I don't know why MFI went down except that mortgages have breen much harder to raise for the last year so people have not been buying kitchen etc
Woolies has been on a downward spiral for a long time and had no real place any more. They used to have enormous buying power because I remember them from when I was in the Toy business 20/30 years ago. They were pretty well equal to Great Universal Stores the mail order compnay.
I also suspect that, going back to books, Amazon may be allowed to buy a small quantity of the book I bought because they spent a fortune on Nigella Lawson's new book where as the small shop wouldn't have the capital or the space for much stock or either and would be most concerned about the one they knew would sell quickly


With beauty therapy I know that most people are concerned with hair removal in all its forms but the more luxurious treaments are just that and are rarely sustained
***bit like dieting*** We get through January and then give up because these things are expensive and non essential in the general scheme of things
The one thing that drove me mad was the manicure and pedicure
They take ages to do really well because people don't take care of their hands and feet , the cost to the retailer is really high because one needs such a huge range of colours and preparations but the return is really low becuaswe of what it is