Internet click & buy shopping is all well and good, but if you want to do a little ‘touch, feel, smell, shake and try on before you buy’ shopping, you just can’t beat a trip to the good old high street. So, with Black Friday and of course Christmas in mind, the Soreen team has put together a shopper’s survival guide aimed at making everything bags less stressful.
Hit the high street early
And no, we don’t mean just before lunchtime, we mean 8 or 9am when the doors are opening and you’re first in the store. This will get you off to a great start, especially if you’re clothes shopping, because it’s also the ideal time to grab an empty changing room. And make sure you’ve had some brekkie before you leave home; a couple of slices of Breakfast Loaf with your favourite spread is a great way to fuel your shopping spree. Alternatively, grab a couple of our handy new soft and squidgy Breakfast Bakes and eat as you shop!
Hit the high street late
Late night shopping trips can be as effective as early morning ones, and with many stores staying open until 10pm in the run up to Christmas you’ve plenty of twilight time to go at.
Plan and price before you shop
Doing some online research in advance to find out which shops have what you want and who’s the cheapest, is always worth doing. Use price comparison sites to do the shopping around for you, and check stocks where possible to save wasted trips. For fellow Soreen lovers, check out our eBay store here for exclusive merchandise! Someone you know might love a squidgylicious Christmas.
Dress for action
Most of your shopping will be indoors, so it’s going to be pretty warm even in the winter-time. Ditch the heavy coat, scarf and hat and go for a cardi or lightweight jacket that you can throw into a bag when you get too hot. And wear flat, comfy shoes so your feet stay as cool and comfy as the rest of you. Finally, keep your handbag small and practical, but don’t forget to take a couple of handy shoppers to avoid the plastic bag charge.
Order online and pick up in store
This is best-of-both worlds shopping. Browse and order online at your leisure, then pick it up in store and avoid delivery costs.
Buy some ‘emergency’ gifts
If you don’t want to be heading down to the shops again on Christmas Eve for that last minute gift you’ve forgotten to buy, try and pick up some suitable for anyone ‘generic’ gift ideas, like a box of Belgian chocolates or a bottle of decent wine. And if you find you don’t need it, simply unwrap, enjoy and make a present to yourself.
So those are our top tips for de-stressing your shopping, which we hope might make trips to the high street or mall a little less hassle.
