Good Shop/Bad Shop

Good shop: John Wood Sports, Wokingham town centre

Specialist independent retailer John Wood Sports has remained focused and reaped the rewards for more than 38 years.

The retailer knows its stuff and the range is impressive – it more than competes with the large sports stores in Reading.

Although every inch of the store is filled, it does not look unsightly and staff provide a very good service.

The window displays also reflect the store’s range and breadth of stock.

While it does not carry the same level of promotions as the other shops, it shows a degree of common sense in service and pricing, which is helpful for those on a budget.

Bad shop: Sports World, Oracle Centre, Reading

While shopping for back-to-school sports kit, Sports World was the most disappointing because of the layout of the store and limited range.

It was difficult to find a path through the crammed store and customers have to hunt both for items and staff. It’s OK for discounted trainers if you’re happy to hunt through sizes, but hopeless for much else.

I know the credit crunch and England’s no-show at Euro 2008 has hit these stores, but nearby JJB Sports had a better range displayed in a way that made it so much easier to buy and John Wood clearly provides a differentiation that counts in this market.