# The Secrets of Sports direct



## Wester (27 Apr 2015)

On C4 television tonight at 8pm should be interesting what secrets are they going to expose ?


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## ianrauk (27 Apr 2015)

And the Lonsdale zipped sweat tops are more large then medium.


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## Mark1978 (27 Apr 2015)

And the padded shorts that are about as padded as a brick.


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## RichK (27 Apr 2015)

I'm suspecting it'll be a repeat of the similarly themed Amazon programme


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## Drago (27 Apr 2015)

As those cycling tops that are far too short at the back. I swear they're just re labelled running tops.


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## Cuchilo (27 Apr 2015)

I wonder if they will reveal why no one in there looks the sporty type .


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## helston90 (27 Apr 2015)

The credit note/ exchange only restriction and charging £3.50 (ish) to have an item delivered into store- you know, because they only have lorries going there every day.


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## MrGrumpy (27 Apr 2015)

Noticed Muddy Fox bibs half price at £34.99 RRP scored out at £75 !! Don`t go in very often if only for joggies *or* cheap trainers for the kids. Don`t like the stores as they are more or less full of crap and rammed.


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## Drago (27 Apr 2015)

You could buy the Muddy Fox company for £34.99.


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## e-rider (27 Apr 2015)

cheap kids trainers, and cheap kids football kit for school - I wouldn't buy anything 'serious' from there though. 

no doubt working there or supplying them is a miserable life though?


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## Brandane (27 Apr 2015)

Shops that look like a jumble sale that no-one has bothered to organise into any sort of display; and staffed by people who failed McDonalds entry requirements.


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## glenn forger (27 Apr 2015)

Sneering at the capabilities of others in a post you haven't spelled correctly, richly comic.


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## AndyRM (27 Apr 2015)

Could be interesting viewing. Whatever comes out of it, Ashley won't care.

I have to confess I quite like the shop - it does a fine line in relatively obscure football tops for excellent prices. It's also saved me when I've forgotten my kit for a match on more than one occasion.


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## nickyboy (27 Apr 2015)

I understand it will focus on the fine line SD treads in terms of its use of "discounted" prices, "store closure" promotions and the like. The suggestion will be that SD's promotion pricing encourages customers to think they are getting bigger bargains than they really are.


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## andyfraser (27 Apr 2015)

Do many people believe the original price though? I certainly don't. When buying from SD I ask myself "Is this worth the price they're asking?" and don't even look at the original price.


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## Leaway2 (27 Apr 2015)

I have one close, and buy socks from there. Very cheap packs 5.


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## Rooster1 (27 Apr 2015)

How do you reach the stuff out of reach, which is like everything ?


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## AndyRM (27 Apr 2015)

nickyboy said:


> I understand it will focus on the fine line SD treads in terms of its use of "discounted" prices, "store closure" promotions and the like. The suggestion will be that SD's promotion pricing encourages customers to think they are getting bigger bargains than they really are.



Ah, not much new then!

The store on Northumberland Street has been 'closing down' for years...


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## cosmicbike (27 Apr 2015)

I use SD for my trainers and the kids because they are cheap. Likewise T shirts for scrapping about in. Works for me


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## Dayvo (27 Apr 2015)

Every town should have one: they keep all the chavs walled in one place. If only they could be beamed 'up' somewhere and sent away!


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## derrick (27 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3665712, member: 45"]It should focus on the fact that it sells tat.[/QUOTE]
But that is common knowledge.


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## andyfraser (27 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3665712, member: 45"]It should focus on the fact that it sells tat.[/QUOTE]
It might be tat but it does for me (I'll just mention my Karrimor walking boor again ). I also have a collection of Primark t-shirts that are years old and still have life left in them.


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## Arrowfoot (27 Apr 2015)

I had the impression that there would be fire regulations within building codes forbidding stocking a store in such a manner that it becomes a potential fire hazard. They also have narrow entrances and exits in some of stores. Heaven help anyone that gets trapped in their store in a fire.


