Tag: retail

Grab the bargain! Make the most of early Cyber Monday deals

Shoppers looking for a bargain are being advised to make the most of Cyber Monday deals with tips on how to make the most of the event:

Anxious Brits who are worried about Christmas spending costs are being advised to start shopping early to make the most of early sales this November.

The frugal team at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed 10 top tips for shoppers to follow to help them grab the best deals and spare the extra cash.

With the biggest sales event of the year soon approaching, shoppers are being advised to browse carefully and plan early to secure the best bargains available.

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens this winter, a large number of retailers have launched special discount events from the start of November to help people grab the best deals throughout the entire month.

Many of these deals are taking place online due to changing shopping habits, with eager shoppers being encouraged to start early to avoid lengthy online queues and gain early access to the top deals.

Making accounts before the discounts go live and setting up your banking details before the discount event are just some of the savvy tips shoppers can follow to make the most out of the seasonal offers.

Rebecca Bebbington, online consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “With the cost-of-living crisis deepening this winter, many are worried about the costs of the festive spending period.

“We’re advising people to start shopping as early as possible – Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great opportunities to grab a bargain and save on buying Christmas gifts by shopping in advance.

“Using simple shopping tactics such as having a plan in place on what you want to buy and keeping an eye out for special deals on social media can help buyers to check off the Christmas list without breaking the bank.”

“However, we’re noticing brands offering discount codes and reducing their prices as early as now so it’s best to get on top of these special deals at the earliest possibility.”

Here are 10 useful ways for shoppers to make the most of Cyber Monday from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk:

  1. Start early

Many retailers now start their sales up to a week or two before the big day. Keep an eye for bargains in the lead up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in order to not miss out on a great bargain.

  1. Have a plan

Calculating what you want to buy, the price you want to buy it at, and where you want to get it from is essential if you want to avoid any stressful situations on the day. Try to set a budget to help control overspending, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

  1. Hold off the impulse buys

Impulse buying on Black Friday can be a dangerous game, so creating a list of products to purchase prior to the sales can help to avoid any impulse purchases.

  1. Use discount codes

Many retailers allow shoppers to use multiple discount codes at the checkout, so there is no harm in checking voucher websites for an extra few quid off an item. Even if there aren’t any codes to use, voucher sites may reveal exclusive deals only available through them.

  1. Research the price

More than often, retailers can sometimes change the original price of products before big sales to make them appear to be a better deal. So make sure to evaluate the prices in the lead up to Black Friday to make sure you get more for your buck.

  1. Make accounts in advance

Online retailers typically ask shoppers to create accounts in order to purchase products. Creating these accounts early can save precious time at the checkouts, before items quickly become out of stock.

  1. Check the returns policy

It’s vital to check the returns policy for any items bought both in-store and online. Most stores will offer you a full refund or exchange however, they’re not obliged to so it’s always best to check with the retailer before you buy.

  1. Remember Cyber Monday

If you’re busy on Black Friday, don’t panic. Due to the rising popularity of the seasonal discount event as well as the marketing opportunities for companies, deals usually span the weekend and into Cyber Monday too.

  1. Don’t use a debit card

When you’re buying items during the sales, try to use a credit card or a trusted payment system. This provides extra protection when shopping on the web especially on sites that may not be protected while making it easier to manage monthly payments if you don’t have the full amount in the bank.

  1. Monitor social media

A quick scroll of the Instagram, Twitter or Facebook feed can reveal some offers and discounts exclusive to social media users. Brands will also provide the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding stock, opening times and even how busy their retail stores are.

For more money-saving tips head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.

Dobbies expands relationship with John Lewis Partnership in Edinburgh

 John Lewis click and collect orders can now be picked up from selected Dobbies’ stores. Customers at Dobbies in Edinburgh and little dobbies in Stockbridge can now collect their John Lewis parcels in store.  

This expands the relationship between Dobbies and the John Lewis Partnership after it was announced in July that Waitrose would have a dedicated area offering more than 2,000 products in 50 of the garden centre’s foodhalls. The roll out is already underway having been launched in 12 Dobbies’ stores, including Edinburgh. 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “We’re committed to providing convenience to our customers and this new collaboration enables us to further develop this focus. It’s important that we share a commitment to great value, quality and customer service with our partners.

“We hope our customers in Edinburgh find this new development beneficial.” 

Ged Keogh-Peters, Director of Supply Chain Planning & Development for the John Lewis Partnership, adds: “The introduction of click and collect further strengthens our partnership with Dobbies and underlines our ambition to find new ways to be more convenient for our customers. 

