i was in ipswich on monday and was looking for it but failed to find it :( the one in colchester is always too warm, i've fainted in there once because of the heat :drama:

 

It's like between JJB and Poundland :lol: On the high street :P

It's like between JJB and Poundland :lol: On the high street :P

 

again no idea where those are lol, unless i am being totaly blind haha. I only been to ipswich about 4 times shopping.

Deary me.

 

I've just come home from town but one wonders why Woolies is going to the wall ....

 

Well here is perhaps one reason why with some laughable album rankings:

 

This week's album chart:

 

Rhydian #1

Alesha Dixon - The Alesha Show #3

Craig David - Greatest Hits #7

The Killers - Day & Age #18

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy #19

Paul McCartney & Youth - The Fireman - Electric Arguments #57

 

For goodness sake who in their right mind would rank the Killers & Guns N Roses eagerly awaited new albums that low way below Alesha Dixon & Craig David? Whilst a new Paul McCartney album at #57 is quite frankly ludicrous.

 

Oh and they've stocked Same Difference & George Sampson's singles but not Take That.

 

Woolies seem to be in exclusive collusion with Syco they only ever stock Syco singles now days: X Factor, Leona, Same Difference, George Sampson and quelled surprise Rhydian is no1 on their albums.

Looks like Simon Cowell gave them a backhander, his bank balance this week should be pretty high, let's all go and mug Simon

The way Woolies treats its CDs beggars belief - how can they expect people to buy them in there if they display them in scratched cases with crappy photocopied inlays? Sure you get a nice shiny one at the till but it's still not a very nice shopping experience.

Woolworths is way past its sell-by date now imo. We're not in the 1920s anymore.

 

The one where I live closed earlier this year, and while it was sad to see it go, everything that Woolies sold you can buy elsewhere. It was a big store, and they obviously couldn't afford the rent, and their sales must have been pretty terrible. I think it's only a matter of time before most other Woolies go the same. I do feel quite sorry for people that won't be able to go out and buy music CDs anymore though... I guess it doesn't effect me in the slightest as we have a HMV, Zavvi and WHSmiths down the same street!

Nope, it was an institution but it's been superceded by competitors. Close them down and give more custom to local, small, independent record shops I say.

 

Thats the whole point though there are hardly any independent record stores to pick up Woolworths trade - The CD sales Woolworths generate will go to HMV/Zavvi, Online or lost forever. I live in London and the 6 Independent stores near me have all closed and 'Sister Ray' in Central London is poorly stocked most of the time.....

Woolies seem to be in exclusive collusion with Syco they only ever stock Syco singles now days: X Factor, Leona, Same Difference, George Sampson and quelled surprise Rhydian is no1 on their albums.

 

To be fair in a massively shrinking physical CD single market the above are probably the best releases for a high street retailer to be stocking! :lol: Can't see Woolies making a mint from stocking Biffy Clyro or such singles which is why they probably stopped in the first place.

 

Woolworths is still relevent to some people that might never buy into music otherwise - Regardless of what we think of the act the sales of the recent exclusive Cliff Richard single they stocked were huge and probably not have been generated by any other high street CD selling retailer. Also their exclusive albums by the likes of Girls Aloud, Boyzone etc, are great for collectors bring people into their stores give them excellent market share of the artists new release and have generated combined sales of around 30,000+ copies.

Thats the whole point though there are hardly any independent record stores to pick up Woolworths trade - The CD sales Woolworths generate will go to HMV/Zavvi, Online or lost forever. I live in London and the 6 Independent stores near me have all closed and 'Sister Ray' in Central London is poorly stocked most of the time.....

 

Yeah it's a real shame what's happened to London. It used to be record shop Mecca. I heard that Sister Ray had closed down though?

Yeah it's a real shame what's happened to London. It used to be record shop Mecca. I heard that Sister Ray had closed down though?

 

No 'Sister Ray' got bought from the Administrators and has continued to trade although from personal exprience stock levels have been low whenever I have gone in there and it does not seem to be busy :(

ok heres the story from a staff member: all that press we are getting at the moment and the last few weeks, we (as in staff) have NOT been told anything. We get customers going "oh can I buy the shop for £1?" My answer is, > Don't believe everything you read in the papers. Yes there might be problems, no I don't know them but until we here more about it Woolies is still there.

 

As for exclusive singles: all the current singles are related to Tallent shows:

 

Leona: X Factor (Who has currently dropped out of my stores chart)

Leon: X Factor (Dropped out of chart)

Same Difference: X Factor (new this week)

George Sampson: Britain's Got Tallent (New This Week)

McFly: Children In Need Single (New This Week)

 

& I can't remember the other too, I think its Take That & someone else with take that being on X Factor this past weekend.

