We examine the reasons why many High Street giants such as House of Fraser and Debenhams are struggling
Department stores will need to adapt to changing shopping habits to survive
I SPENT many a Saturday as a child being dragged around the bathroom section of John Lewis.
Mum, who had been browsing the towels for 45 minutes, would tell me to stop moaning as my ten-year-old self begged for treat time — a cupcake in the café.
But that was 20 years ago, and I can’t remember the last time I entered a department store.
As House of Fraser this week became the latest victim to fall foul of the high street curse, I can’t say I’m surprised. Sad, but not shocked.
The mid-market department store has announced they are to close 31 of their 59 shops. The news followed hot on the heels of M&S announcing 100 store closures, and Debenhams and John Lewis Partnership cutting back on management staff and bonuses.
Where once the department store was the heart of the town, it has become the sign of stagnation . . . and they will need to adapt to changing shopping habits to survive.
The concept is dated. Increasingly time-poor, we know what we want from a shopping trip.
When I head out I know I can get an outfit in Topshop, make-up in Mac and kit out my living room in Ikea.
Sorry Grace Brothers, but Amazon has you outgunned. Consumers have their own department store at home and on their phones.
I don’t have the time or patience to stand at the escalators of a vast building, reading a sign the size of a house as I try to work out whether I need to hit floor four or five for a cushion.
Multiple tabs open on one browser whilst refining choices means each of us can individually create our own store online with little effort.
Individual brands offering one type of product — and offering it better — means we can cultivate our own shopping journey.
We don’t need to head to the website of Debenhams or House of Fraser with their clunky merchandising and affiliate sites to fill our basket.
They have fallen behind when compared to the seamless user experience of the likes of Asos.
But I am a champion of the high street and would hate to see another store go the same way as dear old BHS. Department stores need to reclaim their identity.
Debenhams has previously had a positive response with their Designers at Debenhams roster.
The store has chosen the likes of eponymous fashion houses Jenny Packham, Henry Holland and newly appointed Richard Quinn to create affordable lines.
But a clever move that was undoubtedly profitable to begin with has become tired.
Each year, fast-fashion brand H&M has also bagged a designer to create a range that makes the average shopper feel as though they can get a high-end product at high street prices.
But while H&M’s offering is fresh and exciting, Debenhams can feel like I am getting one of its dull products with a name sewn on the label rather than a special piece of fashion.
And then take House of Fraser’s attempt at a clothing range. Rather than start afresh, they rehashed Seventies brand Biba — a collection unheard of by most millennials.
Perhaps the exception to the rule is John Lewis which prides itself on quality — and charges accordingly.
Their fashion range And/Or was launched last year to critical acclaim, and its interiors continue to be hailed as excellent investment buys.
But the numbers don’t lie. These retailers, Marks and Spencer included, need to rebrand. And fast.
Their visual merchandising feels confused. In a crowded market, the in-store experience is imperative.
Why would I want to spend hours on end in neon-lit, beige-walled warehouses soundtracked by dull muzak?
The Are You Being Served? era is over. Consumers are too savvy and they know too much about brands thanks to the rise of social media.
It is rare that a day goes by without my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook being bombarded with a new range — especially thanks to targeted ads based on my internet searches. Can there be a fightback?
Selfridges is one store that looks to buck the trend. With its pop-up shops, new brands and innovative décor, it continues to feel like a luxury shopping destination.
But with only four stores, its rent is lower and more time can be spent on honing the in-store experience.
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Perhaps these other department stores got too greedy.
I am sad, disheartened and very disappointed to see any high street store on the rocks.
But until these retail giants take a leap into 2018, I worry department stores might depart for good.
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