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## outlash (27 Apr 2015)

It's not all bad, if Mike Ashey didn't sell the tat at the volumes he does, how would he have paid for Newcastle United? That's been making me laugh for the last few years .

Tony.


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## Dave Davenport (27 Apr 2015)

I've bought a few things in there, yes there's loads of tat but some of the stuff has performed very well for the price, the staff at the one near me have been pretty good too. I suspect the programme will show that they're sh1t employers, which will leave me in a quandary about buying from them in future.


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## Banjo (27 Apr 2015)

Brandane said:


> Shops that look like a jumble sale that no-one has bothered to organise into any sort of display; and staffed by people who failed McDonalds entry requirements.


Thats a harsh generalization of their staff.I have respect for any youngster willing to go out and work.


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## Brandane (27 Apr 2015)

Banjo said:


> Thats a harsh generalization of their staff.I have respect for any youngster willing to go out and work.


That's a harsh assumption of the calibre of staff at McDonalds. I too have respect for any youngster willing to go out and work. It seems you need a masters degree to get a job anywhere, McDonalds and Sports Direct included. Just seems that Sports Direct staff appear to be overworked and lacking in motivation. Like most lower end jobs these days.


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## shouldbeinbed (27 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3665878, member: 45"]I had some of those Karrimor walking shoes a few years ago. The soles wore out in about 4 months.[/QUOTE]
Mine are still going strong after a few years.


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## Dayvo (27 Apr 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Mine are still going strong after a few years.



Maybe Mr P walked more than he cycled.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2015)

I use them to buy my swimming trunks from, everything else is just too confusing for me.


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## andyfraser (27 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3665878, member: 45"]I had some of those Karrimor walking shoes a few years ago. The soles wore out in about 4 months.[/QUOTE]
That's bad luck. I practically lived in my boots for the passed two winters. I'll easily get a third out of them. My grey walking shoes are 18 months old and have plenty of life left in them. I don't remember how old my blue ones are but they're the oldest and are starting to wear out. I've had several other pairs too over the years.


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

AndyRM said:


> Ah, not much new then!
> 
> The store on Northumberland Street has been 'closing down' for years...


Read the small print on the posters.


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

cosmicbike said:


> I use SD for my trainers *and the kids because they are cheap*. Likewise T shirts for scrapping about in. Works for me


They sell kids there now!!


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## AndyRM (27 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> Read the small print on the posters.



I don't think there is any! Do they not get around it by having some term that it's not necessarily 'this store' that's closing, just one in the range of shops? I may have made that up.

I wonder how much they'll look at Ashley as a business man. I'll have to wait to find out as MrsRM has commandeered the telly for some Cornish rubbish about a man who doesn't like wearing shirts.


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## ChrisV (27 Apr 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Sneering at the capabilities of others in a post you haven't spelled correctly, richly comic.



What post are you referring to?


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## glenn forger (27 Apr 2015)

The one directly above mine.


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## ChrisV (27 Apr 2015)

What did he spell incorrectly?


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

AndyRM said:


> I don't think there is any! Do they not get around it by having some term that it's not necessarily 'this store' that's closing, just one in the range of shops? I may have made that up.


Should be visible on the poster. There's also no law about how long a closing down sale can last or how many the same shop can have.


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## AndyRM (27 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> Should be visible on the poster. There's also no law about how long a closing down sale can last or how many the same shop can have.



I'll have a look the next time I'm there and report my findings! Ashley is pretty casual when it comes to little details, you know the small things like whether you're allowed a controlling stake in two football clubs?


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

AndyRM said:


> I'll have a look the next time I'm there and report my findings! Ashley is pretty casual when it comes to little details, you know the small things like whether you're allowed a controlling stake in two football clubs?


Local one was closing down for over five years.


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## AndyRM (27 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> Local one was closing down for over five years.



Good effort. I suppose it takes a while to shift rubbish shuttlecocks!


