Confirmed: Crabtree & Evelyn To Close Down All Stores in S’pore, Will Sell Non-Sale Products in Jan For Customers Using Vouchers

There was once a Crab called Evelyn who lived on Retail Island. As the moon hung higher and the nights grew longer, the wave of Online Business encroached onto the island’s shore; little by little this island became an over-crowded isle.

The Crab uprooted from the shore -shed his shell affectionately called Storefront – and climbed up the nearest Tree of second chance.

Biding by the changing moons, the Crab awaits a time to launch itself into the the bubbling sea of Online Business.

Foreshadowing.

Crabtree & Evelyn To Close Down All Stores in S’pore

Yesterday while eating my cai png dinner at 6:08 p.m., I heard a scream.

Some hands-flapping motion after, and with broccoli now garnishing the floor, I hollered at my wife, “What happened, honey!”

My wife ran over to me and with expert motion, swung her phone up into my face while simultaneously unlocking it with her thumbnail –

“Crabtrees and Evelyn to shut all but one store globally in move to online-only business” read the ST article’s headline which had cost me my last precious piece of broccoli.

So, by now it should be known that Crabtree and Evelyn (CE) “will be shutting its 12 stores here in the coming months as it moves its operations online” as the ST article puts it.

(P.S. That one brick & mortar store is in London)

Lest you are unaware, the company had recently filed for bankruptcy protection in the December just past in Canada,  “amid “significant losses” that it attributed to changing consumer demand, the rise of e-commerce and long-term declines in traditional retail traffic.”

Further back in time, CE had filed for bankruptcy in 2009 for its US business which resulted in store closures there.

Out with the Old and in come the New (Online) Membership 

According to the ST report,  “the brand’s VIP membership programme ceased on Dec 31, and a new programme is being created for customers of the e-commerce site.”

It added that “all existing points must be redeemed and vouchers used by Jan 31.”

With that though, ST reported that “some customers complained on Crabtree and Evelyn’s Singapore Facebook page that they are left with hundreds of dollars worth of vouchers, as they cannot be used on discounted items” with long queues last seen at CE stores running a brick-&-mortar closing-down sales, with discounts of up to 70% on selected items.

My mum once told me never to mess with someone with unused vouchers with a limited time.

Purchase regular-priced product at Paragon and Ngee Ann City stores with existing vouchers, while stocks last.

Existing members will however still be able to use their vouchers for a last shopping-hurrah before CE shops lower their shutters for the last time.

From 9 – 30 January 2019, customers will be able to purchase regular-priced items using their existing vouchers at CE’s Paragon and Ngee Ann City stores, while stocks last.

Here’s CE’s Facebook post on that:

You see, this PSA is two-fold because we are firstly sharing CE’s stuff with you.

But a second, longer-termed PSA would be: “You’d have missed this if you didn’t come in to our app daily. In fact we’ve written about this impending closure a few days back. So PSA: Come in daily and don’t rely on Facebook to bring you here.”

But folks, do remember to head down to these sales early if you are planning on utilizing your vouchers.

As ST reported yesterday, “stores at Suntec City and Plaza Singapura were not open when The Straits Times visited on Wednesday (Jan 2) and Thursday, while outlets at Raffles City, Ngee Ann City, Paragon and VivoCity still had items for sale on half-empty shelves.”

One Last Question

Now, I’ve just one more question.

As understood by ST,  all “physical stores will be closing in phases over the next few months save for a new retail concept store in the London borough of Islington.”

If the new programme is created only for the new e-commerce site, will there be any membership programmes for use at the new retail concept store?