GRcade

What with GAME now opening up a load of concessions in Sports Direct - which has to rank in the 'Top 5 Worst Shopping Experiences On The High Street' - I was wondering if you still bother using high street shops very often? By this I mean more your 'classic' strip in town centres that also probably feature a mini-mall in the middle or enclosed space (The Glades, Bromley; Times Square!!!...in Sutton) rather than, say, Oxford Street or a massive Westfield-type establishment.

I have to say I find the majority of high streets to be pretty unappealing places these days, and they just seem to get worse every year. During the winter months they're especially grim. If you have a car, there's even less reason to visit because parking is so expensive vs. a retail park or supermarket where you can park for free.

Yes

Retail park and Bluewater supremacy

Avoid

Mainly just for clothes. I get most things on Amazon these days.

For me it varies, i don't use my own town as much because there just isn't that many stores left here now, i therefore have to get a lot of my stuff (especially clothes) elsewhere.

If i had to choose between online and high street though, i'd still choose high street, because it's nice to get out and about.

In regards to Sports Direct, it largely depends on which branch you visit, the one around here is pretty decent, but a lot of the bigger city stores are like cattle markets.

I like getting things from shops when I can because I enjoy it and it’s nice getting things straight away and not having to wait for them to be delivered

Edit - are game really opening up inside sports directs?

Clothes definitely. I like trying things on in person and hate doing returns, so I usually go out of my way to shop for these properly. I also try to support a lot of the hobby stores which host Pokemon cards tournaments and do stuff for the community so I’ll usually pay slightly over the odds to help keep them afloat.

As far as clothes are concerned, i get a lot my stuff from London, though that's because i normally shop at Uniqlo.

I get the vast majority of my shopping done online these days, only time I really go to the high street is when I'm buying certain clothes or shoes - basically something that I really need to try on to be sure they're going to fit.

I used to quite enjoy having a wander around town and doing a bit of window shopping in my younger days but as time goes by and things like work and kids take up more of my free time I find I never really have an opportunity to go "into town". I actually went into Cheltenham town centre for a proper walk around for the first time in years the other week - it's not what it once was. Lots of shut down shops, a big increase in pound shops, betting shops, and things like cheap travel agents and "e-Cigarette" shops. Also the place is just looking very run down - most of the paving on the high street is in need of massive repair. It's all a bit sad really.

Yep mainly for clothes but don't mind having a mooch around shops.

Hermes have driven me back to the high street.

Hime wrote:Hermes have driven me back to the high street.

Guaranteed it was the wrong high street they drove you to.

I hate clothes shopping and I've never been to a coffee shop, so high streets offer nothing for me these days.

My local high street is slowly dying. Loads of pound shops, bookies and phone repair/vape shops where there used to be established high street chains. There are still some decent shops, but they're small and don't have the stock of their websites so I rarely buy anything.

For clothes yeah and sometimes you can find a bargain in the shops, but usually I have a browse then buy what I want for half the price online.

Rex Kramer wrote:

Hime wrote:Hermes have driven me back to the high street.

Guaranteed it was the wrong high street they drove you to.

It depends usually, I prefer amazon and the like because I’m usually too busy and/or lazy to actually go to a shop but I will go from time to time.

With stuff like games they’re usually cheaper online and you know what you’re getting anyway when you buy it

Rex Kramer wrote:

Hime wrote:Hermes have driven me back to the high street.

Guaranteed it was the wrong high street they drove you to.

And they chucked me in a hedge.

Hime wrote:

Rex Kramer wrote:

Hime wrote:Hermes have driven me back to the high street.

Guaranteed it was the wrong high street they drove you to.

And they chucked me in a hedge.

And then had the audacity to claim the hedge signed for you.