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## Big Dave laaa (27 Apr 2015)

Karrimor used to be good stuff years ago. I have some old KSB boots that have been used and abused for many more years than they should be capable of. Karrimor now owned by SD and churning out overpriced under spec tat. I use SD for the kids school trainers so I'm a bit of a hypocrite but I wouldn't buy anything for myself from there.


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

AndyRM said:


> Good effort. I suppose it takes a while to shift rubbish shuttlecocks!


Moved to new prmises


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## Biscuitfrisky (27 Apr 2015)

Interesting, they got agency and zero hours contracts mixed up.
although bad it's actually the agencies responsible not sports direct.


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## mr messy (27 Apr 2015)

Biscuitfrisky said:


> Interesting, they got agency and zero hours contracts mixed up.
> although bad it's actually the agencies responsible not sports direct.


Strangely there was no elaboration on these 'agencies' and if they were also part of the Ashley empire...


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## Biscuitfrisky (27 Apr 2015)

mr messy said:


> Strangely there was no elaboration on these 'agencies' and if they were also part of the Ashley empire...


And that sir is an assumption based on no information presented in the programme.


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## surfdude (27 Apr 2015)

i get most of my work clothes from sd as i don't care if it gets ruined as it s so cheap . perfect for that type of gear .


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## jefmcg (27 Apr 2015)

Agree SD is crap, but I had to sleep in a hall for a few hours before an audax, and it was brilliant to be able to go into local SD an get a sleeping mat for £6 (and I didn't even buy the cheapest one)


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## mr messy (27 Apr 2015)

Biscuitfrisky said:


> And that sir is an assumption based on no information presented in the programme.


What assumption?


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## classic33 (27 Apr 2015)

mr messy said:


> Strangely there was no elaboration on these 'agencies' and if they were also part of the Ashley empire...


Last application was handed into the store, not an agency.


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## Piemaster (28 Apr 2015)

Rooster1 said:


> How do you reach the stuff out of reach, which is like everything ?


With the reaching stick!  There'll be one around somewhere, hidden amongst the hoodies - thats the first part of the game. Second part, getting an item down then buying it is, in many ways, more entertaining than hook-a-duck. The quality of the 'prize' is similar, though SD is likely to be cheaper than a go at the funfair.

I've actually wearing SD Slazenger shorts at the moment 5 pairs £10. It's stuff I leave behind when I go home from the ship I work on. If I go to a different ship it's no loss. The T-shirts are similarly ones that my wife has deemed only suitable for work or dusters.


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## Arrowfoot (28 Apr 2015)

I wonder what the fans of Newcastle would think now that they know that not a single penny has gone to the club from SD's adverts. I wonder if they can work it out on what is going on.


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## the_mikey (28 Apr 2015)

www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/scottish-affairs-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/usc-and-sports-direct-inquiry/


www.theguardian.com/business/2015/mar/25/sports-direct-backstreet-outfit-mps-parliamentary-inquiry


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## Drago (28 Apr 2015)

surfdude said:


> i get most of my work clothes from sd as i don't care if it gets ruined as it s so cheap . perfect for that type of gear .


I get my posh going out gear from SD!


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## MartinQ (28 Apr 2015)

Arrowfoot said:


> I wonder what the fans of Newcastle would think now that they know that not a single penny has gone to the club from SD's adverts. I wonder if they can work it out on what is going on.



They've known for a few years. Probably best not to say what they think.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/apr/03/newcastle-united-mike-ashley-david-conn


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## mr_cellophane (28 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3666684, member: 259"]Sports Direct are responsible for 20% of all zero hours contracts in the UK.[/QUOTE]
I suggest you read that again before leaving out 3 words which change the statistic completely.

Sports Direct responsible for fifth of all zero hour contracts* in retail sector*


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## Puddles (28 Apr 2015)

Rooster1 said:


> How do you reach the stuff out of reach, which is like everything ?



