Argos CEO considers shake-up of stores
New Argos CEO John Walden has warned that he could close some of the retailer’s 700 high street stores.
Walden told The Telegraph that he found the shops “unusual” when he first visted them four months ago and warned that they needed a radical overhaul in order to persuade more customers to come through the doors.
The CEO said that he might have to close some of the 700 stores in his bid to turn the business around. Like-for-like sales at Argos fell 8.8% in the 18 weeks to 31 December as the company struggles in the face of competition from online retailers such as Amazon.
Walden said the process where customers filled in a chit and queued for products in store needed a rethink.
He told The Telegraph: “My first reaction was that it was unusual. But it was pleasant to see so many customers milling around, browsing the catalogues. There was a lot of activity. But I see opportunities to make the customer experience better.”