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stephen_o
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PostPosted: 10:40 - 05 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

there is a convenience store across the road from my shop "International Supermarket" there window display is bongs and shisha pipes etc. I went in out of interest when they opened and the staff wouldn't let me browse and ushered me out. They used to do no business then one day all of a sudden people were queuing out of the door and yoofs on scramblers were turning up all over the place, taxis and banger cars double parking - it became chaos. They got raided a few weeks ago in a joint police and home office raid - the biggest haul of illicit tobacco in Staffs Polices history and immigration went through them as well plus the council enforced on alterations without planning consent. The thing is though - there was clearly a demand for it. You can tell people all you like that smoking "xx" nasty fake brand will kill you twice as fast but people still do it cos its 50p a pack cheaper.

In my case the switch from customers buying physical games and trading them back in for next weeks new game has been destroyed. People now buy 1 or 2 games - this years fifa and cod and then instead spend ££££ each week on digital currency. Sales of digital currency in my shops went up matching the corresponding decline in physical. The lack of games sold now means less trade ins meaning I have to try and cover my business costs selling mainly new because sales of digital offer only pence commission. Today sales of digital account for 75% of my daily take my average of £600 per week across different platforms nets me a commission of £28. If £600 of 2nd hand games had sold I would be looking at a profit of £300. I can't cover the store costs and wages now. This morning my only sale so far has been on Amazon.co.uk Splatoon 2 on Switch - I bought this game new from the wholesaler for £44.98 in July last year, the sale price on Amz is £44 inc shipping less Amz fee for selling it leaves me with £35.48 from which I have do deduct 90p postage so £34.58p is what I take to the bank - not a sustainable business model!
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M.C
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PostPosted: 20:44 - 05 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

grr666 wrote:
It will only take a slight change in planning laws designating commercial properties as suitable for
residential and there will be a whirlwind of activity changing High streets into homes.

It kinda has. They allowed office buildings to be redeveloped into residential properties in London, which sparked a mini-building boom. Unfortunately these are luxury flats for foreign investors to keep untenanted so it doesn't help anyone.

stephen_o wrote:
In my case the switch from customers buying physical games and trading them back in for next weeks new game has been destroyed. People now buy 1 or 2 games - this years fifa and cod and then instead spend ££££ each week on digital currency. Sales of digital currency in my shops went up matching the corresponding decline in physical. The lack of games sold now means less trade ins meaning I have to try and cover my business costs selling mainly new because sales of digital offer only pence commission. Today sales of digital account for 75% of my daily take my average of £600 per week across different platforms nets me a commission of £28. If £600 of 2nd hand games had sold I would be looking at a profit of £300. I can't cover the store costs and wages now. This morning my only sale so far has been on Amazon.co.uk Splatoon 2 on Switch - I bought this game new from the wholesaler for £44.98 in July last year, the sale price on Amz is £44 inc shipping less Amz fee for selling it leaves me with £35.48 from which I have do deduct 90p postage so £34.58p is what I take to the bank - not a sustainable business model!

Personally I stopped buying games in person when the local Gamestation closed, and another independent store (can't remember the name) left as rents were too high, leaving Game which are shit. Can't say I was ever big on trading in games though.

I guess it's a chicken or the egg type scenario. Sales drop, prices go up, sales drop further. Eg: I went to buy some isopropyl alcohol from Maplins (shortly before they went bust). I remember getting it from them last time for £6. This time it was £12 (same product) Shocked Online it was £5 something. You'll pay a little more for convenience but there's a limit.
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stephen_o
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PostPosted: 21:34 - 05 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Chicken and Egg" In my case yes certainly - I needed to make £800 a week "profit" so needed sales of £2000 a week over 6 days trading with a 50/50 mix of 2nd hand to new but over the last 3 years the split has moved to 20/80 (including digital) without digital its 40/60 but physical games is now only 35% of the business. This week £305 in games and "my stock" and 640 in digital and payzone for which the commission will be about £30.

