Jessops to close 80 stores?

yodasarmpit said:
It's the same in Edinburgh, two stores, one at each end of the same street.
With a 3rd on the city outskirts.
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Not any more, the one near St Andrew Square has already closed. Was a bit of a waste of time them refitting it after they bought it just a few months ago.
 
James

regardless of where you work, we're happy your here :D

The only part of my kit i've bought online is a cheap remote trigger :D

I think I've had about 10 digital cameras now including 3 dslrs, lots of lenses, bags and other bits and bobs and they've ALL come from the high street because I do like to see what i'm buying. if the box isn't sealed i don't get it. :) But even though I had 2 jessops in the city center I prefer to go to an independant shop down the road from them. They match net prices as close as possible and offer brilliant service.
 
Mcpickering said:
...... high-street stores will remain and i suppose they will always be slightly more expensive than their online counterparts.
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I would suggest that one of the problems with Jessops stores is there are too many of them, they're too small and they're all on the high street. Too small meaning the majority of those I've been in don't have room to display (or stock) more than a couple of tripods instead of being able to display a representative selection of models from each of the main tripod manufacturers or more than a handful of bags, some of which will be its own brand range. And no, I don't consider Jessops a main manufacturer or brand when it comes to specialist kit so own brand doesn't count.

I work during the week and hate shopping at any time but especially at weekends when I avoid town centres like the plague. I suspect that Jessops have missed a trick in not developing fewer but larger out of town stores with space to really stock and display a wide selection of specialist kit.
 
Whilst this is bad news for workers, it does seem like a sensible decision. 31 of the stores are ones which make a loss, another 47 are ones that are geographically close to other stores and 3 which need redeveloping. A tough decision but probably one of the better ones they have made recently. I hope that they pass on some of these savings by making their prices a little more realistic.
 
Its a shame they cant be a little bit better priced, I much prefer to go and get a feel for the goods rather than order from a picture. Maybe if they shut down all the second shops in these towns then they can put the rent and rates money back into reducing prices. nice thought but ain't gonna happen !
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There are two in Carlise centre, went into the first one to ask for an ND8 on a 77mm screw in - didn't know what we were talking about, tried blagging her way out of it by telling us that they don't make them as everyone uses the cokin square filters etc. The second one was better and knew what he was talking about but he seemed like the manager rather than a standard sales assistant. Still didn't have one in stock.

I've used jessops online and they shouldn't be discounted immediately - go and check their pricing it is often very good (often way of the point as well).

But generally speaking the stores are expensive - filled with sales assistants who aren't interested in photography and have little to no stock of the specialist stuff you might expect.
 
But generally speaking the stores are expensive - filled with sales assistants who aren't interested in photography and have little to no stock of the specialist stuff you might expect.
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I recently bought a Nikon D2Xs - Body only - from a local Jessops store. Their price was good - only £10 more expensive than the best online deal I could find without risking the Hong Kong route.

Alas - the young sales assistant was most adamant that I buy a UV filter to protect it.

*Sigh
 
old news now, but it was just on the news on BBc 1


not looking good for jessups, hopefully they will see the light and drop their prices to compete
 
-Oy- said:
Alas - the young sales assistant was most adamant that I buy a UV filter to protect it.

*Sigh
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I always thought it was cheaper to replace a scratched UV filter than a scratched lens. This guy was just looking after your interests.:)
 
I used jessops to buy my 20D body, I wouldnt bother with filters and lenses as they are very overpriced.

I was pleased with the level of service I got, the person serving me was genuinely knowledgable about cameras and you could tell he had a keen interest in photography itself.
 
Shogun said:
I always thought it was cheaper to replace a scratched UV filter than a scratched lens. This guy was just looking after your interests.:)
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Not that I buy into the "Filters for protection" thing anyway.... but... I was buying a camera BODY!
 
There's an analysis of Jessops' situation and problems in the business section of today's Indy:

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/analysis_and_features/article2692525.ece

This paragraph is particularly interesting:

"Before flotation, Jessops spent several years under the ownership of ABN Amro Capital, which begged the question whether the private equity owners had under-invested in the business, causing longer-term problems which are manifesting themselves now. Mr Adams admitted there had been underinvestment in systems and supply issues which the company was currently addressing. Under ABN Amro, Jessops expanded rapidly from 200 to almost 300 stores, a strategy that worked while the market was growing but has caused problems at the first signs of a slowdown."
 
