Our Guide to the Sales

If you’re thinking of heading to this year’s Boxing Day sales, make sure you take a look at our tips below to ensure your shopping trip is a success! You’ll thank us later…

Tip one: Have a Plan.

What destination are you heading to? Indoor shopping centres, such as Westfield, Brent Cross, Bluewater and Lakeside enable you to bring your car and keep warm! If you’re looking for luxury items, you might want to head to Bond Street or the Kings Road boutiques.

Tip two: Make a List.

Write down what you are looking for and where you’re likely to find these items, so you don’t get caught up in the excitement and forget what you went for! This will also stop you buying things that you don’t need and ending up with unwanted purchases that you have no intention of returning.

Tip three: Dress for the Occasion.

By this we don’t mean a night out! make sure you are dressed comfortably, if you are going to be trying on clothes, wear something that’s easy to take off and put back on. Try not to wear too many layers, as not only will you be hot going in and out of shops, but you will also need to take all these layers off when trying things on and no-one has time for that!

Tip four: Shop alone.

If you really must, bring a friend. Shopping alone will save time, as you can go into the places only you want to go. This also means you don’t have to feel bad about holding anyone else up. If you can’t shop alone, a friend can have its benefits; one can hold the place in line whilst the other continues looking for more deals. A friend can also talk you out of that spontaneous purchase that you actually will never use.

Tip five: Pack a Snack.

And some water… All this shopping is thirsty work and will definitely work up an appetite! There will be no time for pit-stops and anyway, the restaurants and eateries will be just as busy and you could be waiting a long time for a table or service. Maybe save this part until the end of the day and reflect on your purchases over a tasty treat!

Tip six: Cover all Bases.

Department stores are good, as everything is covered under one roof, so you might actually not need to go anywhere else! It also means less time in the cold, so no frozen fingers and toes. If you are heading to Oxford Street, you might want to try the individual stores too, as they might have stock that you couldn’t find in the department stores. Again, make sure you have your list handy so you don’t get side-tracked.

Tip seven: Start Early.

Be ready for when the doors open; this is when you find the best deals as the most popular items and sizes always go first. If you’re going for designer stores, you need to get there before they open as there are often long queues, some from the night before and you wont want to miss out on the deal of the century!

Tip eight: Stay Home.

If you don’t fancy heading out to the sales, you can always shop online from the comfort of your home, or suite! Online sales usually start at 12:01 so it’s worth staying up to grab the best deals online. Start adding items you want to your wish list (if you haven’t done so already) and hopefully if they go down in the sale they will be easier to shop. You’ll probably spend less this way as you can see your basket adding up.

If all the above fails and you come back empty handed, your wallet with thank you for it later! If on the other hand you over spend or end up with items you just don’t love, you can always return them and get your money back.