John Lewis

[Dozer 13]

1 hour ago, the_bloke said:

It's fascinating to see people think that product A sold in John Lewis is some how of better quality or a better deal than buying the same product for the same price elsewhere.

 

In the 90's I had a summer job working in the St Ivel factory in Chichester; one of the major product lines made on site was yoghurts and desserts. The same goo was used for an entire night's run of desserts, all that changed for each 30 or so pallets worth was the plastic pot and the label. The Waitrose stuff was exactly the same as the Kwik Save stuff.  The Kiwk Save stuff just didn't give you the same sense of smug self satisfaction buying it.

Brilliant! But don't underestimate the value of smug satisfaction.

[Guest busdriver1]

12 minutes ago, Dozer said:

Brilliant! But don't underestimate the value of smug satisfaction.

There are similar tales to be told about other products from other makers.

Note just buy supermarket own brand toothpaste. Say no more.

[Baron99 775]

2 hours ago, the_bloke said:

It's fascinating to see people think that product A sold in John Lewis is some how of better quality or a better deal than buying the same product for the same price elsewhere.

 

In the 90's I had a summer job working in the St Ivel factory in Chichester; one of the major product lines made on site was yoghurts and desserts. The same goo was used for an entire night's run of desserts, all that changed for each 30 or so pallets worth was the plastic pot and the label. The Waitrose stuff was exactly the same as the Kwik Save stuff.  The Kiwk Save stuff just didn't give you the same sense of smug self satisfaction buying it.

But we're not talking about yoghurt here are we.  In many cases, what people buy from JL are high end, aspiratiomal goods that simply can't be found in any other shops in Sheffield.  And ultimately, if people want to spend their money at JL, that's their business. 

 

Go back a few years on SF & you'll find at least one thread bemoaning the fact that Leeds ended up with a Harvey Nicks & Sheffield had nothing of such quality. 

 

Take a look at our city centre?  What do we have in the way of quality, high end business?  JL, H. L. Browns, the jewelers & one 4* hotel. 

 

By and large, the majority of the rest is tat. 

[Litotes 63]

Nah - it is about guarantees and after purchase support -John  Lewis are second to none.

 

JL isn't necessarily high-end, just high quality - these words aren't the same.

[covfeffe 0]

On 16/07/2020 at 10:25, the_bloke said:

It's fascinating to see people think that product A sold in John Lewis is some how of better quality or a better deal than buying the same product for the same price elsewhere.

 

In the 90's I had a summer job working in the St Ivel factory in Chichester; one of the major product lines made on site was yoghurts and desserts. The same goo was used for an entire night's run of desserts, all that changed for each 30 or so pallets worth was the plastic pot and the label. The Waitrose stuff was exactly the same as the Kwik Save stuff.  The Kiwk Save stuff just didn't give you the same sense of smug self satisfaction buying it.

I have one of those "fiendish feet" yoghurt pots by St Ivel from back in the eighties. Might be worth something...then again, maybe not.

[DerbyTup 10]

On 10/07/2020 at 09:37, chris101 said:

The never knowingly undersold policy is very debatable you find a lower price you have to claim online they never drop the price in-store . Buy a TV from Richer Sounds lowest price & 6 year guarntee

That must be a change in policy then?  They used to regularly reduce the price of goods in store if they were available at a lower price from a competitor retailer.

[Westie1889 0]

Along with M&S at Meadowhall, John Lewis is the highest rates payer in Sheffield. Around £1.5m per annum last time I looked.

If the council are taking over the building it makes sense in that in the short term it protects rates income and keeps a key anchor tenant in the city centre.
Long term if JL are forced to close the store the council have control and can re-develop it in line with the overall plan for the centre.

Personally I think it’s the perfect location for a good quality hotel, opposite the city hall, walking distance to the theatres and room for plenty of parking.

It’s a very difficult time to be developing a city centre offer, the retail landscape will look very different over the next few years, even office developments are being re-thought due to the move to working from home.

For once we may have benefitted from not having built the new retail quarter, as plans can be re-evaluated to take account of these changes.

I work in Watford where they’ve recently opened a huge redeveloped shopping centre in the town inline with a town centre makeover, both anchor tenants (JL & Debenhams) have announced they will not be reopening so the whole thing looks like a waste of money less that 12 months after being built.

[Lex Luthor 10]

On 17/07/2020 at 19:50, Litotes said:

Nah - it is about guarantees and after purchase support -John  Lewis are second to none.

 

JL isn't necessarily high-end, just high quality - these words aren't the same.

As per my previous post, JL are now second to most, in my experience.

[bassett one 447]

i agree a 5 star hotel,when a company states 70% of its business in the next few years  is going to be online,why subsidise it,we cannot afford it,sell the land for a top hotel and move forward with a top town centre,i believe citys will have less and less large shops over the next few years and see more independant types,time will tell all.

[northernboy 13]

The building immediately next door (Barkers Pool House) is going to be converted into a five star hotel (Raddison Blu), so I don’t think that’s likely.

[ECCOnoob 1,017]

4 hours ago, bassett one said:

i agree a 5 star hotel,when a company states 70% of its business in the next few years  is going to be online,why subsidise it,we cannot afford it,sell the land for a top hotel and move forward with a top town centre,i believe citys will have less and less large shops over the next few years and see more independant types,time will tell all.

I think I would rather take precautions to make sure we scoop up that 30% 'non online' trade and keep the store running in this city rather than risk having a massive empty building for potentially years on end. 

 

You cannot casually say "just sell it to a top hotel" because it doesn't work like that. 

A top hotel has to be interested in buying the land in the first place which is highly unlikely given the existing Radisson developments happening  literally next door.  Top hotels require a continual flood of 5-star guests prepared to pay 5-star prices - which in a city like ours is a very finite resource.  

 

There is already a saturation of accommodation providers in the city all fighting over a very limited market.  The hotel industry has taken just as much of a battering during the covid crisis as retail.  They too have face competition with the online world thanks for the explosion of popularity of things such as Air B&B.

 

It's not quite that simple and if there is a chance of saving the store which is a key part of the city's new development - it's a price worth paying.  

[Zarniwoop 10]

I would think that the people staying in the Radisson  would be John Lewis shoppers