You ask the nice young ladlady to get things down for you lots!

SD is great for river sandals and clothes, the mud along the river here never washes out... so SD is the perfect place to get cheap stuff for the small people to wear when crabbing or being on the river.


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## AndyRM (28 Apr 2015)

Am I alone in thinking the programme was pretty crap? Presented nothing new or that wasn't glaringly obvious. It didn't help that they were trying to put the boot in but had the lawyer constantly saying stuff like 'guidelines' and 'recommendations' which aren't enforceable, so yeah, it's sketchy as anything but they're not doing anything legally wrong.

The most interesting section was the last part about the employees being consistently shafted, they should have focussed on that, preferably without mentioning how many of them were Polish.

As for Ashley not paying for festooning SJP with advertising, I really don't know why they thought this was unusual: he owns the club so can do what he likes.


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## Drago (28 Apr 2015)

It was boring. Within 3 minutes the lure of Indiana Jones on BBC3 won me over.


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## AndyRM (28 Apr 2015)

Drago said:


> It was boring. Within 3 minutes the lure of Indiana Jones on BBC3 won me over.



I'd rather put pins in my eyes than watch Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The fridge. The aliens. The humanity...


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## Drago (28 Apr 2015)

A nice bit of Cate Blanchett, although in a break from the norm she keeps her clothes on in this one. Interestingly, not Sports Direct clothes either.


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## Tin Pot (28 Apr 2015)

So the secret is that they pay staff badly - shocked, I'm shocked.

Can I go and buy my cheap trainers now?


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## AndyRM (28 Apr 2015)

Tin Pot said:


> So the secret is that they pay staff badly - shocked, I'm shocked.
> 
> Can I go and buy my cheap trainers now?



You could have replaced Sports Direct with Aldi, Primani, Pound Land, B&M Homestores (I could go on) and made exactly the same programme.

A disappointing effort.


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## Tin Pot (28 Apr 2015)

Cool.
They have my 2013 trainers at half price.


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## Drago (28 Apr 2015)

I know a guy who's a deputy manager at an Aldi. They pay him pretty well for a job requiring no technical skills or formal training, although they make him blooming work for It.


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## Accy cyclist (28 Apr 2015)

I bought some Karrimor walking shoes from there, Sandals are more waterproof! Some stuff's ok like the obscure footy shirts,but some of those well known names are maid from crap material. Those Slazenger polos are poor and all that Donnay stuff is inferior quality! One thing i learnt from last night's prog...i didn't know that Bjorn Borg's tennis racket was made by Donnay when they made and sold better stuff!


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## Rooster1 (28 Apr 2015)

What a pile of old crap. The discounts are bullcrap and the staff have no employment rights at all. I'm disgusted. I won't be going to the store again.


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## iggibizzle (28 Apr 2015)

Watched it. Found nothing at all surprising and will still shop there if I want something useful for very little cash.


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## Banjo (28 Apr 2015)

Lots of pub workers are on zero hours contracts I cant see us all boycotting pubs as well.


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## AndyRM (28 Apr 2015)

Banjo said:


> Lots of pub workers are on zero hours contracts I cant see us all boycotting pubs as well.



True, but I've never worked in a pub where I had a pint quota which I think is the real issue.


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## nickyboy (28 Apr 2015)

The reality is that the vast majority of the British public couldn't care less about the contracts that SD employees are on. All they want are cheap trainers.

If everyone decided today to stop using SD until they got rid of zero hours contracts these contracts would be replaced tomorrow. The public has the power to change things like this, they/we just don't care enough to do anything about it


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## Rooster1 (28 Apr 2015)

Banjo said:


> Lots of pub workers are on zero hours contracts I cant see us all boycotting pubs as well.



I might find it challenging to stop pub visits


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## glenn forger (28 Apr 2015)

Banjo said:


> Lots of pub workers are on zero hours contracts I cant see us all boycotting pubs as well.



Beer isn't made in Bangladeshi sweatshops.


