... Wrong, I'm the one saving saving over £20 going to Poundland instead of The Entertainer. When my eldest begins to understand that the green shop only sells for a quid then I might have problems, at the moment I can get away with it.
Ok so the dolls heads will fall off by the time you ... Read review
Advantages: dont need a degree to work your change out, always grab a bargain, good selection Disadvantages: cramped inside, staff need to smile a bit.
...saving over £20 going to Poundland instead of The Entertainer. When my eldest begins to understand that the green shop only sells for a quid then I might have problems, at the moment I can get away with it.
Ok so the dolls heads will fall off by the time you get them home and the guns stop shooting by the time you get in the car, but who cares? At least you got them away from the expensive toy outlets and did your shopping without ... ...I am sorry for any Poundland employee's reading this I am sure that not all of you are really that unhappy, but I am being honest and there is no point reporting that the service in the shop is above and beyond the call of duty when it isn't. The check out always has a long cue and the aisle's are ridiculously skinny, not enough room for a pram to go through. Staff don't rush you through, just as well as you have to pack your own shopping.
... more
There has been a Pound Land in Uxbridge for about 8 years and I have never been in there yet to find an empty store and un-crowded aisle. So what makes this store so addictive and compulsive? Apart from everything being a quid please read on and I'll give you a virtual tour of my "Green Shop".
The outside: Nothing on the scale of Debenhams shop window, not even a quarter of the size. There are no shop dummies in the front , well that's questionable actually judging by the staff in this store. All you can see from the glass front is boxes and more boxes and the back heads of the check out staff. The shop front name is in large green letters and the staff where the same colour tops - dark green yuk!
Disabled Facilities: None whatsoever in the stores that I have visited. A wheelchair must be hard to steer in such a tight area. Personally I feel more could be done for disabled access.
The Entrance: Please be warned, if you have a buggy or pram, do not enter! Or should that be ENTER AT YOUR OWN PERIL. I am speaking for this store and a few others I have been to, if there is a child friendly Pound Land somewhere in the country, please let me know.
As you enter through the non-automatic doors, there are boxes piled high either side of you and your little one . Watch out for straying hands in the buggy, as everything is in good reach for little one's to pull and grab items. Infact its so awkward to get through its really quite an issue that Health and Safety should investigate.
The boxes usually have items that sell quite quick and don't often return for some reason. Don't understand the logic in that but he ho! On the left hand side is water bottles, 1.5 litres of the stuff and the opposite side is usually the chocolate biscuits of the week and sunglasses.
Beauty Section: Moving down is the beauty section. You will find brand names here like VO5, Palmolive, L'Oreal and Nivea. In between the shampoo's and shower gels you will also find a few names you cant even pronounce. There's lots of cheap tat but you can save yourself a few pounds (sorry for the reminder). Its nothing on the scale of the posh shops but money is to be saved in this shop, not wasted on extravagant lighting and piped music.
The ladies perfume is not pleasant. If you do find a scent that's bearable, it wont last by the time you get home. Its good for spraying around the bins just before the dustman arrive though! You can buy brand name toothpaste but to be honest, with Tesco doing BOGOF's each week, there's not much difference in buying here than there is in your supermarket. Not so keen on the toothbrushes, yes you get about 10 in a packet for a £1 but if you want quality, don't buy here. Stick to Wisdom! I do buy them but only to use around the shower to get all those annoying bits out.
The men's toiletries are on the same level as the women's. Not bad but lots of brands you never heard off. Sometimes they stock Addidas Body Spray or Lynx, otherwise it's a copy of the real thing.
Basic toiletries are a good purchase, such as baby wipes, cotton wool, ear buds (also good for cleaning shower trays) and mouth wash. They have just started selling vitamins but haven't tried them so cannot comment.
Tools: My hubby loves this section. He buys screw drivers galore and chisels here like a man possessed. Uhu glue for a £1 is a must have as its always invaluable to have at home. You get a large tube and it lasts for ages. Compare that tube and the price to buying it from B and Q or the Supermarket and you'll see what I mean. You can also get packets of nails, polyfilla, paint stripper, poles for lap dancers (joking!), door chains, TV adaptors, etc etc.
Pets: Mans best friend isn't neglected. Here you will find toys , doggy chews, and the odd bowl. No tins of meat here but if there was, bet it would be in German.
Cleaning: Oh I love this section once a month. Just about everything you see in Tesco is here but for a pound coin. I always come here and stock up on bin bags, washing up liquid, polish, anti bacterial spray, loo blocks, bleach oh the list is endless. The only problem is carrying it back to the car or bus, a few bottles of polish later and its a struggle with the weight. Try and manoeuvre your pram whilst carrying your cleaning items to the next aisle, it's difficult.