“The service is growing in popularity every year with customers increasingly wanting the ease of being able to pick up their order at a time and place which works for them.”   

Dobbies is the latest retailer to join the existing network of over 350 John Lewis and Waitrose Click & Collect points, along with over 800 Co-op, Shell and Booths locations. 

The other Dobbies’ stores offering Click & Collect are Dunfermline, Aberdeen, Gillingham, Atherstone, Brighton, and little dobbies in Westbourne Grove, London. 

Castle Street Christmas Market bursts into festive life tomorrow

Coming up this Saturday, Castle Street Christmas Market, run by LocalMotive Markets is once again making a festive splash with a wealth of artisan, bespoke ethical and fair trade products, handcrafted gifts and seasonal foodie & drink delights.

Set just below the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle looking onto Princes Street – now in its 15th year – the Christmas market with its distinctive festive gazebos, will be running for four weeks from the 26 November until the 23 December, with new exhibitors joining every week. 

This year ice skating, funfair rides and a whole lot of festive activities are taking place across the city and LocalMotive Markets are excited to be running two beautiful  Christmas Markets at Castle Street as well Ocean Terminal. *See dates below for Ocean Terminal.

Tania Pramschufer, director of LocalMotive Markets said: “We are seeing some amazing talent coming through – and this year with twenty stalls, we have “Loved by Bridget” handmade pebble art and upcycled items made by Lisa from Leven – who has a real passion for all things coastal.

“Also Borders based, Bowbrook Studios making exquisite collectible figurines with everything from farm animals to otters and discover Leanme Art Studio – artist Arias Deniz’s colourful sketches and paintings of Edinburgh streets and houses as well as jewellery.”

 “We have built a strong market following from all the artists, producers and local people involved. We are inviting our festive visitors to browse and enjoy our market with the opportunity to buy some unique and affordable gifts  – for example Gecko Gifts; Frangipani Toby Jewels, Floraidh Soaps, Gamries Candles and 100% Cards, and authentic Sicilian confectionery by Tipico, a sumptuous range of cheeses from Damn Fine Cheese and out of this world delicious range of chilli jams from Slaped Toasties…..

“Come and join us at our markets and take time to chat to the makers directly, as they each have a terrific story to tell about how they got started – some family run businesses, some part-time creativity or a new life venture – they all have some truly amazing stories to tell. Maybe they will inspire you to become a maker too.

Let the festivities begin!

Beaverbrooks announces Boxing Day closure tradition will continue for 103rd year

Managing Director of family-owned jeweller Beaverbrooks, Anna Blackburn, said: “In Beaverbrooks’ 103-year history we have never opened on Boxing Day, to give our amazing colleagues more time to spend with their families and thank them for their hard work throughout the year.

“As a business run on strong family values this is something that has always been incredibly important to us, and this year our 70 stores will remain closed on the date once again, to allow our people to enjoy well-earned time with their loved ones after the busy Christmas period.

“We know it is a challenging time for many people and to support our colleagues, as well as giving them more time to spend with family over the festive season, we will continue our tradition of an extra week’s salary in December for all colleagues to show our appreciation for their hard work. This comes in addition to an investment of £500,000 in cost-of-living payments made in October to all colleagues (£500 one off payment per colleague), providing further financial support in line with increasing costs.

“Rising costs have been a key consideration for all our business decisions this year and we have made sure to put our teams across the UK at the heart of them.

“For instance, we have just created a breakfast club for office colleagues to come and get a healthy nutritious breakfast every day on us. we have guaranteed salary increases for all Beaverbrooks colleagues year-on-year, even during the pandemic, and based on our record-breaking 2021/22 financial success, we paid our biggest ever bonuses to store colleagues.

“We also introduced significant increases in profit bonuses for office teams and all store management to reward the hard work of all colleagues across the past few challenging years.

“Closing on Boxing Day is something we know our colleagues value greatly, and we feel passionate about continuing this tradition, and hopefully inspiring other businesses to follow in our footsteps.”

Beaverbrooks is an award-winning family-owned jeweller established in 1919 with 70 stores across the UK, providing exceptional quality diamonds, jewellery and watches. For further information please visit www.beaverbrooks.co.uk

Dobbies welcomes award-winning butcher to Edinburgh and Livingston stores 

Customers of Dobbies Garden Centres in the Lothians can now shop in store for the finest quality and award-winning products by ‘farm to fork’ company Puddledub. 