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## nickyboy (28 Apr 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Beer isn't made in Bangladeshi sweatshops.



So is your issue with SD their zero hours contracts, their sourcing policy or both? You're replying to a zero hours comment with something about sourcing policy


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## glenn forger (28 Apr 2015)

That's right.


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## J1888 (28 Apr 2015)

To be fair, it's a dreadful shop that sells an unholy amount of tat - was last in there about a year ago and got a cycling jersey - total rubbish, but what do you expect for a tenner I suppose.

Not surprised they treat their staff like dirt.


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## mr_cellophane (28 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3666883, member: 259"]Oh, right. So that's OK then. I have family working for Sports Direct (nothing else available and they are not working at retail sites) and I wouldn't want to swap my job for theirs.[/QUOTE]
I never said it was OK. Just your "quote" wasn't the truth.


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## Dan B (28 Apr 2015)

I've been boycotting Sports Direct for years. Also nail parlours


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## Herbie (28 Apr 2015)

[QULiOTE="Dave Davenport, post: 3665906, member: 478"]I've bought a few things in there, yes there's loads of tat b


Like yourself i've bought stuff from them in past but they won't be getting my custom again after watching last nights prog.....what a disgraceful company to work for...workers getting sacked for not going fast enough and taking too long in the toilet etc etc.. looked like a real life sweat shop in the UK....a total disgrace


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## Herbie (28 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3667546, member: 259"]The problem with the HQ also, is that it's in quite a deprived area. Some people don't have the luxury of being fussy about the jobs they can take, and I've heard some horror stories about this place. But if we all boycotted SD, they'd be out on their ears.[/QUOTE]
Yeah i know and understand that....makes it even more sh11e....Mike Ashley and his like getting obscenely wealthy on the back of this....total disgrace


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## clid61 (28 Apr 2015)

Karrimor running tights I buy from there , perfect commuting gear


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## screenman (28 Apr 2015)

I want all the staff working for the companies I buy off an deal with to have full time contracts, holiday pay, sick pay and final salary pensions, I also want the lowest price there is. Could there be a problem?

Personally I buy not on price alone, but I am also sure no everybody is the same, not being particularly materialistic makes it slightly easier.


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## screenman (28 Apr 2015)

Banjo said:


> Lots of pub workers are on zero hours contracts I cant see us all boycotting pubs as well.



A lot of self employed people like myself are zero contract as well.


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## clid61 (28 Apr 2015)

You lot banging on about boycotting , wont stop them trading or review their ethics . Its cheap casual wear for the masses , dont shop there by all means but dont be aloof and saying youre boycotting it . If youre morals were so high , you'd be living the Good Life like Tom and Barbara !


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## screenman (28 Apr 2015)

Being of a certain age I had to look up Tom and Barbara, wow! 

* Barbara Lee*
60, Cambridge; philanthropist
$213 million
Her 1996 divorce from buyout king Tom Lee made Barbara Lee a very wealthy woman. (Her net worth got another boost when she sold their Brookline home for $18.5 million, then a city record.) She’s since started a foundation to support women in politics, hosted a $500,000 fundraiser in October for Hillary Clinton and the three other women U.S. senators up for reelection, and given the first $5 million toward the new $62 million ICA, whose capital campaign she cochairs.


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## clid61 (28 Apr 2015)

User said:


> if all the people who are going to boycott sports direct, well they better leave space on their boycotting placard because they're going to need it, sports direct treat their staff no different from many other companies, for example in Peterborough we have IKEA, AMAZON, DEBENHAMS all large warehouses employing large amounts of agency staff, minumun wage, forced overtime, bullying, treated like scum...getting to work to be told no work today..sacked for minor infringements, well you're never sacked just not asked back......even the company I work for has told agency staff if they don't do overtime or work bank holidays then they'll find people who are prepared too.....MANY MANY companies treat people like this, I sometimes wonder if the those who scream boycott actually have any idea what life is like at the bottom...




