GETTING DJS BACK IN THE BLACK
What’s stopping you from shopping at iconic Australian department stores David Jones and Myer?
Sales have slumped dramatically at both stores… so why aren’t you walking through their doors?
Is it the lure of internet shopping or the the reduction of the big mark ups on products that keep us going to Target, K-Mart or Big W?
Is it, as the DJs board says: “shoppers (are) still nervous about the economy?” (In fact, figures show retail is actually ticking along quite nicely – although not back to pre GFC levels.)
Writing at Fairfax, business analyst Michael Pascoe says that it’s a lack of customer service that is driving customers away and that the retailers have only themselves to blame.
Who doesn’t have a tale of traipsing through department after department at DJs and Myer looking for a sales assistant? Then, dumping your armful of stuff and leaving?
“DJs and Myer have been caught out trying to run 20th century businesses when we’re well into the second decade of the 21st. The successful retail world has already adapted and moved on,” says Pascoe.
He says that the point-of-sale system still operates DJs : “In modern retailing terms, that’s not far removed from an abacus and a tin cash box.
“It’s a wonder the ladies in black making a sale don’t trigger a loud “t-ching” with prices preceded by a pound sign popping up in a glass window beneath embossed silverwork.”
Meanwhile, successful retailers have adapted. And there are lots of international retailers and their stores like Zara that will keep on coming and applying pressure.
“There’s no other store like David Jones,” seems to be an increasingly ironic statement.
It was once the height of sophistication to shop at a DJ’s store. The flagship Sydney CBD store was stuffed with spring flowers and someone tickled the ivories in the vast accessories department. DJs once styled itself “the most beautiful store in the world.”
The lavish Christmas Myer window displays remain a mecca for families.
The annual DJs spring/summer fashion parade which attracts Miranda Kerr is still a night chockers with celebrities keen to walk up the black carpet.
But increasingly, the events seems to be just window dressing.
How would you get these department stores back in the black, and, importantly, keep their staff in employment?
Or has this style of store - often located in shopping centres and surrounded by speciality shops – had its day?
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39 Responses to this article
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ann September 25, 2012
If you are going to write a story about two of Australia’s most well-known retailers, it might be nice to actually get their names or abbreviations correct. It’s DJs, not DJ’s. There is nothing possessive about the Jones. Also, it’s Myer, not Myers. It’s not that hard.
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Jo September 25, 2012
I can’t stand shopping in those stores anymore, though years ago Myer was my default. They’re just too big and inefficient. It takes so long to get where you’re going and I end up feeling claustrophobic. But more than that, yes, the customer service is generally awful, as you say. Hard to find sales staff to help you and they are less likely, it seems, to be specialists in what they do. Last time I shopped there the woman who served me had no idea about her stock and was also clearly annoyed to have to stop her conversation with her friend and serve me.
The plus: if you have a small one, Myer always had a great parents’ room for changing & feeding that is a lifesaver of a facility when out in the city for the day.
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Mrs Woog September 25, 2012
To make sales, you need sales people.
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nellea September 25, 2012
If you look at the management of these retail dept. stores you will find there are virtually no women at the top and from what I have seen can almost guarantee the men at the top do not do the family shopping. So, put some women in management who actually do shop and do understand the needs/wants of the majority of customers.
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Wendy Ann September 25, 2012
In the 1970′s and 80′s in additon to sales assistants, there were lots of women working as waiting staff too – nowadays, young men have taken those positions if you have a good look at the next coffee shop or reatuarant you go to – I think it is because men are more opportunistic and push women out of employment – and society generally lets them!
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Pauline September 25, 2012
Service, Service, Service, and some product knowledge.
You can walk for ages and not find a sales assistant, then when you do they don’t have a lot of product knowledge.
I could write you pages about going into these stores with money in my hand and leaving to buy on line. It is not diffucult. The managers and boards of directors from these companies only need to go shopping in their own stores to find some of the solutions to their own problems. -
Sally September 25, 2012
I was in Adelaide on the weekend (I live in a regional area) and I went into DJs in Rundle Mall. I had money to spend and saw come quite nice things BUT the thing that stopped me was their pricing policy. They had lots of discounts (some quite substantial) advertised in store but ONLY if I used a DJs American Express card. I hate being told by a retailer how to organise my finances do I get a different price! So I went elesewhere!
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Courtney Hestley September 25, 2012
Lack of customer service, long queue’s to purchase your items. Clearly DJ and Myer pay more for their managers and marketing staff than they do in their online staff, you know the ones the customers actually deal with? This trend towards cutting floor staff and reducing custermer service was in place long before the GFC, now management can just blame that and not the real issues here.
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The Huntress September 25, 2012
I do shop at Myer and DJs. They stock brands that I like, generally have nice sales staff and while I do shop online I thoroughly enjoy the shopping experience you can’t get online.