The Fife-based producer already has a presence in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store not far from its family farm near the village of Auchtertool. Based on the success of the butcher at this store, the family business is now extending its presence to Dobbies in Edinburgh and Livingston, offering pork, beef, lamb, poultry and deli items, produced from its own livestock and sourced from other local suppliers. 

Top products include dry cured bacon, delicious hams, luxury pork sausages and home-made steak pies.  

The Mitchell family behind Puddledub have been at Clentrie Farm since 1905. The farm is focused on high welfare, sustainable pork production and caring for the environment. 

Peter Mitchell, Director at Puddledub, said: “Just like Dobbies, we’re passionate about offering our customers the very best products and have a highly skilled team.

“That’s why we work with trusted partners that share our ethos, commitment to value and high-quality standards. The butchers in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store has proven to be a great success and we’re sure it will be the same in Edinburgh and Livingston.”  

David Gibson, Regional Manager at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “Puddledub is one of Scotland’s finest farms and meat producers, so we’re really pleased to welcome them to another two stores.

“The company has a thriving in-store and online retail presence already, proving how popular its products are. They’ll be an excellent addition to our foodhall in both Edinburgh and Livingston, offering great value products for our customers.” 

Puddledub joins Dobbies’ diverse range of existing foodhall partnerships with brands including Waitrose, Hotel Chocolat, Whittards and Cook.  

Both Dobbies and Puddledub are focused on reducing their impact on the environment. Puddledub is committed to sustainable farming and providing high-quality local produce to their customers. Each step from the breeding of their home-grown pigs, to the preparation of their products is thoughtfully done.

Dobbies is also actively working with suppliers to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, while offering a range of in-store recycling opportunities and reducing food waste in partnership with Too Good to Go. 

M & S Ocean Terminal store to close

Marks and Spencer is to close it’s food store in Ocean Terminal. The store will close before the end of the year, but the company insists ‘the vast majority’ of Leith staff will be offered new jobs other M & S stores.

Scott Munro, M&S’s regional manager for the east of Scotland, said: “Shopping habits are changing and we’re reshaping our store estate across Scotland and the UK to make sure we’re reflecting the needs of our customers.

“As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our decision to close the M&S Ocean Terminal store at Ocean Terminal later this year.

“Our priority is to support our colleagues through these changes and we are confident of being able to offer new roles to the vast majority of those affected.

“We are committed to Edinburgh and this decision means there are more opportunities to invest in our eight other stores across the city.”

A spokesperson for Ocean Terminal said:  “Proposals by M&S to downsize its portfolio of stores across the UK have been well known for some time. Owing to the changing direction of M&S’s business needs, they have taken the decision not to renew their lease at Ocean Terminal. We wish them well for the future.  

“But their decision does not impact on our plans. Instead, it has allowed us to actively pursue a range of opportunities for partnership with alternative food retailers as part of ongoing plans to reconfigure Ocean Terminal and shape the ongoing transformation of the centre and its important waterfront location.” 

Responding to news of the closure of the Marks & Spencer store in Ocean Terminal, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I was shocked to find out today that the M&S store in Ocean Terminal is set for closure with the loss of a number of jobs. This could be the death knell for Ocean Terminal.

“Marks & Spencer is one of Ocean Terminal’s remaining flagship outlets for the area.

“With the tram set to arrive before long, I fear that this is a short-term decision that will damage Leith in the long-term.

“I will be writing to Marks & Spencer to seek a meeting to urgently review this decision.”

St James Quarter lands new retail brands 

COS and NEOM to open new stores at St James Quarter

 St James Quarter, the 1.7 million sq ft retail-led lifestyle district in Edinburgh, will lease a collective 8,084 sq ft to COS and NEOM. 

Chris Pyne, Head of Leasing at St James Quarter, commented: “These new signings bring us a step closer to fully letting the galleria, and with the whole scheme now 95% let we have put ourselves an enviable position one year since opening. 

“The centre has dealt remarkably well with the effects of the pandemic, with a continued positive response from our customer base translating to increased footfall levels and occupier demand from standout retail, cosmetic, leisure and F&B brands who can see the long-term appeal of the lifestyle-led retail destination that is St James Quarter.” 

COS, a fashion brand dedicated to quality and sustainability, has picked the lifestyle quarter as the location for its new Scotland store, which will feature an interesting new concept for its fit out. This will be its first store in Edinburgh spanning 7,483 sq ft. 

Wellbeing specialists and Times Top 100 brand, NEOM Organics, will also be opening the doors to their sanctuary of calm, creating a 601 sq ft haven for customers to discover each of the brands natural wellbeing ranges including their iconic Wellbeing Pods, natural candles, access to complimentary wellbeing advice and personalised consultations. The brand, which was founded by a former journalist in 2005, will be located on level 2. 

