and not just avoiding the last 5% which are proving economically unviable to sort in a reasonable timescale

4G could be made to work in those areas with less bother. So crumblies without smartphones better get with it, or miss out forever.

I’m not sure that it’s such a huge advantage – I ordered a calculator for my daughter last night on Amazon, should be delivered sometime today to my place of work.

Even better with Amazon as we don’t have human interactions either, I hate having to deal with real people.

mogrim – Member 
I’m not sure that it’s such a huge advantage – I ordered a calculator for my daughter last night on Amazon, should be delivered sometime today to my place of work.

There have been a number of things where I’ve realised I desperately need an item now and Argos have it in stock. Pop into Argos, pick up, done in an hour. Depends what it is as they don’t do everything. Some things I could go to other shops, but Argos is much nearer for me and open later than a lot of places.

Though Amazon do have Prime Now which has a 2hr same day delivery but you need to be a Prime subscriber, limited selection and you need a smartphone to use it. Though with regular Prime you do get free next day delivery and in some cases same day, but that is order in the morning and get it some time in the evening. Even then, a lot of items on Amazon aren’t Prime eligible.

They’re not cheapest of course. Prices are way out of step in some cases. However ditching the printed catalogue allows them to be more dynamic in pricing to compete.

Have to say I haven’t used an Argos catalogue in years at home.

Basically they’re just convenient for some stuff you want now.

Seems as if the management have no idea that most of browse a catalogue and then order online, and some dont even have access to online

This just isn’t true, is it? Not saying some people don’t have online access, but I don’t believe even Argos are stupid enough to cut off there main source of income.

Print is an outmoded concept. The costs are terrible and these days pricing is so volatile they are immediately out of date.

You have no idea how cheap print is today compared to 10 or 20 years ago.

A catalogue for a company like Argos is outdated though! 😀

A lovely brochure for premium brands is still very much a thing though.

There have been a number of things where I’ve realised I desperately need an item now and Argos have it in stock. Pop into Argos, pick up, done in an hour. Depends what it is as they don’t do everything. Some things I could go to other shops, but Argos is much nearer for me and open later than a lot of places.

^This for me too.

And when they fully link up with Sainsburys and offer collection at the supermarkets they could be massive.

reminiscing whistfully

Never heard it called that before.

Neither have I, anyway I’m off for a grattans

anyway I’m off for a grattans

Is this really the best we had in the 80s – teenage boys these days don’t know they are born!

Well, that’s an over-reach- it doesn’t have to be insignificant to be not worth it. But that doesn’t change the fact that moves like this are going to suck for some people.

[quote]

Well, i’m sure they’ve done the numbers and come up with a decision that hits the best cost benefit scenario, and yes, some people will suffer (if not being able to buy from Argos is suffering).[/quote]

Which is why it is such a shame we as a nation are not doing more to get reasonable quality internet to all homes and not just avoiding the last 5% which are proving economically unviable to sort in a reasonable timescale.

Its not a question of the availability of internet of the power to purchase smart phones. Its a question of intellectual access. Theres quite significant proportion of the population who need a little help to do the things the rest of us do easily. Its only a little bit of help but it makes the difference between living a full life and living almost no life at all. I’ve got friends with Downs Sydrome and family members with mild Altzhiemers all with the time, money, resource and support to get on with life. But their world is shrinking incredibly quickly.

Now obviously from any one businesses point of view they can make a cost/benefit decision and decide a few outliers don’t matter but when every business does it then all of suddenly for those people every door is closed.

As a consumer saying ‘well I do all my shopping online so it doesn’t matter’ ‘I don’t shop in those shops so it doesn’t matter’ is shooting yourself in the foot. Striping peoples independence means they’re going have to be dependant on someone and inevitably in time that means someones going to be dependant on you. Or that person is going to be you.

Is this really the best we had in the 80s – teenage boys these days don’t know they are born

Indeed, it came as quite a shock to me to find that women didn’t have staples on their tummy.

Its not a question of the availability of internet of the power to purchase smart phones. Its a question of intellectual access.

It’s not even that. My mum doesn’t have Internet access, for instance. Not because she can’t get it or is intellectually feeble, but because she’s pushing 70. There’s no point of reference, asking her if she wants Internet access is like asking her if she wants a giraffe.

Indeed, it came as quite a shock to me to find that women didn’t have staples on their tummy.

It explains the penchant for belly-button piercings, mind.

My mum doesn’t have Internet access . . . because she’s pushing 70.

Cougar, I can’t believe you just said that 😯

There’s no point of reference, asking her if she wants Internet access is like asking her if she wants a giraffe.

Now you see the other day I was thinking of building an animal shrinking machine which would of course make ownership of a giraffe a real possibility. It struck me that the great threat to the world’s wildlife is habitat loss. It seems unlikely that we will make really significant gains in increasing habitat with all the pressures on it so why not make the animals smaller to get more of them in. Every back garden could become a Longleat, even a window box could be home to a couple of antelope and what child wouldn’t want a hippo for bathtime.

My mum doesn’t have Internet access . . . because she’s pushing 70.
Cougar, I can’t believe you just said that

I’m guessing it’s because she has no need or interest in it?

The FiL doesn’t even have a mobile, never mind a smartphone. He speaks to his mates in the pub.

