There are a number of people who don’t mind paying for expensive clothes as long as they are of good quality and last longer. Most people loved Woolworths because they had clothes made out of natural, strong materials; had genuine leather bags and shoes; and also had good quality accessories. Recently, it looks like Woolworths keeps increasing prices, yet the quality keeps getting lower and lower.
We used to go to Woolworths to get a good bra that could last longer than the cheaper shops because we trusted the quality. Their clothes were mostly 100 percent quality, and you could wear them for years without them losing value or changing color. Now the difference between a shirt from Mr Price and Woolworths is next to nothing. They have honestly lost the brand they have built for years and now focusing on mass production and profits.
A pair of shoes at Woolworths now going for R600 is not as impressive as before; you can see that not much effort was put on the product to be secure and long-lasting. A client on Reddit has complained about a shoe having visible glue marks on the fabric, loose stitching, and the fabric already looking unravelled. You may wonder how they can put a price that high while the product itself is no longer worth it. People still buying at Woolworths are still holding on to the name and not the quality of their products because they have significantly depreciated.
It is hard to get inside a Woolworths store and get clothing made from natural fibres which they initially sold, most of their clothes are now made of polyester yet they still brand themselves a premium clothing line and still price like one . Over the last few years, the quality of their clothing has gone downhill fast yet their prices keep on getting higher every season.
It looks like they have also changed their sizing completely because their medium size from 5 years ago is not the same medium as of now and it’s significantly smaller. This means if you buy a bra size or underwear and try it at home, and if it doesn’t fit, then you have lost your money to something expensive that you can’t use since you can’t return underwear.
Elders are still loyal to the brand but most people who were once Woolworths lovers have moved to different shops like Shein since it’s affordable while other people are still looking for quality clothes made from natural fibres and genuine leather items like shoes, bags and quality accessories just like the old Woolworths.
Some clients have also expressed concern about declining store standards such as cleanliness and product freshness.
These are the perception of customers regarding the quality of Woolworths store recently.
- There have been complaints from customers in certain locations who have reported issues with the store for lack of cleanliness and low-quality products; they even complained about the display of fresh foods.
- Woolworths has defended that they have been reducing prices since 2025 for better value, and that is why people assume that the product quality has gone down just because of prices.
- It is reported that Woolworths has faced operational challenges with inventory control, which can affect product availability and the quality expected by consumers.
- Since Woolworths reduced some of their products by 10 percent, they were strategically shifting towards affordability, which has affected the premium expectation from clients.
Even though Woolworths believes to have maintained its premium status, most people believe that the operational challenges they are having and the cost cutting is already negatively impacting the experience of loyal customers.