St James Quarter’s latest announcement follows on from a flurry of F&B signings including itsu and The Botanist. 

St James Quarter has gone from strength to strength offering an impressive and growing list of names throughout the retail and leisure sector including Wingstop, Thai Express, Boss, Coach, & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, REISS, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis and many more.  

The Curiosity Shop: Scottish start-ups showcased at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop – Virgin Hotels’ first curation of Virgin StartUp products

·        Virgin Hotels has teamed up with Virgin StartUp to launch The Curiosity Shop at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. 

·        The six businesses are all sustainably focussed offering guests products to make their stay even more luxurious with an offering spanning skincare, apparel, gin and even silk pillowcases. 

·        The Curiosity Shop features six Scottish start-up businesses whose founders have all received funding and mentoring support from Virgin StartUp. 

·        The area is exclusive to Hotel guests who can explore and purchase products from the businesses. 

·        All the brands featured are purpose-driven with a focus on sustainability. 

Six Scottish start-up businesses have secured a place in The Curiosity Shop, a new space at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, dedicated to showcasing sustainable Scottish businesses. 

Created in partnership with Virgin StartUp, Virgin’s not-for-profit incubator for entrepreneurs, The Curiosity Shop features a wide range of beautifully crafted Scottish products, all from businesses whose founders have been supported by Virgin StartUp to start-up and thrive.  

The Curiosity Shop is exclusively available to Virgin Hotels’ guests and offers them the opportunity to discover and support new Scottish brands. All the companies featured in The Curiosity Shop have considered sustainability throughout their manufacturing and packaging processes.

From wild-harvested Hebridean seaweed to Scottish spun yarns and hand-crafted gin; The Curiosity Shop is full of Scottish treasures ready to explore. 

Andy Fishburn, Managing Director of Virgin StartUp, explains: “Virgin has always been entrepreneurial at its heart, so it’s great to see Virgin Hotels providing this space to showcase Virgin StartUp companies, particularly those that are making sustainably-driven products right on the doorstep here in Scotland.” 

Scott McArdle, General Manager at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, comments: “We are proud to have a space of the hotel dedicated to championing small Scottish businesses and we have already received great feedback from hotel guests who are enjoying exploring the shop and discovering new sustainable Scottish products.

“All Virgin Hotels are unique and draw inspiration from their location, so the Curiosity Shop is one of many things we are doing at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh to tell the story of this spectacular country.” 

Rutland Square Gin is one of the six businesses featured in the Curiosity Shop. Nishant Sharma, the Founder, says: “We launched Rutland Square Gin last year in November with a vision to make small batch artisan gin that has Scottish spirit with an Indian soul.

“Each batch is distilled in the heart of Edinburgh, with inspiration from the far east.

“The support we have received from Virgin StartUp has been brilliant from the beginning and now, to get this opportunity to share our products with international visitors at a landmark new hotel in the city is incredible.

“We are really excited to see what interest it generates in our products.” 

The Curiosity Shop Businesses 

1.      Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful – Founded by a Scottish marine biologist, a wide range of seaweed supplements made using organic Hebridean seaweed that is sustainably wild-harvested from pristine Scottish waters. 

2.      Genevieve Sweeney – Timeless knitwear, made in Scotland with both traditional artisan and innovative knitting techniques that showcase the natural beauty of Scottish spun yarns. 

3.      Meander Apparel – Edinburgh-based outdoor clothing brand. Around 90% of the collection is made using natural or recycled, low-impact materials. 

4.      Rutland Square Gin – Small batch craft gin, handcrafted by most talented and experienced master blender in the heart of Edinburgh. Rutland Square Gin makes the world’s first oolong white tea infused Chai Spiced Scottish Gin made using sustainably sourced oolong white tea from Assam, India. 

5.      Seilich – A small, family-run company based in the Lothians and created by botanist, Dr Sally Gouldstone. Inspired by a passion for Scottish wildlife, the family sell an award-winning range of natural skincare products, made using ingredients grown in their wildflower meadow.  

6.      Sensi – launched in 2022 by 25-year-old Jennifer Norrie. Jennifer discovered a love of silk when she tried sleeping on silk pillowslips for the first time and found that her skin was glowier and her hair less frizzy. 

Women’s Euros, Commonwealth Games … and the Shopping Olympics!

