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Ze Germans have done it again - only this time with Woolworths

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    Ze Germans have done it again - only this time with Woolworths

    How is it our business leaders are so inept at making traditional brands successful? Mini, Jaguar, Woolworths - could it be they're just too focused on short term profits?



    Germans beguiled by wonder of a relaunched Woolies | The Times

    When Woolworths went bust three years ago Britain mourned a high street icon with a shrug and a nostalgic last visit to the pick’n’mix. But while British the shops were sold to Primark or Poundland, the Germans restructured.

    In 12 months Woolworths has opened 50 new shops across Germany and now has 200, with plans for 500. Red lettering still adorns the façades, there are the same bargains, but the shops are better lit with wider aisles and less clutter. The new owners put their success down to changes they believe could have saved Woolies in Britain.

    “Woolworth Germany has gone back to the traditions of a brand dating back to 1879,” said Dieter Schindel, 48, the chief executive. “We offer our customers unbeatable value in every area.”

    The German subsidiary was founded in 1927, split from the US parent company in 1998 and had several owners before insolvency in April 2009, three months after its British counterpart closed its doors. About 800 British stores put up the shutters and the brand was sold to an online trading company.

    About half the 311 German sites were sold to preserve a core of medium-sized stores which was sold to Stefan Henig and Karl-Erivan Haub.

    The range of products was cut from 25,000 to 6,000 with two thirds in homeware and one third clothes. The company, which has the legal rights to launch in other European countries but not Britain, opens a new store at the rate of one a fortnight.

    In a new shop in east Berlin, Rosemarie Zimmermann, 72, said: “Woolworth has wide choice and good prices. They have a little bit of everything.”
    "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience". Mark Twain

    #2
    Whereas in the UK, this article points to 3 chains going down and this one to a sporting club
    Brexit is having a wee in the middle of the room at a house party because nobody is talking to you, and then complaining about the smell.

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      #3
      Originally posted by darmstadt View Post
      Whereas in the UK, this article points to 3 chains going down and this one to a sporting club
      I wandered over to cUK to avoid that depressing Football news. That's darlo you are talking about. In the 20 years of misery I've had supporting Darlo we had one decent moment when we won the FA trophy last season.
      merely at clientco for the entertainment

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