Jessops Closing 81 Photo Shops in UK

[ClaremontPhoto]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6225070.stm

[markinlondon]

I'm not surprised. They went up against the high street electrical chains with digital photography, not to mention the internet retailers. I think many people are now using Jessops to get a demo and then buying from the web. I expect to see them lose branches in Central London where they're a bit thick on the ground.

[sweathog]

Originally Posted by markinlondon

I'm not surprised. They went up against the high street electrical chains with digital photography, not to mention the internet retailers. I think many people are now using Jessops to get a demo and then buying from the web. I expect to see them lose branches in Central London where they're a bit thick on the ground.

This is true, from my experience. Yes, I work at Jessops, feel free to shout at me, but there are no independents where I live, and I needed a job. I reckon that at least 15% of the weekend footfall does exactly that. I don't mind if they don't pretend otherwise, because then I know I can be slightly quicker, not go through the whole process. What annoys me is the people who think that they're being clever and sneaky about it; that's just rude.

Originally Posted by Peter_Jones

As for stores within short distances of each other, Carlisle and York spring to mind, I'm sure there are many more - how long has it taken them to realise this doesn't make sense ?

York is a great example. I was up visiting my girlfriend and I noticed that. They are literally within spitting distance.

Originally Posted by Peter_Jones

Jessops have a mixed bag of staff , some very knowledgable and enthusiastic, however the relatively low pay in retail creates a high staff turnover, younger staff preferring to move on , and the doom & gloom mongers don't help matters.

I feel relatively fortunate in that all of the staff in our store are all keen photographers who actually know what they're talking about (recently I managed to convinve one of my colleagues to buy a FED), but we all felt hideously devalued when corporate sent the new recruitment posters which said, paraphrasing, "Think you need experience to work here? Think again, it's just retail." By that logic I, who don't drive, could get a job selling cars. Bloody ridiculous.

Anyway, I think I've said my bit, if I haven't then I'll be back later.

[oscroft]

They are literally within spitting distance

Do you really mean "literally" (ie that you could actually hit one of them with a gob of spittle from standing in front of the other one)?

[Peter_Jones]

Originally Posted by oscroft

Do you really mean "literally" (ie that you could actually hit one of them with a gob of spittle from standing in front of the other one)?

Depends if any tourists are in the way with their cam-phones

[sweathog]

Originally Posted by oscroft

Do you really mean "literally" (ie that you could actually hit one of them with a gob of spittle from standing in front of the other one)?

If the wind was right, yes.

[iml]

It's a shame for those who are losing their jobs, but the smaller branches I've tried mostly seem to employ people who really don't know anything about what they're selling.

Ian

[ClaremontPhoto]

Oddly my local photo shop in the middle of nowhere in Portugal has switched from Fuji film to Jessops film.

[kully]

As much as I like to criticise them, I do enjoy being able to order in chemicals at my local branch and pick them up.

I have a feeling one of the two stores here will close, they're < 5 minutes walk from each other.

Mark, you're right - I did exactly that with a Sigma 30/1.4 lens.

[Peter_Jones]

A lot of their business plan seemed to be aimed at squeezing out independents to try to create a monopoly, apparently some stores target was just to break even. Hopefully independent stores could now flourish.

As for stores within short distances of each other, Carlisle and York spring to mind, I'm sure there are many more - how long has it taken them to realise this doesn't make sense ?

[kully]

CVBR3M, I wouldn't say that. Some of the stores still have good, knowledgable people working in them. They're good for ordering in chemicals (D-76, DDX & fixer is cheaper than anywhere else I have found even online) and my local store keeps empty film canisters for my bulk loading.

I'm not sure which I prefer, the ignorants at Jessops or the arrogants that seem to staff almost every independent shop I've ever been in.

[Peter_Jones]

Jessops have a mixed bag of staff , some very knowledgable and enthusiastic, however the relatively low pay in retail creates a high staff turnover, younger staff preferring to move on , and the doom & gloom mongers don't help matters.

I hope the staff affected find work quickly.

[iml]

Absolutely true that working in retail is hideous (never done it myself, but I know people who have). I blame Jessops management for spending too much money spreading the empire and not enough on training their staff.

IME some of the branches still employ one or two people who know about photography, but too many of the staff give plain wrong advice or don't understand what they're being asked, mainly because they have no training in what they're selling.

Ian

[Peter_Jones]

Working in retail means I'll miss the London RFF meet

[Carzee]

[ ask not for whom the bell tolls dept ]

This is a trend in the urban areas --in the next decade millions will lose their retailling jobs as online distribution grows and grows and then dominates. Of course millions of jobs will probably be created somewhere else (given time)... so not to worry.

Cash out or at a minimum take a careful look at any retail-commercial real estate you own ASAP. The main street will look very different in 2020.