The way Woolies treats its CDs beggars belief - how can they expect people to buy them in there if they display them in scratched cases with crappy photocopied inlays? Sure you get a nice shiny one at the till but it's still not a very nice shopping experience.

Your store obviously doesn't clean its stuff then! haha

The way Woolies treats its CDs beggars belief - how can they expect people to buy them in there if they display them in scratched cases with crappy photocopied inlays? Sure you get a nice shiny one at the till but it's still not a very nice shopping experience.

You're right, it's poor marketing, and somehow gives the impression the shelves are quite empty and the store needs restocked which is not very encouraging. Also, the general store design and colour scheme, isn't very modern (despite its update in the last few years) and is not half as slick as HMV or Zavvi

Deary me.

 

I've just come home from town but one wonders why Woolies is going to the wall ....

 

Well here is perhaps one reason why with some laughable album rankings:

 

This week's album chart:

 

Rhydian #1

Alesha Dixon - The Alesha Show #3

Craig David - Greatest Hits #7

The Killers - Day & Age #18

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy #19

Paul McCartney & Youth - The Fireman - Electric Arguments #57

 

For goodness sake who in their right mind would rank the Killers & Guns N Roses eagerly awaited new albums that low way below Alesha Dixon & Craig David? Whilst a new Paul McCartney album at #57 is quite frankly ludicrous.

 

Oh and they've stocked Same Difference & George Sampson's singles but not Take That.

 

I think you will find that the chart positions are paid for by the record company hence why Rhydian, Alesha etc, are so high up - Most retailers that have their own charts 'sell' chart positions for the week of release for a CD album - This is common practise in most Supermarkets too and of course helps the retailers as many reinvest this money into lowering CD prices which I don't hear many complaints about :lol: ...If you look at the companies (Excluding online retailers) that sell space (Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Woolworths) then you will find these are 99% of the time cheaper than companies that don't (HMV, Zavvi etc,)

 

The way Woolies treats its CDs beggars belief - how can they expect people to buy them in there if they display them in scratched cases with crappy photocopied inlays? Sure you get a nice shiny one at the till but it's still not a very nice shopping experience.

 

I completely agree.

 

The other week i bought a CD from Woolworths (only through necessity, Morrisons were too busy :P) and the girl took the crappy display case and quickly stuck the real CD in a carrier bag and off I went. When i got outside I realised the case was really badly cracked and the back inlay was torn. Obviously i took it back and saw the same girl. She gave me such a filthy look and swapped the case for me and as she did so she tore the booklet and bent the pages because she was trying to remove the book by pulling at a single page. :o

 

I dunno about you, but i'm a bit anal when it comes to CDs and like them all nice and tidy, after all i do pay money for them :cry: :D Needless to say I got another decent copy <_<

Edited November 25, 200816 yr by Glyn

I completely agree.

 

The other week i bought a CD from Woolworths (only through necessity, Morrisons were too busy :P) and the girl took the crappy display case and quickly stuck the real CD in a carrier bag and off I went. When i got outside I realised the case was really badly cracked and the back inlay was torn. Obviously i took it back and saw the same girl. She gave me such a filthy look and swapped the case for me and as she did so she tore the booklet and bent the pages because she was trying to remove the book by pulling at a single page. :o

 

I dunno about you, but i'm a bit anal when it comes to CDs and like them all nice and tidy, after all i do pay money for them :cry: :D Needless to say I got another decent copy <_<

i would've done the same. Took an album back before as the case had a big crack and the disc holder was broken. Tesco didn't seem to think this was a problem so i just said the CD didn't play either to get a new one with no hassle. and i like a nice booklet- its what you buy physicals for ffs!

17:11 GMT, Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Woolworths enters administration

BBC NEWS

 

High Street legend Woolworths with its 815 stores across the UK has gone into administration, BBC business editor Robert Peston has learned.

 

The move will put tens of thousands of jobs under threat.

 

The company's board will meet at 1800 UK time to take the formal decision.

 

Deloitte will be appointed as administrators to the store chain and also to Entertainment UK, which supplies books and DVDs to supermarket groups.

 

However Woolworths joint venture with the BBC, 2 Entertain, will not go into administration. It is owned by Woolworths' parent company, which will not go into administration.

 

The collapse of Woolworth is likely to lead to the closure of hundreds of stores across the UK.

 

And it is also likely to lead to many thousands of redundancies.

 

Woolworth has 815 stores. The store chain employs 25,000 and Entertainment UK employs 5,000.

 

The company has struggled under the weight of £385m of debt. Its problems were compounded over the past couple of months when it was forced to pay cash when buying goods from suppliers, because trade credit insurers were no longer prepared to insure supplies to Woolworths.

 

The company had tried all day to find buyers for its business.