Exactly


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## clid61 (28 Apr 2015)

screenman said:


> Being of a certain age I had to look up Tom and Barbara, wow!
> 
> * Barbara Lee*
> 60, Cambridge; philanthropist
> ...



Being of a certain age you know exactly who I mean , shoot stirrer !


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## J1888 (28 Apr 2015)

Those saying 'don't boycott' - is your reasoning just that 'don't bother because other shops do it too'?

If so, that's a bit daft - everyone should start somewhere and for a company of their size, SD are one of the worst offenders.

Power to the people.


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## shouldbeinbed (28 Apr 2015)

User said:


> if all the people who are going to boycott sports direct, well they better leave space on their boycotting placard because they're going to need it, sports direct treat their staff no different from many other companies, for example in Peterborough we have IKEA, AMAZON, DEBENHAMS all large warehouses employing large amounts of agency staff, minumun wage, forced overtime, bullying, treated like scum...getting to work to be told no work today..sacked for minor infringements, well you're never sacked just not asked back......even the company I work for has told agency staff if they don't do overtime or work bank holidays then they'll find people who are prepared too.....MANY MANY companies treat people like this, I sometimes wonder if the those who scream boycott actually have any idea what life is like at the bottom...


Yeah, son 1 in Wethrspoons on Zero hours contract has no concept of what overtime or bank holidays are, the pub is 'open' whether the doors are or not for long hours hours and his shifts can cover whatever bit of it they roster him for, no antisocial hours bonus for a 3am start or finish, no bank holiday extra.... They open on Christmas Day and get people going for lunch just like the more gentrified establishments do.

There's been threads on 'spoons and their purchasing policy for beer before (apparently cheaper as near to going off) which isn't a million miles from SD's pile tat high and sell it cheap model.

Business works for them just as it seems to work for the other end of the scale and exploiters of the gullible rich at the alternative therapy end of Harley Street shown on BBC2 last night, people paying hundreds for bloodletting by leeches or diagnosis by having packets of pills put in their magnetic aura.

Businesses make money for their owners in all sorts of ways.


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## glenn forger (28 Apr 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> There's been threads on 'spoons and their purchasing policy for beer before (apparently cheaper as near to going off)



Urban myth.


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## screenman (28 Apr 2015)

[QUOTE 3667751, member: 259"]If you are self-employed and on a zero-hours contract I suggest you sack your solicitor or your accountant, or both. [/QUOTE]

Not sure I understand you there.


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## andyfraser (28 Apr 2015)

Boycotts and people power are all well and good but only if enough people commit to it. The odd person here and there may not make much difference. I can stop going to SD but I doubt that'll matter to them.

That's not to say we shouldn't do anything. I just don't know what the best way to go is.


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## andyfraser (28 Apr 2015)

When I left school in the late 80s I worked in some low paid jobs in retail and factories. There was no minimum wage back then. I was always given a contract with guaranteed hours and holiday pay. I always felt that I was treated fairly well and looking back the pay wasn't too bad either. Compared to now though it appears I was treated like a king and paid handsomely. Things have really gone down hill.


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## nickyboy (28 Apr 2015)

So I had a look at SD's accounts (as a listed company they have to make them available on their website)

In 2014 SD's total salary bill was £308m. Of this about £200m was the salary cost of the stores. Now I have no idea what % of store employees are on zero hours contracts, nor the cost to SD in moving them onto regular hours contracts. But let's say it's half the employees (so that's about £100m) and the extra cost is 40% (that's about £40m).

So how much reduction in sales is needed for it to be better for SD to migrate everyone to regular contracts rather than suffer the sales reduction?

3.5%


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## shouldbeinbed (28 Apr 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Urban myth.



I did say apparently (I've no idea TBH) just noting that there'd been thread(s?) stating that other businesses operate a similar model to SD. maybe we can agree that the 'spoons beer one was done to death recently and people can search if they want to see how it ended up, Just making the point SD et-al aren't that unique in their business model.


