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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 9955
Location: UK
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 Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject: Is Wilkinson the new Woolworths? |
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I wonder if anyone has noticed that Wilkinson ( Some shops have been rebranded Wilko ) seems to be the new Woolworths? They do stock almost the same products - which the stores did before they went into receivership, then shut their doors for good. Pick N Mix is one of Wilkinsons products which Woolworths eventually had to withdraw after poor sales and people were helping themselves.
Your thoughts? |
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R2Icon
Joined: 10 Sep 2009
Posts: 1444
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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When they start selling music and DVDs, Easter Eggs, childrens' clothes and school uniforms, books, toys, stationary and have stores in the best spot on the high street in every town and city in the land , then they'll be close: until then, they'll be the scruffy place to buy cheap cleaning products and bin bags. Well that was all I could see last time I was in there.
In other news.. Wellworths (now Wellchester) in Dorchester is closing down this month, not because it wasn't making any profit because it was but because they just want to stop. Poundland is moving in.... oh joy! |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| R2Icon wrote: | When they start selling music and DVDs, Easter Eggs, childrens' clothes and school uniforms, books, toys, stationary and have stores in the best spot on the high street in every town and city in the land , then they'll be close: until then, they'll be the scruffy place to buy cheap cleaning products and bin bags. Well that was all I could see last time I was in there.
In other news.. Wellworths (now Wellchester) in Dorchester is closing down this month, not because it wasn't making any profit because it was but because they just want to stop. Poundland is moving in.... oh joy! |
Are they, that's a shame. Been there a few times. Chris Evans spent the whole day travelling up and back to open it.
Well Wilkinsons do sell Stationary and do have stores on the best spots in... well where I live they do |
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ColinB
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Is Wilkinson the new Woolworths? |
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| mark occomore wrote: | | Your thoughts? |
Penny for 'em.
Geddit? |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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I would say that B&M is more the new Woolworths
They sell all the stuff that Woolworths used to sell plus alcohol as well at prices even lower than Woolworths used to charge and currently are the fastest expanding supermarket in this country
I know exactly how they do it because my son is a trainee manager at our local branch 
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becky sharp
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 6791
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| ruddlescat wrote: | I would say that B&M is more the new Woolworths
They sell all the stuff that Woolworths used to sell plus alcohol as well at prices even lower than Woolworths used to charge and currently are the fastest expanding supermarket in this country
I know exactly how they do it because my son is a trainee manager at our local branch |
Yes,I would agree with you there,ruddles. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:41 am Post subject: |
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I can see what has prompted this thread...
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/companies/discounters/wilkinson-sees-the-bright-side-as-profits-crash/231693.article
Wilkinson is the UK's largest independent retailer by sales - it is a family business. Founded in 1930 in Worksop it now has 370 stores selling toiletries, household, gardening and DIY goods, and a basic range of food and stationery. It has avoided or exited from the highly competitive entertainment, electrical hardware and clothing markets (and Easter Eggs), where Woolworths suffered.
I wouldn't say they were scruffy, but a lot of the stores look down at heel and stuck in the 1970s, especially the logo. They have started a refurbishment programme, but it's not exactly radical
 and with profit figures like last year's they won't be able to afford to push the boat out.
I know little of B&M - didn't realise they had so many stores in the East Midlands. It's about one third of the size, in sales and number of outlets, of Wilkos, and, from its website and the short wiki entry, appears to fit the Woolworth mould a bit more closely.
That is a shame about Wellworths/Wellchester. I know they were quite heavily reliant upon the largesse of the property's landlord, and presumably Poundland will provide him with more security of income. But if you think that Wilkinsons are scruffy, wait until Poundland/Poundworld have had the store for a few months.
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R2Icon
Joined: 10 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 6:47 am Post subject: |
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| mark occomore wrote: | | R2Icon wrote: | When they start selling music and DVDs, Easter Eggs, childrens' clothes and school uniforms, books, toys, stationary and have stores in the best spot on the high street in every town and city in the land , then they'll be close: until then, they'll be the scruffy place to buy cheap cleaning products and bin bags. Well that was all I could see last time I was in there.