He could use the internet for a few things that he does but as he just reads hard copy bus timetables and goes to the betting shop to place his bets he doesn’t need to.

Not everyone wants or needs to be on line. It’s still possible to exist without it.

You have no idea how cheap print is today compared to 10 or 20 years ago.

I really do; I’ve been in the printing business for 30 years.

My mum doesn’t have Internet access . . . because she’s pushing 70.

It’s nothing to do with her age. My mum is 78, uses the internet loads. Emails us to arrange stuff, stores her photos online, shops and sells on eBay, etc.

I really do; I’ve been in the printing business for 30 years.

😆

Not because she can’t get it or is intellectually feeble, but because she’s pushing 70

So are my parents and they use the internet, my mother asked for a better smartphone for Xmas so she can post pics and emails when she’s on holiday.

mogrim – Member
I’m not sure that it’s such a huge advantage – I ordered a calculator for my daughter last night on Amazon, should be delivered sometime today to my place of work.

So you work on weekends and out of hours? And what happens if you are away from home. Plus you forget that plenty of people can’t send items to their workplace or don’t even have a fixed workplace. Just because Amazon works for you doesn’t mean that the Argos model doesn’t work for others.

mogrim – Member
I’m not sure that it’s such a huge advantage – I ordered a calculator for my daughter last night on Amazon, should be delivered sometime today to my place of work.

You’ve deprived her of the fun and exercise involved of popping down to Argos.
Little pencils!

A lovely brochure for premium brands is still very much a thing though.

The Argos calalogue IS a lovely brochure for some people.
Just not the kind of people we treat nicely on here.

My 76 your old mum has internet, a smartphone, a kindle and an amazon firestick for the telly. Should I tell her to send it back and ask for a giraffe?

Everyone wants a giraffe surely? And a kite?

I want a giraffe kite…

Do they sell them at Argos?

It’s nothing to do with her age. My mum is 78, uses the internet loads.

In and of itself, you’re right. Point is, she has little interest in it. I dare say there are plenty of people of her generation who are online, but there will be plenty more who aren’t.

I wish my 73 year old mum wasn’t bloody online. She constantly comments on all my FB posts, and she keeps Skyping me from Tenerife to tell me how warm and sunny it is 👿

D’ya know what, I’m in Snowdonia and due to the weather, the urge to ride bikes has not been strong.

I think I might just go and buy a kite.
😀

Do it Rusty!

And post us some pictures up of you choking back the tears, at this fulfilment of a blighted lifetimes thwarted ambition.

You can get them here

I dare say there are plenty of people of her generation who are online, but there will be plenty more who aren’t.
If you’d said 80 (rather than 70), I wouldn’t disagree with you, Cougar. But according to a 2014 Ofcom report, 63% of 65-74 year-olds use the internet at home. The 2016 figure will presumably be higher.

So you work on weekends and out of hours? And what happens if you are away from home. Plus you forget that plenty of people can’t send items to their workplace or don’t even have a fixed workplace. Just because Amazon works for you doesn’t mean that the Argos model doesn’t work for others.

I’m not saying it works for everyone, just saying that the Argos model doesn’t seem that much of an advantage these days. It was great for xmas shopping and the like, the catalogue had everything. But then so does Amazon.

It’s not a bad plan Binners.

Sun’s out today, so a ride out to the coast is on the cards.
Might just pop into Argos in Bangor and see what they’ve got.
😀

I WANT A RED KITE KITE 😀

I love this!

Touching, innit!

Dear Uncle Binners,

Thank you very much for the kite. It was very much appreciated. I love it almost as much as the Ceramic poppy from the Tower of London that you got me last year.

My heart will soar as I fly my kite but I will never forget the sacrifice of those brave souls who gave their lives to buy me the freedom to do so.

Love and kisses,

Rusty

PS. I promised not to tell my parents or teachers about that other thing but they keep asking me to point to the doll.

🙂
Didn’t buy a kite, it was too bloody windy.

Seriously, says 25mph max for that Argos Harrier one.
Bloody amateurs.

If I took mine out in 25mph winds I’d land somewhere in the North Sea.

You have a kite?
Kept that bloody quiet.
🙂

After I said all those nice things about Accy too…..

Argos aren’t perfect, but are the closest threat to Amazon in the UK.

Think about what Amazon are doing with Amazon Now (2 hour delivery), and they need mini warehouses in all the major cities and the data and knowledge to know what will sell in that area. Amazon are strong online with great customer experience and loyalty.

Think about what Argos have – 700 mini warehouses in all the major cities, holding stock of what people actually buy in that area. They just don’t quite have the online game nailed yet and don’t have the same loyalty.

The retail world is no longer about online Vs offline – it’s about omnichannel – retailers who play in both worlds and get the experience right. Amazon will look to buy stores in the UK in the coming years.

Esme – Member 
If you’d said 80 (rather than 70), I wouldn’t disagree with you, Cougar. But according to a 2014 Ofcom report, 63% of 65-74 year-olds use the internet at home. The 2016 figure will presumably be higher.

Silver surfers. Loads of them. My parents are addicted.

63% of 65-74 year-olds use the internet at home.

So 37% don’t? That’s quite a significant minority.

Sodajim – Member 
I love this!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lavalampmuseum/3593028702/in/album-72157619206330728/

My faves

No 5 I’ve still got!