Wholesalers increased trade prices by £3 an item (give or take a few p) after the pound shock post brexit vote, they then went up again 3 moths later by a similar amount and have increased since again. Games are controlled by a handful of distribution agreements so the industry operates a price fixed cartel.

Finally from me - Re commercial buildings being rezoned for housing - Wont happen and I will tell you why - Landlord and Tenant Act and Buildings Regs. Commercial buildings are not subject to the same legislation as buildings for residential use so are slapped together, draughts, no insulation, drainage layout etc and the legal liability of the landlord to the tenant. Residential occupation of my shop is prohibited under the covenant. Any residential occupation of any building commercial or otherwise puts an immediate liability on the freeholder to maintain, make good, keep in good order etc irrespective of any contra in the tenancy - commercial leases the landlords only liability is to maintain the roof and to waive the rent in the event of fire damage. Outside of London no landlord is going to invest the amount of money needed to make a decent home out of a hovel of a shop and then get a return on rent from a housing benefit claimant when they can leave void and claim depreciation on accounts or let to a commercial client for more money with no upgrade costs or legal liability.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 07:30 - 06 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Except it does.

Stevenage - old offices that do NOT pass those regs had the planning restrictions 'removed' by the council who owned the building so the old offices could be sold off for commuter flats.

One such building is Vista Towers, ironic really as the only view is ASDA carpark and the service entrances of the shitty town centre shopping outlets.

If i try and shop in the old town, there are spaces you can't get into due to the angle of the parking, Naziesque traffic wardens hovering to catch you 2 minutes over a time allowance. More pubs / fast food outlets than actual shops and what there is, is over priced and understocked.

That leaves the town centre which is largely £ shops and 'ethnic' food outlets - you can almost smell the rot over the stench of cheap pasties.

I could go to the many local ( and increasingly half empty) retail parks but then you've got to deal with the pillocks they are staffed by. A few exceptions to this in those stores, you seek them out and if they are off on the day you mistakenly wander in, then you leave and buy online.

Parking is plentiful but fat people in people carriers are unable to open their doors wide enough to pour themselves out without denting everything around them - assuming they care, which they don't. Add in their whining mewling brood of badly behaved feral animals .....

No thanks, i'll buy online and have it delivered to work or home.
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Wafer_Thin_Ham
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PostPosted: 10:03 - 07 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

UncleBFester wrote:
Except it does.

Stevenage - old offices that do NOT pass those regs had the planning restrictions 'removed' by the council who owned the building so the old offices could be sold off for commuter flats.

One such building is Vista Towers, ironic really as the only view is ASDA carpark and the service entrances of the shitty town centre shopping outlets.

If i try and shop in the old town, there are spaces you can't get into due to the angle of the parking, Naziesque traffic wardens hovering to catch you 2 minutes over a time allowance. More pubs / fast food outlets than actual shops and what there is, is over priced and understocked.

That leaves the town centre which is largely £ shops and 'ethnic' food outlets - you can almost smell the rot over the stench of cheap pasties.

I could go to the many local ( and increasingly half empty) retail parks but then you've got to deal with the pillocks they are staffed by. A few exceptions to this in those stores, you seek them out and if they are off on the day you mistakenly wander in, then you leave and buy online.

Parking is plentiful but fat people in people carriers are unable to open their doors wide enough to pour themselves out without denting everything around them - assuming they care, which they don't. Add in their whining mewling brood of badly behaved feral animals .....

No thanks, i'll buy online and have it delivered to work or home.


Ooof, Stevenage. You have my sympathies. Not been to the town centre in ages, but it was rough last time I was there. The old town was still ok last time I was there, parking has always been a pain though!

If the missus gets the urge to go shopping it's generally Milton Keynes, which for me seems to be going a similar way (to Stevenage) unfortunately. Online shopping is just so much easier. Paying for returns for stuff that doesn't fit is a small price to pay. I have no problem supporting local shops, but the ones that are local and cater for my hobbies tend not to stock the stuff I'm after so it needs ordering in with a three day lead time and it's generally a touch more expensive.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 19:23 - 07 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder if there are people who don't leave their houses ever?