In other news.. Wellworths (now Wellchester) in Dorchester is closing down this month, not because it wasn't making any profit because it was but because they just want to stop. Poundland is moving in.... oh joy! |
Are they, that's a shame. Been there a few times. Chris Evans spent the whole day travelling up and back to open it.
Well Wilkinsons do sell Stationary and do have stores on the best spots in... well where I live they do |
Yeah Wellworths have decided to stop. I think the whole thing was based on a cheap rent deal which has now ended, meaning the numbers don't stack up anymore. I remember the day it opened- I was there, I didn't get to speak to Chris but I did have a chat with his driver Marky Mark- nice chap.
I've looked at wilkinsons website- they do sell other stuff too.....cool beans... but I never got past the grime.You would think a shop that sells cleaning products would be spotless!
Poundland- everything for a pound! .... I'll take it! Here's your pound, now, get out out my shop. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| R2Icon wrote: |
Poundland- everything for a pound! .... I'll take it! Here's your pound, now, get out out my shop. |
Crucially, the slogan has been dropped (and they do sell stuff at Christmas that costs more). Poundworld's strapline is "Everything £1"
The character and profile of those type of stores has changed over the years. Originally they sold surplus, discontinued and end-of-line stock, and canned food close to its best before date, or imported from abroad (eg cans of pop from Spain).
Now much of what they sell is manufactured specially for them by the leading brands in sizes to fit the £1 price point, so they might cut down on the loose change in your pocket but they are not necessarily the bargain stores they make out to be.
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ColinB
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 7:21 am Post subject: |
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Poundland, brilliant. My wife has one near to her office. She picks up loads of bits and pieces in there. The other day I asked to her to see if they had a bumper pack of Post-it notes of different colours and sizes and they did. She bought the whole lot for a quid (as you might have guessed).
I don't know what they'll do when they have to put up their prices though! Perhaps they'll have to call it the "One Pound Twenty Pence Land" or something, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| ColinB wrote: | Poundland, brilliant. My wife has one near to her office. She picks up loads of bits and pieces in there. The other day I asked to her to see if they had a bumper pack of Post-it notes of different colours and sizes and they did. She bought the whole lot for a quid (as you might have guessed).
I don't know what they'll do when they have to put up their prices though! Perhaps they'll have to call it the "One Pound Twenty Pence Land" or something, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. |
I know your teasing. That would never happen. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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I'm just waiting for someone to open a chain of stores in coastal areas of Britain called 'The Sick Squid Shop'
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gazmando
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 560
Location: Huntingdon
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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The Wilkinsons we have in Huntingdon is very clean, they must really vary from town to town.
I'd love to have a B+M here Ruddles, I go on the HotUkDeals website a lot and people are always posting some great bargains from there.
Shame about WellWorths, I watched the documentary about them setting up and I really hoped they'd do well. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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Don't worry Gaz - at the current rate they're expanding I'd put money on the fact you'll have a branch of B&M in Huntingdon in the next eighteen months - 70 new stores per year in the last three years
If I get any inside information I'll let you know
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Toggy
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Gaz, there is a B&M in Cambridge now, there really are some great bargains in there. |
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gazmando
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Huntingdon
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks a lot for that Toggy, I haven't been over there for a while, used to go all the time for the footy.
I'm going to have to get myself over there soon, before you get all the good stuff lol.
It looks like they're getting ever closer eh Ruddles? |
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ruddlescat
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Gaz - B&M will invade Huntingdon - this is our revenge for the BBC inflicting the likes of Chris Evans on us permanently
But being serious for a moment B&M has no debts or bank borrowing and reinvests all profits in opening new stores and the chairman actually put in a bid for Liverpool Football Club at the same time as those first lot of dreadful American owners took over - was it Tom someone or other
Tesco might have had tremendous expansion in the so called 'good times' in the Blair era  but in the current recession there's no doubt which business knows how to handle it and still make lots of money
As a Liverpool fan I just wish that the B&M guy had won the bid because if he doesn't borrow for his stores the chances are Liverpool Football Club would have been on a far better financial footing today
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ColinB
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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All the mention of B&M went over my head, until I realised that in Hunstanton, West Norfolk, where we have a static holiday caravan, there's a B&M where there was once a Woolworths in the High Street. We were in there a couple of weeks ago.
