*image sourced via Pinterest
Happy Friday! As the weekend is now upon us I want to bet that most of you will be braving the crowds and heading out to do some Christmas shopping. If you are, I’ve put together some simple tips to note before you wade through the busiest time in the retail calendar!…
Dress for the occasion | Layers are your friend! It’s gonna be cold no matter where you go but I’m gonna bet it’ll feel like a sauna once you’re inside a huge shopping centre with thousands of people. So be prepared to strip off and carry bits and pieces around with you. Because of this I’d say steer away from too much knitwear. Static shocks are not fun and thick jumpers are uber heavy. If possible grab a thick coat and layer thinner pieces underneath. And, of course, comfy shoes are a must!
Cards & Cash | Have BOTH on hand during the festive season. If you’re going to Christmas markets not all stalls will have card readers. Use your card in the bigger high street shops when possible and if you do use cash try to use up your change – stores tend to run dry of coins when all customers are paying with are notes!
Say ’No thanks’ to plastic bags! | This is again useful when shopping Christmas markets and is good for the environment! But you also never know when that heavy paper bag from your Primarni haul might break – especially when battling the elements.
Keep those receipts safe | There’s very little shop assistants can do without the receipt and bear in mind that though they want to do everything they can to help, they’re also dealing with the fact that you’re holding up a queue that’s a mile long if you’re arguing with them about it! Keep all of the receipts you get for the entire December in one place, that way you know that it’s bound to be in there. For gift receipts write whose present they’re for and store them separately to your own so you don’t get them mixed up.
Want a bargain? Shop sales on Christmas Eve | January sales are probably the last thing that’s on your mind but it’s definitely not a retailers. Many shops are setting up their New Years markdowns way in advance this year to make way for the new S/S14 stock and they want it gone quick! Whether it be online or in the stores itself, it might actually be worth checking if any early sales are happening – especially if you’re thinking ahead to New Years Eve outfits!
Have a little festive cheer | It’s not just the busiest shopping season for you, but it’s also the biggest for the high street so have a little patience with shop staff during the Holidays. More often than not many of the staff in the shops will actually be Christmas temps, who’ve had little to no training and have been thrown into the deep end to help with the pick up in trade at this time of year. So, yes, they may be a little slower on the till, but you try learning a completely new computer system in 2 days!
If all else fails, grab the laptop | If you’re stuck in a shopping rut, snuggle under the duvets and shop from your bed. Internet shopping is obviously the easiest option but take note of delivery estimates at this time of year (especially for smaller shops on places like Etsy or Ebay) or be prepared to fork out more for a quick delivery turnaround! Also make sure your Paypal credit is topped up, so you have a secure way to pay online too!
So there you go! Just some tips for you to be getting on with, let me know if you have any more.
Happy Shopping!