So do we start a new thread with our predictions for the next victims of their own failures?

They currently have my couch, was due to be delivered on Thursday. This might be fun....

Eva888:

 

Wonder what happens now if the fridge we bought there develops a fault, can we go direct to the manufacturer or are we stuffed.

 

You can go directly to the manufacturer yes. 

lxsw20:

 

They currently have my couch, was due to be delivered on Thursday. This might be fun....

 

I imagine this will be similar to when Dick Smith went through the process, I guess a company may run Smiths City in the meantime while trying to find a buyer. I'd imagine existing orders should be fine (although with a small delay). It's unfortunately things like gift cards or store credit which might not end so well :(

lxsw20:

 

They currently have my couch, was due to be delivered on Thursday. This might be fun....

 

As others have noted, you'll probably still get it, but it might be delayed...

if it does all go sideways and you get nothing, then get you credit card company to do a chargeback..

From the Article 

"The administrators met with staff this morning and confirmed that customers who have paid deposits will be contacted in coming days. Stores are expected to reopen later this week once an initial financial assessment is complete."

Rikkitic:

 

Weren't there clear signs of this coming for a long time? The discussions here seemed to indicate that. 

 

This.

I talked to my Mum - a (former) regular Smiths City shopper today. She said after they stopped doing their in-house finance deals, she stopped visiting them. I did explain just using Gem/Q etc was easier for the company (and cheaper), to which she agreed, but she said she stopped buying anything from them after that.

She said they got rid of a lot of lines that she used to purchase (kitchen stuff, etc). She also noted that foot traffic to the place markedly dropped off after this time as well - and this was the Greymouth shop, so it's not like Harvey Norman is just up the street or anything.

Will be interesting to see what happens next, especially for people who have bought and paid for stuff and are waiting for it.

turtleattacks:

 

I believe the CGA is a contract between you and the retailer. 

 

No, it's a piece of New Zealand Legislation. https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0091/latest/DLM311053.html

I recall something similar happened in the 1990s and it retreated back into the South Island. But the current retail failures have a lot to do with the reserve bank increasing interest rates to reduce inflation by reducing peoples disposable income. They warned this would happen and there was going to be some hurt. 

Eva888:

 

Wonder what happens now if the fridge we bought there develops a fault, can we go direct to the manufacturer or are we stuffed.

 

If I remember correctly, when The Good Guys ceased to operate in NZ The Warehouse Group took over the leases and warranties, and hired the staff, so hopefully another company can take over. Very different economic landscape this time though.

RunningMan:

 

@turtleattacks:

 

I believe the CGA is a contract between you and the retailer. 

 

 

No, it's a piece of New Zealand Legislation. https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0091/latest/DLM311053.html

 

Quoting this so @turtleattacks never again gets trampled on his rights by some weasel retailer.

lxsw20:

 

They currently have my couch, was due to be delivered on Thursday. This might be fun....

 

They may not be able to arrange delivery, as not many companies will do business with them if payment is not guaranteed. 

But if you paid for the couch and it's in store now, it's yours. You can arrange collection it when the stores open.

It would be different if you paid for it but they did not actually order it.

https://archive.ph/VF6yu

“Smiths City was very much kind of an undefined niche,” he said.
“They were a very well-established South Island brand… very well-represented throughout the South Island.
“[Smiths City] really didn’t have a distinct edge in the North Island and people didn’t know them. They ended up taking expensive sites in Auckland and many other areas around the country and they just didn’t have that grunt and that market awareness in the face of the likes of Harvey Norman, which was growing extensively, Noel Leeming and other big brands.”

A marketing expert takes a look at what happened to Smiths City's downfall. I'm inclined to agree with him - if they'd stuck to their knitting and maybe just stayed as a South Island-only chain, they could have lasted the distance.

freitasm:

 

lxsw20:

 

They currently have my couch, was due to be delivered on Thursday. This might be fun....

 

 

They may not be able to arrange delivery, as not many companies will do business with them if payment is not guaranteed. 

 

But if you paid for the couch and it's in store now, it's yours. You can arrange collection it when the stores open.

 

It would be different if you paid for it but they did not actually order it.

 

Yeap when (if) they reopen like they say i'll be down there with a trailer that's for sure. 

lxsw20:

 

Yeap when (if) they reopen like they say i'll be down there with a trailer that's for sure. 

 

A few people have (unsuccessfully) tried this already: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/571967/smith-city-customers-waiting-on-products-to-be-delivered-in-limbo

Referring to a couch a customer ordered:

"A man rang her from the Hornby store and he was the new manager because I think they were amalgamating with the Colombo Store, and he apologised and said he was so sorry and that she'd been waiting the longest and it should be in all this shipment."

The man also offered Lynette her money back, but she was keen on the couch and said she would continue to wait.

"Then this Saturday that's just gone she rang again and she was told by a lady at the store that there was actually the couch she wanted, the floor model was there."

Lynette decided to go into the shop to pick up the couch, and it was put on hold for her to pick up on Tuesday.

"So they rock round there on Tuesday to go and see it, and they arrive to a big group standing outside the store with the liquidation sign on the door."

Sara said her mum had emailed the liquidation company but was yet to hear back.

Yeap, hence waiting until they possibly reopen :D