Iceland eyesore

[Narnia]

Isn't every business interested in PROFIT Pearson? They wouldn't exist if they didn't make one. What exactly is customer experience? I go there for certain products. I don't expect to leave feeling high!

[Pearson]

Of course every business is interested in profit.

The more successful retailers also invest in their businesses too.

Which also means they care a little more for their customers and

the overall shopping experience.

As an analogy that appears current:

The uplands pub was a business but as it hadn't invested in it general upkeep

started to look run-down. The now famous Actress turns up and tarts the place up

you have successful business again.

For sure though, some people just want i pint and that is i guess what you're saying you were happy to have a pint in the old Upland... maybe?

[peterstorm1985]

Pearson Wrote:

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> I think the fact is more that they (Iceland) are

> more interested in PROFIT than customer experience

> or brand perception.

> As such they are not prepared to pay for a refurb.

Customer experience and brand perception have a direct influence on profits so I'm absolutely certain that they will have considered how the ugliness of the building is seen by their customers. I suspect, as with a number of other budget stores, their branding requires the fronts to be a little down market. An upgrade could put off some of their customer base. It looks cheap so the natural reaction is to anticipate that what it sells will be cheaper than elsewhere. I buy some things there. I wouldn't buy any more just because it looked prettier.

[Pearson]

^Primark trade in a similar market. They manage to have good looking shopfronts which don't put customers off.

[Narnia]

The only Primark I know is the one in Peckham. I don't consider its shopfront to be good looking. It's just glass isn't it?

[DulwichFox]

Narnia Wrote:

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> The only Primark I know is the one in Peckham.

There are a few more than the one in Peckham.

Number of Stores Trading at 4th October 2010

Ireland - 38

Spain - 18

UK - 144

The Netherlands - 1

Portugal - 2

Germany - 2

Belgium - 1

Total - 206

[Narnia]

Eh...........I said it was the only one I know. What's your point?

[Pearson]

Haha, yeah well done Dulwichfox.

But as Narnia has already questioned,

what has that got to do with anything on this thread?

[Gimme]

I blame Iceland for the economic crisis so refuse to shop there!

[Pearson]

peterstorm1985 Wrote:

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>

> Customer experience and brand perception have a

> direct influence on profits

My point exactly!

so I'm absolutely

> certain that they will have considered how the

> ugliness of the building is seen by their

> customers.

I doubt it. As others have alluded to, it's a 'cash cow'

They have a large store portfolio.

I would simply assume ED is not very high on their refurb priority list.

Furthermore, they are owned by Bauger/Glitner/Landsbanki consortium who as we all know have very little cash left.

I suspect, as with a number of other

> budget stores, their branding requires the fronts

> to be a little down market.

Rubbish. That's no excuse for a high street retail to have a shoddy un-kept shopfront.

Londis doesn't even have as bad a shopfront.

An upgrade could put

> off some of their customer base.

Absolute rubbish.... Would you really not go into your favorite store if they upgraded their shopfront.

Upgrades do not have to be expensive or even look expensive for that matter. It is no more than a fresh lick of paint.

It looks cheap so

> the natural reaction is to anticipate that what it

> sells will be cheaper than elsewhere.

That's actually true.

But there is a big difference between 'looking cheap', which can also look clean and smart btw.

And just looking dirty, old and dated.... which is exactly what Iceland is.

I buy some

> things there. I wouldn't buy any more just because

> it looked prettier.

You might not, but i refer you to my earlier post/analogy to the Actress/Upland.

A refurb does generate renewed interest and results in increased business, fact.

[ST&NLY]

ED Forum Highlight of the Week.

[ratty]

barryrd2020 Wrote:

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> Iceland is not right for the area

Surely a wind up??

I once saw a woman do a poo in Iceland in Peckham on the floor! It was a long time ago (about 1994) but it still counts!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Man I wish I could be sure the "not right for the area" type posts were windups or not - because if they genuinely believe that I would soooo go to town

pearson is correct - the building itself = fugly but apart from that who cares. - And it's no uglier than the police station or the co-op pharmacy across the road

But there is a difference between wanting to tart a place up and being and out and out snob

[ratty]

I have a feeling that if people met me they would decide I was not right for the area! :)

[Pearson]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> Man I wish I could be sure the "not right for the

> area" type posts were windups or not - because if

> they genuinely believe that I would soooo go to

> town

^ I'm with you on that!

> pearson is correct - the building itself = fugly

> but apart from that who cares. - And it's no

> uglier than the police station or the co-op

> pharmacy across the road

>

> But there is a difference between wanting to tart

> a place up and being and out and out snob

Just for the record, i'm not being a snob :)

[DulwichFox]

Iceland has 730 stores. They provide jobs for thousands of people.

There is nothing special about East Dulwich that says Iceland is out of place here.

It is cheap. WYSIWYG. Simple as that.

[SeanMacGabhann]

pearson - I think you know that wasn't aimed at you (tu)

[Pearson]

@sean - I know :)

[Jeremy]

I think the original post may have been a wind-up, but strangely there seems to be several serious posters backing her up.

Some people seem to think that East Dulwich is something it's not. And others want to turn it into something it's not. And others cannot accept that not everyone in the area has disposable income.

Clapham and Fulham both have Iceland stores, by the way. So if those are the areas people aspire to... perhaps you're closer than you thought!

[Twirly]

One of the things that makes East Dulwich a place that I want to live is that it's a right old mix of posh, ordinary, special and the odd bit of slightly downmarket, like Iceland. Take away any element of that, and it'll just turn into any old suburb of London that is either a bit posher or more mundane.

Anyway, I'd like to see how some of those who think the area would benefit from only having posh, more expensive food shops would cope living here if they lost their jobs and suddenly had to make their budget stretch to feed their families... it can happen to the best of us.

[ImpetuousVrouw]

OMG. They'd have to shop in .... Peckham!!!

I hope the snotty Bestards who are keen on socio-economic cleansing all become jobless or bankrupt and have to sell up and move to Croydon.

[mockney piers]

"socio-economic cleansing"

I'm hoping this is a tongue in cheek reference to ibo's assertions many moons ago.

[AlexC]

Move to Croydon? Come on now, that's a bit harsh! :))

[Penguin68]

I think there may be two arguments running along here, getting somewhat confused:-

Argument 1 - Iceland isn't the 'right sort' of outlet for Dulwich - which I suspect is refuted by its continued, and I assume profitable, presence. If ED people are using it (which I think they are) then it's the 'right sort' of outlet for ED

Argument 2 - The Iceland building, layout, 'street face' etc. is unaesthetic and ugly, and could be improved This is clearly a matter of taste, but I must admit my heart doesn't leap with joy when I see it. Clearly Iceland has a house style, and it can hardly re-build a perfectly functional building just because it's ugly, but anyone has a right to ask for a pleasant environment in which to live, and the Iceland outlet in Lordship Lane doesn't really contribute much to the beauty of the road, indeed, in my opinion, does detract from it; not that it's the only one to do that in the road.

So, a 'class' argument, and an aesthetic one. One I suspect certainly started as a wind-up - the other may have legs. Where things have gone pear-shaped is where people suggest that the Iceland offer (because it isn't posh) is therefore intrinsically ugly. 'Posh = beautiful; demotic = ugly' is not a nice place to be, in my view.

[Keef]

It's not a beaitiful road though. Look above the shops.