Show Notes
What actually happens when a high street retailer goes bust? In this episode of The Shopping Forecast, Catherine and Elizabeth get into the murky world of retail administration. From Harvey Nichols and Paperchase to Topshop, Debenhams and Coast, the collapse of a high-street name doesn't necessarily mean the end of the brand — but it can mean a very different future for the people and businesses behind it. What does it mean when a brand is bought out of administration, and what exactly are the buyers getting? Why can a famous name, website, customer database or intellectual property be more valuable than the shops themselves? And when a business can effectively start again under a new legal entity, who ends up bearing the cost?
They also unpack the increasingly entertaining rivalry between M&S and Aldi, from Colin and Cuthbert the Caterpillar to dupe culture, premium ranges and the battle for the same shoppers. Can M&S protect its premium positioning while competing with Aldi on value? And as Aldi makes everyday shopping feel increasingly special, can M&S remain the destination for those little luxuries?
Plus: the surprising things our pets actually want, leopard-print coats, customer loyalty, perfume-inspired laundry products, AI-generated adverts, why fashion deserves to be taken seriously as a career, tiny photo printers, robot hoovers and the eternal question: is a £400 vacuum actually worth it?
The Shopping Forecast is a podcast about why we buy what we buy — and what our shopping habits reveal about us. To hear more from us follow The Shopping Forecast!
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Find Elizabeth: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethstilesuk/ Website: https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/ Podcast: The Fashion Brand Clinic https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-fashion-brand-clinic-podcast/id1456543176
Find Catherine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub Website: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/ Podcast: The Resilient Retail Game Plan https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/
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