back to article Comet train set for SMASH, staff can only hope to be in right carriage

Penniless Comet's network of UK stores is on the brink of break up as staff enter a "collective consultation" over potential redundancies. In a letter to the electrical chain's workers, administrator Deloitte warned that if it is unable to sell the business as a going concern, it will be forced to flog bits and pieces to …

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  1. PaulR79
    FAIL

    Liquidation Sale - big fail

    I realise they still have to sell things for as much as they can but someone seems to have forgotten what a real liquidation sale should be like. I went along to a local Comet today and there were indeed signs around claiming "EVERYTHING MUST GO" and "LIQUIDATION SALE" but the word sale seems generous at best. The items were up to 10% off, yes up to..... smaller things were 20% off such as cordless phone but again most were up to 10% off. Totally pointless and barely a sale I watched most people come in, look a little then walk straight out.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Liquidation Sale - big fail

      most people come in, look a little then walk straight out.

      So much like it was when they were trading normally then!

    2. Wensleydale Cheese

      Re: Liquidation Sale - big fail

      someone seems to have forgotten what a real liquidation sale should be like

      At one proper liquidation sale where the shop was closing for good, it was a matter of "no reasonable offer refused", I chucked in an offer I thought reasonable for a washing machine and it was accepted.

    3. Velv
      FAIL

      Re: Liquidation Sale - big fail

      It's a Liquidation Sale in name only. Comet is in Administration, not liquidation

  2. James Gosling
    Facepalm

    I went in yesterday...

    Fully intending to allow myself to be lured into spending some serious cash. I came out 10 minutes later having spent nothing! Most items were only reduced by 15% some by 20%. When you are considering buying something from a company that will most likely not be around if you have any problems those discounts don't even come close enough. What a joke! Half a dozen Comet staff standing around with nothing to do, most if not all the kit they had on sale could be bought cheaper online. What a waste of time!

    1. Piro Silver badge

      Re: I went in yesterday...

      This is the thing - there are no refunds, no after sales support, nothing, so the sale prices had better be worth of the title "fire sale" or it would be foolish to bother, even if the prices eventually ended up being a tiny bit less than elsewhere.

      1. indalomansx

        Re: I went in yesterday...

        Fire Sale hmm yep comet sells fires but thats as close as you get to a fire sale. Must be media talk getting it wrong again .

    2. Mr_Blister
      Thumb Up

      Re: I went in yesterday...

      I went in yesterday with my mother who was concerned she could lose £50 on a gift refund card. There was very little stock left on the shelves, despite the pitiful 10% off sale. I chose a nice Roberts duologic DAB radio for my mother at 10% off was £62. Earlier in the day we had been at another Comet branch and saw a vented tumble dryer, again reduced to clear etc but after going home and checking online, we saw the normally expensive John Lewis had the same model brand new and delivered, for less than the demo model at Comet with no delivery included.

      After speaking with a few members of staff at each branch, I must say that only a handful of customers had shown any respect or sensitivity towards the plight of the staff; the customers were completely self interested in what they could grab. Sad times...

  3. I think so I am?
    Mushroom

    Then end is near - as is what happens when most comets fall

  4. Robert E A Harvey

    mystery

    Why on earth would one of the other bypass-sheds be interested in the corpse of comet? Surely they have enough problems already?

    1. Dave Bell
      Unhappy

      Re: mystery

      Locally, the Comet shed is close to the PCWorld/Curry's shed, and Maplin just opened a new store nearby. There used to be a couple of other similar chains right next-door to Comet, but they suffered extreme mammary-orientation challenges a few years ago,

      Maplin isn't really in the same territory, so what is left but DSG?

  5. .stu
    Unhappy

    Currys rubbing their hands with glee

    I noticed the price of the Asus S200e -C157 has shot up from £399 to £499 now comet are no longer selling the superior C158 for £449. Along with the staff, the customers are the big losers here.

  6. Stuart 22
    Unhappy

    I will shed a tear for Comet

    If only because they were a true innovator in selling great HiFi equipment at bargain prices from small back street warehouses 40 years ago.

    Sadly they chased the Currys/PC World model but were less ruthless about it. Hence they fail and DSG profits on ... for a while. British retail is a cruel game.

  7. banjomike
    Meh

    Changes on their website

    The new, improved sale blurb on the Comet website seems to suggest that the 10% jokes have been removed and a few more 30% added. Still not very good.

    http://storage.comet.co.uk/www/splash/html/offers/offers_landing.html

    1. banjomike
      FAIL

      OK, forget that.

      STILL masses of 10% offers, best offer in my local Comet is 30%. STILL cheaper at Currys which is 2 shops away.

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