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## MarkF (28 Apr 2015)

screenman said:


> A lot of self employed people like myself are zero contract as well.



Yep, "Zero hours" sparks off angst in those without a clue, I was self employed for 30 years and now I get more "rights" in my new *NHS* zero hour contract than I ever did, I get holiday pay!  I love the freedom of the ZH contract, as do all my (middle aged) co-workers, some who have rejected the opportunity for full time contracts, zero hours contracts do not = bad.


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## MarkF (28 Apr 2015)

andyfraser said:


> When I left school in the late 80s I worked in some low paid jobs in retail and factories. There was no minimum wage back then. I was always given a contract with guaranteed hours and holiday pay. I always felt that I was treated fairly well and looking back the pay wasn't too bad either. Compared to now though it appears I was treated like a king and paid handsomely. Things have really gone down hill.



Me too, pre-computer age a local/branch manager was a real manager, a businessman, with responsibility for a wage budget to be distributed to his staff as he saw fit. This enabled me to earn more than others doing the same job and opened career doors to me, if the MW had been in force then I'd have been stuck on the MW default pay rate merry-go-round like today's kids.


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## classic33 (28 Apr 2015)

MarkF said:


> Yep, "Zero hours" sparks off angst in those without a clue, I was self employed for 30 years and now I get more "rights" in my new *NHS* zero hour contract than I ever did, I get holiday pay!  I love the freedom of the ZH contract, as do all my (middle aged) co-workers, some who have rejected the opportunity for full time contracts, zero hours contracts do not = bad.


But being basically on call for some employers is one hell of a downside to the Zero Hour contract.


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## MarkF (28 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> But being basically on call for some employers is one hell of a downside to the Zero Hour contract.



Yes, there'll be employers who use it in different ways, I am sure that some people are exploited.

I get my hours for my working week on the prior Wednesday, I'd like them 7 days before because I have to give 7 days notice of days I cannot work, getting them on a Wednesday means I can only reject Thurs/Fri......... if I'd like to. I get holiday pay built into my hourly rate, I think it's 1 hour per 8 worked, I also get 1:5 times pay after 8pm and weekends so I regularly choose the 4-midnight shift enabling me to cycle during the day and a 12 hour shift on a weekend. Bank holidays are 2x. I'll often work only 4 days and be paid more than regular contracted 37.5 hour 5 day employee. And I am still as "free" as when I was self employed, I don't have to ask my employer for days off should I see a cheap flight I want to book, I just book it and then tell them.

I don't want to work full time, I don't want to be tied down to a 9-5 job, I want flexibility and freedom, my contracted workmates don't get it, they'd be scared to death of not having the security of a guaranteed salary, but I was self employed, so what's new? The negative is no sick pay, but then I don't get sick like contracted employees seem to do.......

What I am experiencing seems miles away from what I read in the earlier post regarding Wetherspoons. 

For it to work well, both employee AND employer have to be reasonable.


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## classic33 (29 Apr 2015)

Contract last emplyer wanted everyone to sign, would have meant that they could call me with 1 hours notice and expect me to turn up for work.
All clearly laid out, what they expected from you. Contactable any hour of the day was another clause they included.


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## MarkF (29 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> Contract last emplyer wanted everyone to sign, would have meant that they could call me with 1 hours notice and expect me to turn up for work.
> All clearly laid out, what they expected from you. Contactable any hour of the day was another clause they included.



That sounds awful, I don't call that reasonable.


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## classic33 (29 Apr 2015)

MarkF said:


> That sounds awful, I don't call that reasonable.


No, but how many others have had the same pushed in front of them? 
Even working for yourself allows you to plan a week out. That didn't. Shop work but could apply almost anywhere.


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## Tojo (29 Apr 2015)

J1888 said:


> To be fair, it's a dreadful shop that sells an unholy amount of tat - was last in there about a year ago and got a cycling jersey - total rubbish, but what do you expect for a tenner I suppose.
> 
> Not surprised they treat their staff like dirt.