Yes, sales service has declined over the years, but I have noticed if you are a good customer you do get excellent customer service. I tend to shop in particular departments where I am recognised and treated very well by the sales staff. By building up such a rapport I have never been let down for customer service.
If not shopping at Myer or DJ’s I tend to shop at small boutiques. Generally you get looked after well, although obviously we all have our fair share of rude sales staff. My rule to myself is that if someone is outrightedly rude I will spend my dollars elsewhere – I am happy to pay for good service as shopping for me is just as much about the experience as well as the product.
I will also continue to shop online, but mainly for products I can’t easily access in Australia. When I want to treat myself to high-end lingerie, certain designers or quirky products I have found I have to go overseas. If Australian retail offered these products I would likely buy local as I do believe in supporting our local businesses. However, I definitely understand for families where the budget is tight it’s a no brainer – you shop wherever is cheapest and online shopping is far more competitive than what our department stores can offer.
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Katie September 25, 2012
Firstly, I can’t stand that they deliberately make you walk around in circles to find what you want – when I go shopping I want to head straight for clearly-marked stuff that I am looking for – not go on a sightseeing ramble / lucky dip.
Secondly, in womenswear DJs have now apparently franchised out the brands, so the staff working with one brand know nothing about the others. Absolutely hopeless for finding specific characteristics you are looking for (ie anything at all that you don’t hit on at random.)
Thirdly, they will not order in anything that is not within their arbitrary range within a given brand – larger or smaller sizes of bras for instance – not enough turnover I guess. So while consumer “choice” is flaunted, true individual needs can be damned. But you go there and pay extra for just this kind of customer service? Ha!
So much potential for good service – people are willing to pay for it! Online shopping you can’t try things on and I’m forever sending stuff back. A salesperson well-informed about their products and who can help you find what you want is worth paying for.
Sometimes I think managers just need to become clients for a day to understand the grassroots perspective. But if they are mostly men trying to sell to women….? No wonder these companies are clueless.
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Rosalie September 25, 2012
A couple years ago I found a lovely trench coat at DJs, but they didn’t have my size. So the girl (who was personally very pleasant and helpful) called another branch to find out if they had one. Yes, and they could send it over. So that will be here next week, the girl said. Next week? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. From Bondi Junction to the city? So of course I didn’t buy. It’s just like bookshops where you can order a new book not in stock, but it will take six weeks to arrive. I’d like to have the luxe dept. store experience (and to support little bookshops) but why would you when you can get it asap and cheaper online (and, in the case of books, immediately on publication.) Not long after the DJs incident, I found a dress at a small boutique in Surry Hills but again they didn’t have my size. I can get it for you from the warehouse says the girl, who runs in her high heels around the corner and is back in 10 minutes with my dress. That’s service.
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Tracey September 25, 2012
I agree with what everyone else has written about poor service – no-one to help at the fitting rooms, no-one to sell at the registers, no-one making things look nice on the floor; and the franchised model is very frustrating if you’re trying on clothes from a number of brands.
I’d be interested to hear how the cosmetics departments are going – though even there, I notice there isn’t a lot of staff around.
I suggest that stop the sales, and bring in salespeople who give focus to service as well as sales.
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Cake and eat it September 25, 2012
No customer service. Dead as.
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Liz September 25, 2012
Stuck up sales staff unwilling to help or have no product knowledge. We actually prefer to shop in Australia especially for warranties etc but the customer service is just not there.
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Nat September 25, 2012
Just recently I had two myer staff in the one store that gave the most amazing service. Helpful, friendly and they knew their products! On the flip side in another department was the worst service. Both the excellent servers were older women. I wonder if that is a factor.
Also, I’m tired of how tired the stores can look. Damaged paint and storage in the change rooms, worn carpet, cramped racks.
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commonsensegirlonline September 25, 2012
I agree with so much that has already been written. Worse, I have actually written to the manager of one particular Myer store to complain about the sheer lack of staff/service in their shoe and handbag section, when I had plenty of money to spend on that day, but no-one, not even a secretary or PA had the courtesy to respond in any way whatsoever to my correspondence even though they had my postal address, email address and phone number. They obviously couldn’t have cared less.
However, imagine my delight in a recent transaction, same store, when I told the assistant that we could buy a particular electronic piece of equipment much cheaper at another store within the Centre but would prefer to purchase it from Myer as I had their rewards card. The young man immediately said he would see what he could do and went to his computer, returning a short while later saying “We will match that price.” This is the first time in over 45 years of shopping at Myer that we’ve actually been able to “do a deal”. So perhaps they are slowly beginning to see what the general public wants and expects in their shopping experience these days: service, product knowledge, negotiating skills, truly wanting the sale – a win-win for all concerned. But none of this can be achieved with just a skeleton staff on board. Let’s hope they wake up before two great retail institutions go under, big time.
