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BHS has featured in the news a lot recently, with articles concerning the funding it has secured for its turnaround and the details of that turnaround which seem to be pitting it against the likes of M&S, albeit on a cheaper scale. All the news seems to be good, but, does BHS know where it’s going?
BHS opened its revamped Watford store last week, which has been designed to showcase some of its ambitions for the future, including an enhanced food offer that offers a ‘2 Dine for £10’ meal deal in a similar fashion to M&S and others, a Claire’s Accessories concession and a new logo.
It is the enhanced food offer that BHS, under new owners Retail Acquisitions, is now using to open dedicated convenience stores having joined forces with Booker to supply its lines. Six such convenience stores are now open with plans to have 20 operating by the end of October. BHS has planning consent for 140 convenience stores within its existing estate of 171 department outlets. Given that this is an area in which BHS has held an interest for some time, this could be the way forward in changing its fortunes.
It is, however, the announcement that BHS made, in relation to opening Quiz and Ruby London concessions that has got us talking. Quiz is a young fashion retailer, something BHS is not, and Ruby London is a denim retailer with a tag-line of Premium British Style, a price point significantly higher than anything offered by Quiz and out of line with the value offer suggested by the Booker tie up for food.. Perhaps this may be a flaw in the planning, perhaps a means of testing the water in both directions or perhaps it is a sign that BHS does not quite know its target market. Whatever the rationale, maybe something in the mix gives what is needed to rejuvenate the ailing brand; only time will tell.
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