My wife, who is more qualified to comment on retail matters of this kind than I, thought the place was a bit naff - but not so naff as the Woolies it replaced. She reckons it's basically stocked by run-out stock from the mainstream store brands. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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B&M tends to buy up surplus stock where manufacturers produce more products than there is demand for
They obviously buy them cheap and then sell them at a discounted price undercutting the major supermarkets
Example Ruddles County Beer in Asda/Tesco etc £4.99 - B&M Price £3.79 and my son can get a further discount of 10% through his staff discount card 
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gazmando
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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Revenge for what Ruddles?
I'd be delighted to have them, just as you should be for having Chris Evans on R2 haha
I'm a Liverpool fan too, along with the mighty CUFC, aren't we just buying all the surplus stock as well like B+M?
Except we're paying way over the top for the stock a la Carroll, Henderson and Adam. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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Yes Gaz - Liverpool FC has paid well over the odds for some very mediocre goods - Carroll, Henderson and worst of all Downing to simply mention three fairly high profile examples
You just can't run a successful business that way which is exactly what Premier League Football sadly is today whether we as fans like it or not
I also tend to prefer watching lower league games these days - I go to Shrewsbury quite often and have seen some great games there - often far better than what I see on MOTD
However getting back to B&M I know they have the expertise to make big money in a major recession so I would guess that they don't want to see the economy improving much otherwise customers might start going back to the likes of Tesco
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RockitRon
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ColinB
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| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| ruddlescat wrote: | | B&M tends to buy up surplus stock where manufacturers produce more products than there is demand for |
Ie: "run-out stock"! |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:17 am Post subject: |
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| ColinB wrote: | | ruddlescat wrote: | | B&M tends to buy up surplus stock where manufacturers produce more products than there is demand for |
Ie: "run-out stock"! |
Not just manufacturers. The major retailers and catalogues offload surplus stock to such retailers
That's Entertainment is a chain of stores selling cheap CDs/DVDs which are liquidations (Woolies, MVC, Andy's), manufacturers' overstocks and deletions.
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ColinB
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:34 am Post subject: |
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| RockitRon wrote: | | Not just manufacturers. The major retailers and catalogues offload surplus stock to such retailers |
They do indeed. My wife used to work in Central Buying at Argos and they have a large warehouse up in Derbyshire where all of their run-out lines and overstocks are stored. Run-outs are normally lines for which there's no RTM (Return To Manufacturer) agreement - manufacturers won't take back unsold surplus and so can offer a lower price with the buyer - or overstocks. In fact, my wife's friend is the manager of this whole operation for the company.
Any registered business can bid for this stuff in an online auction, usually by the container load. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets. My wife's friend says it's funny how they'll release a large consignment (such as summer season run-outs at the end of a catalogue as the winter catalogue is about to be published) which will then sell from their online auction portal only to see lines going on eBay and in the discount stores on the high street a few of weeks later. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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I think that both Ron and Colin are correct in terms of the views they have expressed
The thing to realise about the whole operation of B&M is that precisely as a result of their buying policy they will sell certain brands or products until the stock runs out and then the line will be withdrawn until new stocks of the product appear which might be many months or even years away
In the meantime they will substitute a similar product also bought cheap as a job lot so shoppers at B&M have to be flexible in terms of their requirements so there is a downside as well as a major financial benefit
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Angela W
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Ummm...........I have never heard of B & M! 
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't heard of B&M either, there aren't any round here.
H
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Toggy
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Helen May
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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The nearest one is apparently 8 miles away...... I don't think they would have passed their GCSE in Geography though as they have included half of Lancashire in their list for Cheshire! 
H
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