TK MAXX REWARDS CUSTOMERS IN ‘SUPER SATURDAYS’ AS PART OF A SUMMER OF SPORTING AND SHOPPING BIG WINS 

  • To celebrate 10 years since London 2012, TK Maxx is rewarding shoppers with their very own ‘medal’ haul, as part of their ongoing Summer of Big Wins campaign 
  • Every Saturday in August, there will be 65 gold medal gift cards hidden in stores around the country, to represent the number of medals won by Team GB 
  • Kicking off in London with Rylan, the celebrations will then move on to Birmingham to mark the city hosting the Commonwealth Games, then Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast 
  • Recent research from TK Maxx shows more than half of Brits (55%) say summer is their favourite time of year, compared to 12% who said winter.
  • 63% said they find outdoor exercise easier to do in the summertime. 
  • Whether you’re looking forward to footie in the garden, runs in the park or sprinting to the shade, discover more about TK Maxx’s Summer of Big Wins.

London, summer 2012 – remember anything big happening? Let us remind you. 

Ten years ago, Team GB achieved our best ever medal haul at the London 2012 Olympics – and TK Maxx is celebrating by bringing that brilliant winning feeling to customers across the country and giving them the chance to win their own ‘gold medal’ treasure. 

The TK Maxx Summer of Big Wins will hit the #TeamGB hotspots, bringing the treasure hunt to every place – 

  • Birmingham, Saturday 6th August 
  • Cardiff, Saturday 13th August 
  • Edinburgh, Saturday 20th August 
  • Belfast, Saturday 27th August 

There will be 65 ‘medals’ hidden inside each store, every Saturday in August – each one representing the number won by Team GB in 2012 and giving the public the chance to win up to £65 off their shopping on the everyday amazing value in-store and online. 

Rylan was spotted limbering up to uncover his own treasure early this morning at TK Maxx’s flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, don’t miss your chance to do the same and end up on the winner’s podium – it’s going to be a summer of big wins, both sporting and shopping!

TK Maxx recently released research that shows summer simply puts a spring in our step. 77% of Brits polled said they find it easier to get out of bed in the summertime than the winter, with park runs and footy in the garden on their minds. 

More than half of Brits (55%) say summer is their favourite time of year, compared to 12% who said winter – to each their own!

Not only that, but 63% of people find it much easier to do outdoor exercise during the summer months – so there’s no better time to stock up on TK’s range of summer essentials across beauty, homeware, fashion and, of course, activewear. 

TK Maxx have also undertaken some Very Important Sports Facts (VISF), all with a TK twist…

Did you know?

  • Mo Farah’s double Gold glory in the Men’s 5,000m and 10,000m is the equivalent of over 20,000 pairs of men’s socks laid out end to end!
  • The length it took for Bradley Wiggins’ to power to Gold in the Men’s Individual Time Trial is equivalent to that of 73,333 suitcases!
  • Greg Rutherford’s winning long jump in 2012 was the same as leaping over 57 pairs of men’s sunglasses lying back-to-back!
  • Jessica Ennis-Hill’s javelin throw on her way to glory in the women’s Heptathlon event was 47.49m – or over 194 women’s shoes!
  • Tom Daley’s 10m spectacular platform dive in 2012 is the equivalent of over 14 men’s polo shirts stacked on top of each other!
  • Helen Glover and Heather Stanning rowed for Gold at Eton Dorney – over a distance of more than 13,500 children’s shoes!
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You can get all the nation’s favourite summer essentials at TK Maxx with up to 60% less than the RRP. 

Whether you’re counting down the days till things cool down or can’t wait to sizzle those sausages on the BBQ, get equipped at TK Maxx with essentials for all year round. But for now, get your hands on our summer must-haves, in-store or online at TKMaxx.com.

Pay increase for Aldi staff

Aldi is giving store colleagues in Edinburgh a pay increase for the second time this year, maintaining its position as the UK’s best-paying supermarket.

From September, all hourly paid colleagues at its Edinburgh stores will receive an increase of 40p an hour on their current hourly rate, taking Aldi’s minimum pay rates for Store Assistants to a sector-leading £10.50 an hour nationally and £11.95 for those inside the M25. 

Aldi also remains the only supermarket to offer paid breaks, which for the average store colleague is now worth more than £830 a year. 

The new rates far exceed the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended real living wage of £9.90 an hour nationally and £11.05 inside the M25. 

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Our new rates of pay maintain Aldi’s position as the UK’s highest paying supermarket.  

“This announcement recognises the amazing contribution our colleagues make in serving the local communities in Edinburgh. Their outstanding efforts have ensured that our customers continue to have access to fresh affordable food, every single day.” 

Aldi is the UK’s fifth-largest supermarket and has more than 970 stores across Britain.