Crashing Companies

[Commtech Sio Bibble 1,368]

Following the Wilko saga earlier this year the rumours that WHSmith may be going into administration have been reignited after a re-brand to high-street shops.

 

(I've removed the pictures as they were causing issues )

[time 7,969]

2 minutes ago, Commtech Sio Bibble said:

Following the Wilko saga earlier this year the rumours that WHSmith may be going into administration have been reignited after a re-brand to high-street shops.

The speculation I picked up is that WHS are going to concentrate on Rail and Airport outlets.

[Sod's Law 219]

1 minute ago, Commtech Sio Bibble said:

Following the Wilko saga earlier this year the rumours that WHSmith may be going into administration have been reignited after a re-brand to high-street shops.

You know, people love to lay into them as one of those 'should have gone down years ago' chains with tacky run-down stores, but there's no doubt that the damage to the high street if they disappeared would be much worse than Wilko and would rival even Woolworths. One fewer place for old people to pop in for their cards, stamps and stationary and besides, who will fill the massive hole they'd leave behind at train stations? 

[Tango854 207]

2 hours ago, Commtech Sio Bibble said:

Following the Wilko saga earlier this year the rumours that WHSmith may be going into administration have been reignited after a re-brand to high-street shops.

is this post supposed to be full of a bunch of random letters and numbers?

[Commtech Sio Bibble 1,368]

2 minutes ago, Tango854 said:

is this post supposed to be full of a bunch of random letters and numbers?

No? there's a sentence and two pictures, maybe the latter isn't working on your end.

[Tango854 207]

Well, something definitely is broken.

[Sod's Law 219]

2 hours ago, Tango854 said:

Well, something definitely is broken.

Weird. I can see the picture fine. The new logo looks really bland and generic so you're not really missing anything though.

[Toast 14,847]

8 hours ago, Sod's Law said:

You know, people love to lay into them as one of those 'should have gone down years ago' chains with tacky run-down stores, but there's no doubt that the damage to the high street if they disappeared would be much worse than Wilko and would rival even Woolworths. One fewer place for old people to pop in for their cards, stamps and stationary and besides, who will fill the massive hole they'd leave behind at train stations? 

 

Plus they now house the Post Office, at least round my way they do.  That must have massively increased footfall.

 

(I can't see the images, other than no=entry icons.)

[time 7,969]

13 hours ago, Sod's Law said:

Weird. I can see the picture fine. The new logo looks really bland and generic so you're not really missing anything though.

Someone on Twitter -

 

[alt obits guy 3,098]

U.S. online retailer Zulily announces its closure. The company will go into liquidation and wind down its business.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2023/12/27/zulily-out-of-business/72036684007/

[Father Brown 90]

I’m not that surprised about the WHSmith rumours. Overpriced, and non-book offering seems to rarely change and is half filled with novelty tat.

 

I can see WHSmith staying strong in airports and train stations where they *can* sell a diversified range of tat, but with regards to the high street I think from what we’ve seen with Paperchase (and nearly The Works some years ago), people are probably picking up stationery and books from their supermarkets for cheaper prices these days. 

 

The locations with PO services will definitely be hit hardest, though. 

[Comped 368]

32 minutes ago, Father Brown said:

The locations with PO services will definitely be hit hardest, though. 

Could we see a government deal to keep those open?

[Bibliogryphon 8,662]

1 hour ago, Comped said:

Could we see a government deal to keep those open?

 

Only if we had a functioning Government 

[The Old Crem 3,181]

Im not sure a rebrand being a bit poor automatically means the company is about to go bust. Some companies who are doing well sometimes have bad rebrand’s, 

[Imelda 606]

As much as I can't stand WHS, their financials are good at the moment - I'll eat my hat if they go into administration this side of 2030.

 

Check them out - https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/smwh/financials/balance-sheet?countrycode=uk

[Sir Creep 7,013]

Last week we reported on Daihatsu halting sales and shipments of all of its cars amid a probe into the Toyota subsidiary rigging safety tests of 64 different models, and now the situation has gotten even worse. On Wednesday, CNN reported that Daihatsu has now stopped production at all four of its Japanese factories, with the company admitting that it has forged the results of crash tests for more than 3o years.

SC

[TQR 12,193]

4 hours ago, Sir Creep said:

Last week we reported on Daihatsu halting sales and shipments of all of its cars amid a probe into the Toyota subsidiary rigging safety tests of 64 different models, and now the situation has gotten even worse. On Wednesday, CNN reported that Daihatsu has now stopped production at all four of its Japanese factories, with the company admitting that it has forged the results of crash tests for more than 3o years.

SC

 

That link just takes you to the top of this page. (fixed now, cheers)

 

Love the fact that Toyota is promising to give Daihatsu that much needed shake-up, whilst also experiencing their own issues regarding safety.

[Sod's Law 219]

On 28/12/2023 at 03:09, Father Brown said:

I’m not that surprised about the WHSmith rumours. Overpriced, and non-book offering seems to rarely change and is half filled with novelty tat.

 

I can see WHSmith staying strong in airports and train stations where they *can* sell a diversified range of tat, but with regards to the high street I think from what we’ve seen with Paperchase (and nearly The Works some years ago), people are probably picking up stationery and books from their supermarkets for cheaper prices these days. 

 

The locations with PO services will definitely be hit hardest, though. 

How are the Works even still going for that matter? I used to love them as a source for cheap books you couldn't really find elsewhere, but every time I visit one nowadays, it seems more and more bare of customers and more of the adult book section has given way to more kids colouring books and glitter sets. 

[prussianblue 792]

Notable Scottish sausage machine/volume housebuilder Stewart Milne has entered administration, with the loss of 200+ jobs. A familiar name from countless hoardings around greenfield sites promoting 4 bedroom aspirational Monopoly houses in soulless car-dependent suburbs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-67918029

[Spade_Cooley 9,023]

Pitchfork: 0.0 Best New Dead Brand.

[Sly Ronnie 617]

1 hour ago, Spade_Cooley said:

Pitchfork: 0.0 Best New Dead Brand.

 

Time to leave this classic "review"

 

 

 

[maryportfuncity 10,017]

Nuneaton Borough FC - will likely do a Maidstone and start again so low down the pyramid they'll be playing on village greens. But, this incarnation is done by the looks of it: https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/nuneatonboroughfc/news/club-statement-2827991.html

[alt obits guy 3,098]

Iconic magazine Sports Illustrated laying off most of its staff.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/sports-illustrated-layoffs-staff-why-media-job-losses-rcna134760

[Father Brown 90]

GAME (Owned by Mike Ashley since 2019 and are now mostly selling toys and plushies hidden away in the back corner of Sports Directs) will stop selling pre-owned games over the next few months. Normal GAME stores will continue to sell them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67983764

[Sir Creep 7,013]

On 17/01/2024 at 16:20, Spade_Cooley said:

Pitchfork: 0.0 Best New Dead Brand.

You can stick a (pitch)fork in them.