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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2023 13:19:16 GMT
Wilko have lost their way. They were a very well managed family concern. I like to shop there and they do have products I want to buy. However, a lot of their stock has been replaced by Chinese made tat. If a label says "Made in China", that is a red flag to me. Excuse the pun. Buy one, and get one free.
You can get matching pillow cases too.
That's done it Baron. The end of Wilko. news.sky.com/story/around-12-000-jobs-at-risk-as-wilko-goes-into-administration-12937106Thanks to your dirty red rag. |
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 13:31:49 GMT
Let me tell you about Chinese manufacturers.
First thing is it is quite similar to Blighty before the government went crazy with EU rules. You get your good guys and you get your bad guys and you have to remember how to be a punter.
Second point is a typical factory will say we can do it anyway you want, just give us a call.
So Wilko not knowing China too well stumbles around and then says, make it as cheap as you possible can, and the chap in the factory says, yes sir right away.
Nearly every problem the Brits have with these suppliers is explained by, well you told us to do it like that.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2023 13:35:52 GMT
Thanks, Baron, I am now educated.
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Post by bancroft on Aug 10, 2023 13:35:52 GMT
I think another hastening its demise is supermarkets expanding their home ranges.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2023 14:36:21 GMT
An open letter from Mark Jackson, wilko CEO.
Over the past six months wilko has been very open that we’ve been considering options to accelerate
a turnaround plan given that we needed to make significant changes to the way we operate to restore
confidence and stabilise our business. We left no stone unturned when it came to preserving this incredible
business but must concede that with regret, we’ve no choice but to take the difficult decision to enter into
administration.
We’ve a history steeped in serving customers and communities going back to 1930. Our founder JK Wilkinson
started with a single hardware shop in Leicester and for over 90 years busy, hard-working families have come to
us to get their household and garden jobs done quickly, simply and at the best value prices possible.
We thrived and successfully grew from one to 400 stores. We did this by listening to our customers – working out
what they needed and then making sure we gave it to them. Whether it was recognising the demands for DIY
products in the 1950s, creating our first wilko product range in the 1970s, launching online shopping in the 2000s
or being the first to sell 100% plastic-free wipes across our whole range.
wilko is a business built on strong values. We started out in the great depression and the Second World War,
we’ve been there for our customers through highs and lows, recessions and coronations. Our loyal team
members past and present have always been our biggest asset – our average length of service across our
stores is 10 years and, in many places, generations of team members have been on hand with advice or even
just a friendly smile. We recently remained open as an essential retailer during the Covid-19 pandemic, serving
our communities when they really needed us the most.
The turnaround plan included a new Chair, bringing experience in retail turnaround situations, and a newly
refreshed and streamlined senior team. Since January, and with the help of retail advisers and experts, we’ve
been facing into problems and have seen real progress against many areas of our plan.
We’ve made significant savings across our cost base and have been considering various options based on
advice regarding our store costs. Alongside this we’ve continued to move forward with strategically accelerating
our omnichannel offer, improving the digital customer experience and opening up new marketplaces for our
great value wilko products. We believe that wilko has distinct characteristics with over 50% of sales in wilko brand
products (over 10,000), our value, local shopping locations and ever-expanding digital capabilities.
Significant work has been completed to streamline costs and transform the way the business operates, and
our robust turnaround plan, based on annualised cost savings, would have delivered the most profitable wilko
ever recorded within 24 months. While we can confirm we had a significant level of interest, including indicative
offers that we believe would meet all our financial criteria to recapitalise the business, without the surety of being
able to complete the deal within the necessary time frame and given the cash position, we’ve been left with no
choice but to take this unfortunate action.
I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the directors and the Wilkinson family to thank all of our customers,
suppliers, partners and our hardworking team members across our stores, logistics and support centre who
remained loyal to wilko. We’ve all fought hard to keep this incredible business intact but must concede that time
has run out, and now we must do what’s best to preserve as many jobs as possible, for as long as is possible, by
working with our appointed administrators.
It’s been an honour to have worked alongside you all as we fought to realise and to maximise the significant
opportunities that existed to re-establish a profitable wilko.
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 16:14:27 GMT
I think another hastening its demise is supermarkets expanding their home ranges. Look at their website and you will see most of it is tacky cheap ornaments and poundland stuff. It reminds me of somewhere like Ikea and worse than Argos where they might at least sell one or two things you could do with. I think it was geared towards the blonde shopper. |
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Post by Pacifico on Aug 10, 2023 17:07:21 GMT
I can honestly say that I have never ever set foot in a Wilko's store - I wouldn't have the first idea what they sold.
Perhaps that was their problem.