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Ash K September 25, 2012
The last 6 or so visits I have made to Myer I have had to search all over the store to find someone to pay for my purchases and been treated by their staff as if they were doing me a huge favour. In comparison, I visited Djs two days ago and went to several different departments where the staff were falling over themselves to help me. Nothing was too much trouble and they answered my questions without the baffling attitude.
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Amanda September 25, 2012
They aren’t hungry enough and have sat on their image as a premium shopping destination for too long. Promotional strategies indicate that they put a premium on the DJ’s and Myer brand, but you don’t get premium service. Improve product knowledge and customer service, invest in staff training. Why does it take a week to get an item from one store to another? Even Australia Post could do better than that.
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Shannon September 25, 2012
Service service service!
As a mum with a pram and limited time its generally easier for me to browse & shop in dept stores (if its one that has change rooms large enough to fit a pram – another annoying thing.) but the Fran
chise model makes customer service worse. How often do you hear ‘sorry I can’t help you, you need to speak with the ‘x’ rep. -
Anne September 25, 2012
Yep, lack of service, bad attitudes (in many cases anyway), drab uninviting decor and lighting. Why would you bother?
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Christine S September 25, 2012
Last week I was tempted to buy shoes at DJs in Melbourne but gave up as there was only one sales person. She was busy serving and there were already two people waiting. My major complaint is with the products available. I can’t find clothes and shoes that are elegant and suitable for a 58 year old professional who is a little over weight. I think they need new buyers!
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Rhoda September 25, 2012
Too much money spent on the trappings and not enough on the merchandise and staff. Like Liz I find many of their staff stuck up and patronizing. They definitely need a new business model.
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Sam-o September 25, 2012
My local Myer has one open counter on each floor. That is the extent of employees to be found serving customers – 2 or maybe 3 if you get lucky. That is just ridiculous. Even the non Myer employees like the TS14+ rep get frustrated by the lack of service. I rarely even do a loop theses days. Total waste of my time.
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Dianne September 25, 2012
I agree with many of the above comments – lack of service, staff with bad attitudes treating me like they’re doing me a favour, wandering all over the store to find a staffed register, staff who just answer any inquiry with ‘no if its not n the shelf we don’t have it’ when you know they can’t be bothered looking,staff who talk to other staff while serving you and don’t address you or say thank you,staff who won’t interrupt their personal conversation to serve you – I am not interested in your social life, you are there to work. I once went to Myer to buy bras and stood at the register waiting to be served whilst two female staff members stood and watched a third trying on and modelling clothes- whilst I stood waiting to pay. My husband and I now play a little game when we go to Myer or DJ’s – if we go there with money to spend and we are not approached by a single staff member in the entire store (through several departments) then we leave without spending. If you don’t want our money we will spend it somewhere where they do want it. I think that is the key problem (apart from staff) neither DJ’s or Myer want our money enough to provide decent, courteous service.
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leisai September 25, 2012
Using the example of kmart, target or big w the answer isn’t customer service, it’s service where it counts – at the register. Isn’t the answer simple – move the check outs to the entrance / exit of the store, and make sure they’re constantly manned? Therefore the people who are there for ‘customer service’ can actually spend their time on customer service, instead of running back and forth to the register???
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Alex September 25, 2012
Here’s a plan for DJs (not Myers, it is beyond redemption)
1) Sack all the board members connected with industries that are not service industries. They just don’t have their head around the isssues. It makes sense to look at staff as costs if you are selling coal but for a service industry your staff are what you are selling.
2) Put more women at the top, especially women with children. They know your industry inside out and from all angles. You need their point of view at every meeting. Otherwise your theories are likely specious.
3) Hire more floor staff AND KEEP THEM. This means paying at least some of them enough to be able to afford to live in Sydney. The way forward is higher-waged, more experienced staff. Not low-waged, inexperienced staff who are clueless and therefore actually doing your brand harm.
4) Back all the stores up with a solid competitive online offering. Realistically this is where most of your sales will be made in the future but will never entirely replace stores.
5) Think globally. Your competition is coming from overseas so get into that market with both boots on. Instead of losing business to Nordstroms, take them on. Go for overseas customers.
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Ang September 25, 2012
I shop at DJs and have always had good service in the clothes departments (particularly from older sales assistants). Service in the cosmetic departments – not so good – usually understaffed and run by disinterested Gen Y sales assistants. I don’t buy clothes for myself online because I like to try before I buy. I also like the brands and quality stocked by DJs. However, I do wish DJs and Myer had decent online stores. As a professional mum with two young children, I have the money to spend, but very limited opportuniities to actually get to the shops. I would buy more, particularly for my kids, if I could do it online. I think both companies are really missing a trick here.