If anyone buys from "certain photo stores", please make sure that the box has a security tag on (the one that shows a box has not been unopened) as the staff reguarly play with them - my friends have told me this in several stores where they work (and the store that I once worked had a manager and asst manager that did it).

Even managers are at it, using cameras or lenses for assignments, or just to pass time whilst bored - then quickly packing them into boxes when customers show an interest. This does NOT just apply to display models either. I have seen 1D bodies and Big Sigma / Canon lenses dropped and taken out myself, so I know my friends speak the truth.

Like I say, I am mentioning no names of which stores (or which branches), but if people are suspicious it can't happen to them can it :nono:
 
Well, been into town (Scunthorpe) today and the Jessops branch is now all but bare, only a few tripods left on display and printer paper. In last nights local paper it said that the store was to close in September...... the end has come early it would seem.
 
Does anyone know which Jessops stores will be closing ?

i would have thought that by now, they would have announced which ones.
 
busman12 said:
Does anyone know which Jessops stores will be closing ? i would have thought that by now, they would have announced which ones.
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I've been looking on their corporate website but can't find a list. If anyone does find one, I'd be interested in seeing it myself.
 
There's a legal process they have to follow; namely consulting with staff and then, when / if necessary, notifying individuals of redundancies. AFTER that they MAY release sensitive data to the public.
 
In B,ham City Centre the one next to Snow Hill and the one in the Bull ring are closing - leaving the so called "World Camera Centre" by Rackhams and McDonalds.

Many stores have been decided on, but several will follow if sales are low.
 
Jonnyreb said:
There's a legal process they have to follow; namely consulting with staff and then, when / if necessary, notifying individuals of redundancies. AFTER that they MAY release sensitive data to the public.
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There certainly is a process to be followed, but in practice that consultation will have been going on for months with the union reps within Jessops itself. There won't be any real consultation with shop staff on an individual basis since consultation will already have been held with their elected representatives. JPS's comments about the Scunthorpe branch already being all but stripped out and the announcement of the closure in the local paper indicates that the closure process is already very well advanced.

My guess is that the staff of the affected stores will have been told on Thursday morning, though maybe McPickering will correct me if I'm wrong.
 
FIREWALLROB said:
In B,ham City Centre the one next to Snow Hill and the one in the Bull ring are closing - leaving the so called "World Camera Centre" by Rackhams and McDonalds.
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I don't think I've been in the Bullring or Snow Hill shops. Interesting that it will leave a city the size of Birmingham with only one, though to be fair at least the WCC branch is big enough to carry and display a good range of stock.
 
The problem with most Jessops is the staff don't seem to really care what they sell, and they're too busy helping people with the digital printing machies to offer any advice even if they could be bothered.

I have to say I live in Reading and the staff in there are very helpful. I bought a D200 from them last year as they offered it at £10 LESS than I could get it anywhere else, and I had somewhere to take it if it all went wrong. I used to buy everything from jessops, as they did the online price match, but the end of that saw the start of the dimise imo.

But I'm thinking of getting myself a Sigma 300mm prime and even jessops online are nearly £200 more expensive than AJPurdy.

Pete
 
woadrage said:
My guess is that the staff of the affected stores will have been told on Thursday morning, though maybe McPickering will correct me if I'm wrong.
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We aren't actually allowed to discuss it but we havnt been officially told whether or not we are closing yet :shrug:
 
Your manager should have been displaying "performance charts" in your rest area, comparing you with the rest of the stores in the area manager's catchment area.

If you are the only store in the area, and a better than average performing store (in terms of sales), you should be ok.