Going off subject a little, but I got a couple of decent cycle jerseys from wiggle the other week for 9 quid each......


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## Piemaster (29 Apr 2015)

On a similar line, a T shirt vending machine.
I'm very mixed about it. Yup, it's exploitation. Theres also no social security safety net. You don't work, you don't eat. So if i don't buy the shirt the explotation stops and so does the workers pay. And as in all places, it's not what you earn, it's what you can buy with it that counts.
And it isn't that long ago that the same thing was happening in the UK, in the 'dark satanic mills' (which now seem to resemble SD shops)


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## screenman (29 Apr 2015)

classic33 said:


> No, but how many others have had the same pushed in front of them?
> Even working for yourself allows you to plan a week out. That didn't. Shop work but could apply almost anywhere.



Have you ever been self employed? in what trade definately not mine as even this morning cannot be planned. Taking holidays is a risk of losing major customers to a competitor.


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## J1888 (29 Apr 2015)

User said:


> but why just one company or is it that sports direct is an easy one to boycott, specially by those that can afford to shop elsewhere...and as stated elsewhere although all these companies treat a lot of their employees like shiitte, without them the opportunity for employment would be greatly decreased....
> sports direct and the other companies might be shiiite jobs but it a job and someones got to do it,....still we could all be on the dole...



No - you start with somewhere (i.e. Sports Direct) and then if you care about where your money is going, then you choose where you shop more carefully.

Honestly, you're making out that Sports Direct are some kinda victim.


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## Rooster1 (29 Apr 2015)

Zero hours means no chance of a mortgage, not helpful for many i'm sure.


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## Dan B (29 Apr 2015)

Average income means no chance of a mortgage for many


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## Rooster1 (29 Apr 2015)

Dan B said:


> Average income means no chance of a mortgage for many



Also true


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## Justinslow (29 Apr 2015)

Our Local town is full of charity shops and take aways, Sports Direct is like Harrods in our neck of the woods, a breath of fresh air.


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## nickyboy (29 Apr 2015)

User said:


> NO we are the victims and boycotting isn't really helping us...



As I pointed out upthread, the saving to SD in using zero-hours contracts is the equivalent of the profit on about 3.5% of their sales.

So if a boycott led to a 3.5% sales reduction, SD would be better off scrapping zero-hours contracts to recover the lost sales. Not a lot is it?


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## Fubar (30 Apr 2015)

MarkF said:


> Yes, there'll be employers who use it in different ways, I am sure that some people are exploited.
> 
> I get my hours for my working week on the prior Wednesday, I'd like them 7 days before because I have to give 7 days notice of days I cannot work, getting them on a Wednesday means I can only reject Thurs/Fri......... if I'd like to. I get holiday pay built into my hourly rate, I think it's 1 hour per 8 worked, I also get 1:5 times pay after 8pm and weekends so I regularly choose the 4-midnight shift enabling me to cycle during the day and a 12 hour shift on a weekend. Bank holidays are 2x. I'll often work only 4 days and be paid more than regular contracted 37.5 hour 5 day employee. And I am still as "free" as when I was self employed, I don't have to ask my employer for days off should I see a cheap flight I want to book, I just book it and then tell them.
> 
> ...



I would concur, I had really good employees in the NHS who turned down the chance of permanent hours as it removed the flexibility of their zero-hours contract - I couldn't force them to work. In fact the only downside was that they couldn't get in the CTW scheme as they had no fixed regular income!


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## MarkF (30 Apr 2015)

Fubar said:


> I would concur, I had really good employees in the NHS who turned down the chance of permanent hours as it removed the flexibility of their zero-hours contract - I couldn't force them to work. In fact the only downside was that they couldn't get in the CTW scheme as they had no fixed regular income!



Yes, first thing I did was look at that, I was disappointed.


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