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Carolyn September 25, 2012
I still get the odd thing at David Jones but Myer is useless. Even if you wanted to buy something you couldn’t, because there is noone to serve you.
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Ella September 25, 2012
Department stores, what departments? There used to be lovelly Food Departments and Beauty Departments, Wool, Fabric and Craft Demonstration and Classes.
My mother and I would shop till we dropped. Stop for lunch. Then get our hair or nails done and then keep going till it was late and we got something lovelly for dinner to take home, without leaving the store.
Now we have to go to a dozen places at the Mall, fight the crowds, give up and go home.
How on earth do they people at the top expect to sell anything without any “Sales” staff? Think aboutt it.
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Joni September 26, 2012
Lack of service, lack of registers and expensive prices for what you get. I asked an assistant where the 75 % off rack was and she was offhand, unhelpful and derogatory. I have bought quite a bit of clothing from there on a regular basis. She actually told me they did not have one and yet I found it myself eventually. Even with a markdown the prices are way higher than online or at other stores.
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anne September 26, 2012
I tried to go back to Myer recently after an absence of a couple of years.
Immediately recalled the reason I hadn’t been back.
Snooty staff, better than us, certainly.
No staff in some departments.
Registers very difficult to locate. When we did find one, we were waved away by dismissive assistants x2 to another register. No manners. No instructions.
We dumped our intended purchases and left the store.
Even the assistants don’t want to save their own jobs it would seem.I wouldn’t mind / abacus, / cash tin and t-ching style service again.
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Amanda September 26, 2012
The numerous points made about the cash registers being hard to find, on the other side of the building, unmanned, wrong register for what you are buying etc. are spot on. They need to make them far more visible, easier to access and insist on them being manned at all times while the stores are open or, put them in a bank at the main entry/exit of each floor.
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Elle September 28, 2012
Urgh gotta love the armchair economist. The problem is djs have to return to old school unashamed glamour, extravagance and exceptional customer service. They started out promoting themselves as unashamedly high end and they should return to that
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Lab Elf September 28, 2012
Maybe the department store just isn’t relevant today – or maybe they are in the wrong places. The modern day shopping centre is a giant department store. In the days of the high street the beauty was that you could get a lot of the things you needed in one place but we are spoilt for choice these days.
Having said that there are probably certain product areas that are still successful in a department store setting, perfume and cosmetics being one. There really are few other places you can go for such a wide range of brands and price points.
Also, an inspired buying team could create a wonderful niche position offering clothing for the most neglected consumer in Australia, the fashion forward more mature person. If I could buy on trend clothing in good fabrics and less skimpily made but at a not exorbitant price I would be a customer. -
Yara September 30, 2012
I don’t shop at DJs because they don’t stock fashionable clothes in my size and they seem to show no interest in improving their range. A few Sara pieces are ok but 95% of it is boring and matronly and too expensive for what you get.
I occasionally shop at Myer because they have the Leona Edmiston plus range and the odd other garment that looks like it was made in the past 5 years, but it’s still not a great range.
I simply do not understand why they continue to ignore nearly 50% of the market -those that wear plus sizes. There is money to be made. The only explanation I can come up with is they just don’t want to be associated with “fatties” and would rather lose money than cater to plus sizes with actual fashion.
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emma September 30, 2012
IF you can find someone manning a register, in addition to all the attitude and snootiness mentioned here, they always seem to take soooo long to actually just put the purchase through.so slow and its particularly painstaking to watch if you are behinda couple of people wondering how long until up get served and
wondering if it is even worth all the effort. Time is such a premium these days and I don’t think the department stores understand or respect this. -
Will September 30, 2012
for generic stuff like toys and clothes, they should install the self service checkouts that Coles and Woolies have. There is nothing worse than stuck in a checkout queue to have someone in front of you trying to return a product when you are taking time off work during work hours to buy something for your kids. They should get more staff and have a dedicated sales return area such as Kmart does.
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Ms Behavin October 4, 2012
Wanted to treat my teen daughter to some stuff … Only good stuff at myer miss shop was Dangerfield. They had their own section… It was like an island of cool in a sea of bland… This was earlier in year. Very unusual now for me to go there, despite it being my childhood fave. They seemed at some point to decide that any positive associations /memories we had of shopping there in the old days should be expunged. Goodbye customer loyalty and sense of being ‘an institution’ not just a store. They threw all that away on the advice i suppose of modern marketing (aka dodgy psychology). To the question of how to get us to go back… Well for one thing, you know that philosophy of store design that aims to emulate a maze you can’t find your way out of and tries to get you to forget that you don’t have time to wander around unproductively for half the day? It is shite. And service, and a proper old fashioned cafe not some countertop with cookies next to the donnas and sheets.