I hope you are ok, but get out soon - the HSBC "bail-out" is only for 18 months :thumbsdown:
 
In all, not surprising... just look at their pricing policy:
2GB Sandisk CF Extreme 3 / 4 cards; £125+
They are simply pricing themselves out of the market, when you can get 8 - 12GB of the same cards for that money elsewhere. OK, true there are overheads to consider, but that is simply ridiculous isn't it?
The only time I go to them is when forced to or need something quick and online would take too long or be uncertain as to the availability.
 
reezeh said:
2GB Sandisk CF Extreme 3 / 4 cards; £125+
???
Thought they were £64.99?
Still not the cheapest, I know, but at least they ARE a genuine one - I know of somebody who bought a cheap on off Ama*on and it failed on every point of the 'tests to see if your memory card is genuine'

Still, why not buy everything online?

It doesn't matter if you can't go into a shop to try things, when you've got magazine reviews to go on - and we all know they are totally unbiased and don't give good reviews to the people who spend the most on advertising, don't we? (Olympus SP-510, 90%, Canon Ixus 70, 68%?? I know which I'd rather have for picture quality and it WOULDN't Be the Olympus!!)
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To be honest, I don't care any more. Ten years ago I loved all the shops I could get and trade second hand gear, loved having somewhere I could go to look at stuff.. and nowadays that's all they are really good for, looking at stuff before you buy online. There are a few decent staff around Brum, one is away in Iraq on tour at the mo and the other decent guy is so moody you have to appreciate he actually has been around a while. Otherwise I couldn't care less. I guess it's sad but as we all know, and have said, they've priced themself out the market and made people like me apathetic to their cause now. It'd be great if they dropped their prices to anything close to online but it's never gonna happen. :(
 
Woadrage had the best idea IMO - out of twon superstores. Wouldn't it be great to be able to actually see a complete range of goods on display with reasonable prices too???​
 
Chester is listed on there, my guess is they'll just not do anything with the shop that was fire damaged before christmas and leave the little store by the cathedral open.
 
digitalfailure said:
Chester is listed on there, my guess is they'll just not do anything with the shop that was fire damaged before christmas and leave the little store by the cathedral open.
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Isn't this half the problem, though? They're trying (supposedly) to be a serious photographic retailer with shops which are no bigger than, and often smaller than, those run by high street film processors. How can you keep and display a sensible range of stock in those conditions?
 
Good news then, in Stockport there used to be 2 great little camera shops and 1 Jesops. Then Jesops opened 2 new stores 1 right near each of the camera shops. The camera shops soon closed down and when they did Jesops closed one of there stores. They still have 2 shops in Stockport not more the a 2 minute walk from each other. I hate them.
 
woadrage said:
Isn't this half the problem, though? They're trying (supposedly) to be a serious photographic retailer with shops which are no bigger than, and often smaller than, those run by high street film processors. How can you keep and display a sensible range of stock in those conditions?
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The other branch in Chester isn't as small as some I've seen, so they still manage to display a fair sized stock.

but as I'm a loyal customer of Camera Solutions who are about 2 mins walk away from Jessops.......I'm not bothered about the closure really aside from the job losses.
 
An update from today

The small chester branch IS closing, so it looks like Chester has lost both branches :eek:

In typical jessops style though, they can't even do a closing down sale right. huge posters in the window saying everything must go......in I go to try and get a 50mm f1.4 on the cheap to be told that they've sent all the good stuff back to the warehouse. :(

hardly everything must go is it :thinking:
 
Update on the Scunthorpe branch that I spoke about in an earlier post. It is now stocking 'sale' items only. Although after going in today to see what I could use my credit card on - it turns out that at the moment the sale items are compacts, a few different types of lens, paper, camera bags, and other bits of 'tat'. Nothing really in there worth buying.
 
PapaLazarou said:
Good news then, in Stockport there used to be 2 great little camera shops and 1 Jesops. Then Jesops opened 2 new stores 1 right near each of the camera shops. The camera shops soon closed down and when they did Jesops closed one of there stores. They still have 2 shops in Stockport not more the a 2 minute walk from each other. I hate them.
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Wonder which one will close. Warren Street or Princess Street :thinking:

It would have been better to close both and move onto the Portwood Shopping Centre. Bigger store and better stock. People might use them more. :eek:
 
My branch in Lisburn is remaining but Belfast is marked for closure. Lisburn is a 10th the size of Belfast - the Capital of Northern Ireland. Odd policy going on there :confused:

Blackvault
 
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