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 17:12:45 GMT
Me too, and same with Ikea and poundland. I was thinking about Scewfix though, which I do use and I hear many people say the same. They do well because they are cheap but carry good quality merchandise.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2023 18:14:57 GMT
Look at their website and you will see most of it is tacky cheap ornaments and poundland stuff. It reminds me of somewhere like Ikea and worse than Argos where they might at least sell one or two things you could do with. I think it was geared towards the blonde shopper. They sell hair colourings of all shades, Baron. Including bleachy ones to make brunettes blonder.  |
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Post by Red Rackham on Aug 10, 2023 18:34:29 GMT
I think another hastening its demise is supermarkets expanding their home ranges. Look at their website and you will see most of it is tacky cheap ornaments and poundland stuff. It reminds me of somewhere like Ikea and worse than Argos where they might at least sell one or two things you could do with. I think it was geared towards the blonde shopper. You mean stuff that's made in China? BvL, you can be an insufferable snob at times, many people out there need budget shops like Wilko and Poundland. |
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 18:50:16 GMT
Look at their website and you will see most of it is tacky cheap ornaments and poundland stuff. It reminds me of somewhere like Ikea and worse than Argos where they might at least sell one or two things you could do with. I think it was geared towards the blonde shopper. You mean stuff that's made in China? BvL, you can be an insufferable snob at times, many people out there need budget shops like Wilko and Poundland. OK so to give you an idea what I buy. My bed I got from a carpentry firm in Poole in Dorset which have been going for about 100 years and made it out of solid English Oak. The duvet comes from a farm in Devon, made from lambs wool of a specially breed sheep for the job, and that was a John Lewis thing. The pillows are Irish and goose feather, cost £90 each and are for top hotels, probably double that now, and the mattress is a traditional British firm and similarly spec'd.
Yes I do like my creature comforts. I'm a fan of traditional British craftsmanship, though I do like Italian clothes too.
The thing is every place has its talents, and I know you'll hate me saying this, but the best phones of the future will be Huawei. You know they are now working as satellite phones as well. That's their talent. China does some things well and some things badly, just as we all do.
Oh by the way, if you ever come down my way, its strawberry cream scones and cream teas which are our speciality.
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 18:54:52 GMT
Look at their website and you will see most of it is tacky cheap ornaments and poundland stuff. It reminds me of somewhere like Ikea and worse than Argos where they might at least sell one or two things you could do with. I think it was geared towards the blonde shopper. They sell hair colourings of all shades, Baron. Including bleachy ones to make brunettes blonder. You realise it is worth it after applying the product with that! |
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Post by Red Rackham on Aug 10, 2023 19:09:28 GMT
You mean stuff that's made in China? BvL, you can be an insufferable snob at times, many people out there need budget shops like Wilko and Poundland. OK so to give you an idea what I buy. My bed I got from a carpentry firm in Poole in Dorset which have been going for about 100 years and made it out of solid English Oak. The duvet comes from a farm in Devon, made from lambs wool of a specially breed sheep for the job, and that was a John Lewis thing. The pillows are Irish and goose feather, cost £90 each and are for top hotels, probably double that now, and the mattress is a traditional British firm and similarly spec'd.
Yes I do like my creature comforts. I'm a fan of traditional British craftsmanship, though I do like Italian clothes too.
The thing is every place has its talents, and I know you'll hate me saying this, but the best phones of the future will be Huawei. You know they are now working as satellite phones as well. That's their talent. China does some things well and some things badly, just as we all do.
Oh by the way, if you ever come down my way, its strawberry cream scones and cream teas which are our speciality. Modesty forbids me from gobbing off, but tbh BvL, in comparison you sound like a bit of a pauper. The difference between you and I is, vast, but I am aware people need budget shops like Wilko and Poundland. |
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Post by Baron von Lotsov on Aug 10, 2023 19:36:25 GMT
OK so to give you an idea what I buy. My bed I got from a carpentry firm in Poole in Dorset which have been going for about 100 years and made it out of solid English Oak. The duvet comes from a farm in Devon, made from lambs wool of a specially breed sheep for the job, and that was a John Lewis thing. The pillows are Irish and goose feather, cost £90 each and are for top hotels, probably double that now, and the mattress is a traditional British firm and similarly spec'd.
Yes I do like my creature comforts. I'm a fan of traditional British craftsmanship, though I do like Italian clothes too.
The thing is every place has its talents, and I know you'll hate me saying this, but the best phones of the future will be Huawei. You know they are now working as satellite phones as well. That's their talent. China does some things well and some things badly, just as we all do.
Oh by the way, if you ever come down my way, its strawberry cream scones and cream teas which are our speciality. Modesty forbids me from gobbing off, but tbh BvL, in comparison you sound like a bit of a pauper. The difference between you and I is, vast, but I am aware people need budget shops like Wilko and Poundland. I've not got as far as the gold taps. The thing is if you look around there are far more shops that sell this shit than sell quality merchandise. I have to buy nearly everything online as our town sells the same junk. It's a false economy anyway to buy shit. It will just fall to pieces. |
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Post by johnofgwent on Aug 11, 2023 6:40:03 GMT
Predictable, Wilko were promoted during lock-down as the only shop open to buy normal bits and pieces like light bulbs or kettles. Always likely post that they would suffer as goods a little below par compared to other competitors. not in wales they weren’t The twat in the bay demanded all such aisles selling things HE declared not essential - like underpants and pyjamas - be closed off. |
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