Work from home. Groceries and shopping delivered.

Everything else bought on the net.

If it doesn't happen yet, it will at sometime!
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M.C
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PostPosted: 19:40 - 07 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Polarbear wrote:
I wonder if there are people who don't leave their houses ever?

Work from home. Groceries and shopping delivered.

Everything else bought on the net.

If it doesn't happen yet, it will at sometime!

Sounds lovely Wub

Inb4 Rogerborg objecting to the word home.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 19:51 - 07 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

M.C wrote:
Inb4 Rogerborg objecting to the word home.

He's OK as long as you don't make an issue out of whose home it is.

It's the taxpayers'.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 19:58 - 07 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rogerborg wrote:
M.C wrote:
Inb4 Rogerborg objecting to the word home.

He's OK as long as you don't make an issue out of whose home it is.

It's the taxpayers'.

https://vimeo.com/256072993
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 15:24 - 08 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Polarbear wrote:
I wonder if there are people who don't leave their houses ever?

Work from home. Groceries and shopping delivered.

Everything else bought on the net.


that's pretty much me Laughing

groceries from Ocado, everything else from Amazon or ebay.

the only time i'll actually venture into a shop is if im buying my lunch, or i need something right now - usually tools or something for the kids.

i genuinely can't stomach the weekly shop in a supermarket any more - they're full of fuckwits, chavs and old doddering twats who can't operate their own bodies effectively, never mind a shopping trolley!

my only real exception to the above is (as mentioned earlier) bike gear - i'll go and buy a lid from a shop, but thats about it.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 18:10 - 08 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buiders merchants and supermarkets here. I like to pick my own food, grab the ones from the back with the longest
time until use by date. Carefully select my fruit and veg (worked on a stall when I was 12 so I know my onions Laughing )
and handle my food as if it's food. Before now I've gotten pissy with checkout people because they've hurled my food
down the till chute like it's a fucking bowling alley. I've abandoned the lot and walked away before now too, I've just spent
40 mins choosing it all, please don't launch it at me. Builders merchants because I usually need those things right away
because landlord. Everything else pretty much, ebay or amazon.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 19:46 - 08 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^^ I watched some grubby little female 'squeeze' just about every hovis loaf on an Asda shelf today.

An Asda 'colleague' Laughing read shelf stacker just stood there watching her.

I was going to say something but why bother. Spotty youth is on pennies an hour and isn't going to say anything that might get a customer complaining against him
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MCN
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PostPosted: 18:51 - 09 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Polarbear wrote:
^^^ I watched some grubby little female 'squeeze' just about every hovis loaf on an Asda shelf today.

An Asda 'colleague' Laughing read shelf stacker just stood there watching her.

I was going to say something but why bother. Spotty youth is on pennies an hour and isn't going to say anything that might get a customer complaining against him


Excessive Loaf Squeezing?

Tits and Gary should have got it. Wink
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Triton Thrasher
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PostPosted: 15:48 - 10 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Polarbear wrote:
^^^ I watched some grubby little female 'squeeze' just about every hovis loaf on an Asda shelf today.

An Asda 'colleague' Laughing read shelf stacker just stood there watching her.

I was going to say something but why bother. Spotty youth is on pennies an hour and isn't going to say anything that might get a customer complaining against him


I worked in a small self-service grocery shop in around 1973, alongside an old deaf bloke.

He thought he was discreetly murmering when he yelled: "Look at that wifie touching all the fucking scones!"
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Tracey Suntan-King
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PostPosted: 16:01 - 10 May 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Triton Thrasher wrote:
I worked in a small self-service grocery shop in around 1973, alongside an old deaf bloke.

He thought he was discreetly murmering when he yelled: "Look at that wifie touching all the fucking scones!"


I'll raise you my mother, who loudly proclaimed in a greengrocer's, "Look at that disgusting man over there, coughing all over the apples."

Then she bent down to select some potatoes and let rip a fart so loud that her dog tied up outside yelped. Very Happy
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