UKC

Go Outdoors taken over by JD Sport !

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shunty 10 Jun 2019

Just learned that this was the cause of no customer service, total chaos with orders and product availability via the website and general mayhem. Unfortunate and I am no fan of JD, but was of Go Outdoors. Five Ten gone down the toilet with Adidas, poor old Karrimor branding similar. Progress not always positive development and whilst inevitable, still sad...

 LastBoyScout 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

I thought Go Outdoors had only recently been taken over by Blacks (as told to me by a Blacks employee), but it seems that JD sports bought Blacks from administration in 2011 and GO in 2016.

Have to say I've not had any problems with anything I've ordered from either Blacks or GO.

 Derek Furze 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

It has definitely 'progressed' over the years!  I still call in and get what I can, but I have noticed that stock levels seem patchy, so I often can't find any of the items I am looking for in my size (medium!).  I used to come away with more than I planned because offers were too good to miss, whereas now I often leave with nothing... that said, it seems worth keeping an eye on!

 Dark-Cloud 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

I have only ever used them once mail order and everything was fine, in fat very good and a better price than i could find anywhere else.

The cause of the issue is unlikely to be the takeover, as highlighted the buy out happened 2 years ago:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/28/jd-sports-buys-go-outdoors...

Its more likely to be some business system* they have implemented which has sent the ordering down the pan, which most of the issues seem to be about.

* This is a guess and no i don't work for them.

 Neil Williams 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

This may prove to be the best thing that happened to Cotswold who have been floundering a bit under the pressure from Go...

 Neil Williams 10 Jun 2019
In reply to Dark-Cloud:

> Its more likely to be some business system* they have implemented which has sent the ordering down the pan, which most of the issues seem to be about.

It seems it is an IT integration issue.  As an IT person, I'm betting IT were told to make something work that never was going to, and now IT will get blamed...

In reply to shunty:

Are Five Ten being stripped down/becoming less climbing focused? They don't really seem to give a crap anymore. Mostly just MTB stuff on their Insta

 gethin_allen 10 Jun 2019
In reply to Neil Williams:

In both the Swansea and Cardiff stores I've been in recently they have been using a new computer system at the tills. In both places the staff were struggling with the new tills.

I have noticed over a long period however that the climbing gear stock has been poor other than the few items they have on very good offers. So you end up with a pile of cheap ropes and one type of climbing shoe and nothing else.

 Neil Williams 10 Jun 2019
In reply to gethin_allen:

Part of the problem is that climbing gear is not very profitable.  I was told by someone who works for Cotswold that if you used the erstwhile 20% Scout discount on some things they actually lost money on it.

3
 JoshOvki 10 Jun 2019
In reply to Neil Williams:

I call bull, unless trade price on gears has suddenly shot through the root. I used to work at Cotswolds, and trade was about full price - 40%. Books now, they had very very low margins on.

 mrphilipoldham 10 Jun 2019
In reply to JoshOvki:

This is what I’ve found Go useful for.. their occasional 15-20% off everything applies to books too, and the Stockport branch has always kept a varied stock, had some decent deals.

 olddirtydoggy 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

Five Ten might have gone south but the team behind the old brand have set up 'UP' and from what was previewed on the front page it looks like the talent is still there. It's hard to keep up with who's who and where to buy but that's the great thing about this fine forum.

 gethin_allen 10 Jun 2019
In reply to Neil Williams:

When I worked in a Go shop (a long time ago) I found that the margins were extremely variable between similar products.

eg a pair of scarpa approach shoes and a pair of la sportiva approach shoes.

I got some excellent prices on things like WC quickdraws and I'd agree with JoshOvki that books were very low margin.

 abr1966 10 Jun 2019
In reply to shunty:

The store in Hanley closed about 2 months ago although its been going downhill for the past 18 months or so....since it was taken over roughly. Shame as it was a good shop previously with good stock at decent prices...

 Darron 10 Jun 2019
In reply to abr1966:

The Sentinel says it re opened in May. Is this correct?

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

> Are Five Ten being stripped down/becoming less climbing focused? They don't really seem to give a crap anymore. Mostly just MTB stuff on their Insta

Taken over by Adidas. Basically there is money in bike shoes and not a lot in climbing shoes so it's not much of a surprise that 5.10 climbing shoes are hard to come by.

 Neil Williams 10 Jun 2019
In reply to JoshOvki:

I suppose that depends on what you consider losing money on it.  If you add overheads on and take 20% off, that could still mean a loss...

 abr1966 11 Jun 2019
In reply to Darron:

Still closed I think! I'll drive past tomorrow and confirm.....nothing on their website to say its open!

In reply to Neil Williams:

In my experience of working there, its just that climbing sales is almost a miniscule amount of what they sell. Compared to rucksacks, basic 2 in 1 waterproofs and hiking boots. 

 TobyA 11 Jun 2019
In reply to Cumbrian Climber:

> Taken over by Adidas. Basically there is money in bike shoes and not a lot in climbing shoes so it's not much of a surprise that 5.10 climbing shoes are hard to come by.

I was getting a coffee at Fairholmes, which is in the middle of a lot of the best mountainbiking in the Peak, on Sunday. There were a bunch of mates there all covered in mud, so they had obviously made an early start, doing the same. They all had on your classic trail riding gear, knee and elbow pads etc. and had fancy bikes, but I noticed they were all wearing 5.10 shoes. And as I rode on I started looking and it did seem 5.10s were the most popular shoes among mountainbikers who were obviously serious enough to buy all the gear.  

You walk along Stanage on a nice day, or go to Awesome Walls on a bad day, and think there do seem to be a lot of rock shoes sold, but it doesn't seem that any one firm have such a big chunk of the market as 5.10 do with MTB shoes. It would be interesting to know if more specialist MTB shoes get sold in the UK than rock shoes. Anyone have any ideas on relative participation numbers?

 UKC Forums 11 Jun 2019
This thread was started in the ROCKTALK forum and has now been moved.
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 Dave Garnett 11 Jun 2019
In reply to Darron:

> The Sentinel says it re opened in May. Is this correct?

Yes.

 Dave Garnett 11 Jun 2019
In reply to TobyA:

Well, they've messed with my Guide Five Tennies which means I'm going to have to wear something else after decades of not needing to even think about it.


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