Their TV selection is..... interesting. https://www.smithscity.co.nz/tv-and-audio/television?s=SORT_PRICE_DESC

Funny you should say that, from the article I posted:

Well-known brands like La-Z-Boy, Samsung and Panasonic have been disappearing from Smiths City website, and its product range is said to be getting smaller by the day. The retailer also stopped offering Airpoints as of July.

Also the one I saw at Wairau Park the other week now appears to be their only North Island branch - all the rest are gone.

My mother (in the SI where they're a lot bigger) suggested I should go in for a look, but it's finding a time they're open as to when I can visit; they're open from 9-5 Tuesday-Saturday, so I guess a Saturday would be my best bet.

We just went in to the Hornby one figuring as it's closing they might be clearing the stock out. Busiest I've ever seen it and everything was on clearance. Even at clearance prices on shop floor stock it's not cheap, in this economy I can see why they are struggling. A shame as the new Hornby shop is actually really nice to shop in, doesn't feel like it's been there all that long to be shut already.

I don't feel like they have the online presence to be that appealing to buy out like dick smith and mighty ape so be interesting to see who would be interested anyone is interested in saving them again if this downward trend continues.

This thread was originally created seven years ago...

Very slow decline, with a dosis of Covid-19 just a couple of years after the discussion started.

In that time they've changed ownership, and I don't think things have gone as well for the new owner as they expected.

The Dunedin store moved out of their old location in December, with an estimated opening of Febuary, it finally opened in July I think it was. A former staff member tells me it was due to $ issues. 

Walking around the new Dunedin store it seems under stocked, also. 

Yes, it appears to be a very slow long-winded road to oblivion for Smiths.

All three Christchurch shops always seem to have very few customers. Went to the Colombo Street one a couple of weeks ago. The new cafe had quite a few people, but the main shop was totally empty. Also appeared to be not very well stocked either. 

Also wonder how Harvey and Noel are going.

It feels like some here are waiting with baited breath and almost glee for them to fail. I've never understood this behaviour.

I don't see anyone here wanting people to lose their jobs. But the business leaders have pretty clearly made some decisions that haven't worked.

networkn:

 

It feels like some here are waiting with baited breath and almost glee for them to fail. I've never understood this behaviour.

 

Even if this thread didn't exist, it's not hard to see that Smiths City is struggling. Serious question, if you were running the show, what would you do to turn it around?

They have been a Christchurch institution for over 100 years, and it would be a shame if they do have to close. I bought quite a lot of furniture etc from them after I bought my first house in the mid 80's.

k1w1k1d:

 

Yes, it appears to be a very slow long-winded road to oblivion for Smiths.

 

All three Christchurch shops always seem to have very few customers. Went to the Colombo Street one a couple of weeks ago. The new cafe had quite a few people, but the main shop was totally empty. Also appeared to be not very well stocked either. 

 

Also wonder how Harvey and Noel are going.

 

I still wonder what they were thinking closing most of the Christchurch stores then opening a new one hundreds of metres from another one of their stores. Then they renovated the new shop not long after it opened. It feels like serious mismanagement and expense they could have easily avoided. The Colombo store was meant to be commercial sales but did they really need such a high profile and expensive site for that purpose?

quickymart:

 

networkn:

 

It feels like some here are waiting with baited breath and almost glee for them to fail. I've never understood this behaviour.

 

 

Even if this thread didn't exist, it's not hard to see that Smiths City is struggling. Serious question, if you were running the show, what would you do to turn it around?

 

In my town as Smith’s declined a young fellow opened his own shop (after working for a similar shop in the community for a pretty long time and I think managing it as well) in partnership with another young fellow and they carry very similar goods to Smith’s. They took over an ex bank on Main Street and since then have renovated and expanded it. How he expanded and renovated as they shrunk was customer service. 

You can walk in there, pick a fridge or tv (or find a model online) and THEY look at the going bargains online without asking and price match it. If they haven’t got it in store and can get it in for you they will and if it will be delayed because it’s still in transit to the country they’ll tell you that before you buy. If you buy something they deliver it, install it, show you how to use it and cart away your old one for free. On top of that the two of them are locals so you know their success depends on their personal reputations. Plus they’re close by. The only reason to shop anywhere else is if you’re after a particular brand they can’t carry.

Example: the French door style fridge we bought I asked the young sales lady (not the usual owners I deal with) to price match an online price I had found. She did. When we went in to pay for it the owner had dropped the price to a lower one HE had found. (As an aside we bought our heat pump system from him when he was working for the other shop- everyone in town has known him from his time working there already)

So these guys have become my first port of call for fridges, microwaves, TVs. If they can get it in, they’ll sell it to you (electric scooter, hard drive etc).

I felt bad for the Smith’s staff (the shop closed) as they were local kids too but those boys’ drive just out perform them.

The stores in Wellington ar gone, not surprising. On the few times I went into the Petone store it was empty of customers. I tended to forget about Smiths when looking for new products.

The last bits of the old L V Martin & Sons gone. 

MikeB4:

 

The last bits of the old L V Martin & Sons gone. 

 

It's the putting right that counts!

Dynamic:

 

It's the putting right that counts!

 

I never liked that attitude. Its the not screwing it up in the first place that counts.

putting right is the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff attitude to things.