Plastic Tubs: This is the Tupperware section of the pound shop. Loads of containers, all brilliant shapes and sizes and great for kids lunch boxes. Plastic beakers galore and even the odd plastic cup, but they are tacky and I don't like them much.
Be careful how you wash them, most of the containers I have placed in the dishwasher come out looking half baked . Stay safe and wash them by hand or your lids might not fit.
Stationary: Turning right from the plastic tubs you will see a multitude of envelopes, cello tape, blue tack, colouring pencils, felt tips, A4 ring binders, note pads. You can start your own office supplies here, it's loaded with items. The envelopes are superb, never come undone, one lick and its sealed. The tape sticks and the blue tack keeps the kid's posters up and out of reach of baby sisters! I always stock up here even if I don't need anything, I can't help myself!
Gifts, Garden Tools, Clothes and DVD's: Check out Studio cards catalogue, bet you will see some of the items on the shelves inside the Christmas Book. You can get a few good buys here such as scented candles and the odd picture frame, but a lot of it is cheap n cheerful. It's fun stuff. If you are on a tight budget then its great for a small gift for Christmas or birthdays. After all it's the thought that counts. I wouldn't go overboard on this aisle as plastic roses aren't my thing I'm afraid as are the vases with Elvis on the front.
However you can get a good packet of plant food for a £1 and a hand garden spade for all those little corners.
Opposite the gift aisle are the miscellaneous cards and party bits and pieces. There are large packs of drinking straws, paper plates, banners and part bag gift ideas. These are all good quality and a must for any toddlers birthday surprise. The wrapping paper isn't too bad either, enough for one large sized present at least.
The DVD's aren't my cup of tea. The only ones they seem to stock are John Wayne epics or Kramer vs Kramer. You can pick up three films on one DVD, so if you like the classics or horror films, then take a look. The music CD's are not very up to date either, mainly 10 cc, Electric Light Orchestra and "Hits from the musicals". If you are into Oasis or Coldplay, do not look at the Pound land CD's for sale. You'll only end up laughing.
The same applies to the clothes. Its mainly kids items like t shirts and shorts. Quite outdated and not up to Gap standard. I like the gloves and woolly hats though, very hard wearing and who cares if the kids loose them at school, its only a £1.
The Bit the Kids love: The last aisle in this virtual tour is you guessed it . TOYS. If I have my three ankle biters with me, I "treat" them to a toy in what my eldest calls the green shop. I say to them "Go on kids, choose what you like, my treat, anything you want". They think it's wicked and they are getting a good deal. Wrong, I'm the one saving saving over £20 going to Poundland instead of The Entertainer. When my eldest begins to understand that the green shop only sells for a quid then I might have problems, at the moment I can get away with it.
Ok so the dolls heads will fall off by the time you get them home and the guns stop shooting by the time you get in the car, but who cares? At least you got them away from the expensive toy outlets and did your shopping without the continual whining, "I want a toy".
Not all the toys fall to bits though. The footballs last a good season unless next doors dog doesn't get to it. The tennis rackets are durable and the water pistols have a good aim.
Just before Checkout: Stock up on the batteries and get the chocolate for the lunch boxes. The batteries are sold in packs of 4 and its all brand names and yes, they last. The chocolate is Cadbury's, Lyons, Mcvities and also Walkers Crisps. Don't bother with the small square cakes in the plastic tub, not very nice unless you like bland dry cake. Not even good for a trifle, the kids hated it.
The Staff and the Checkout: I haven't met many staff who are happy, co-operative and helpful in the Pound Store. I am sorry for any Poundland employee's reading this I am sure that not all of you are really that unhappy, but I am being honest and there is no point reporting that the service in the shop is above and beyond the call of duty when it isn't. The check out always has a long cue and the aisle's are ridiculously skinny, not enough room for a pram to go through. Staff don't rush you through, just as well as you have to pack your own shopping. Expect to pay by cash only, credit cards are not an option.
So why shop there: Well I love saving money in my purse. You can spend a tenner and come out loaded up. Its like an indoor car boot sale gone mad. I love a bargain but I must be a bit of secret snob. "Why" I hear you ask? Well when I get out of the Pound shop, I tend to hide my green and white bag behind all my other shopping. Gap bags always go on display but Poundland are discreetly turned inwards. Bet I'm not the only one to do that ..
Advantages: everything a pound, can get a bargain Disadvantages: some stuff poor quality, bad shop lay out
When Poundland first opened up in my home town of Kettering a few years ago now I groaned with the thought of another pound shop. We already had several others at the time all of which have shut down now and I saw no reason why this one would be any different. I didn't know that they were a well known chain and had stores nationwide.
So what does it sell!?! Basically Poundland sells everything and anything from household cleaning products to food ... ...lot fr their pound. Poundland has a wide range of toys from basic things like building blocks to current toys that are advertised on TV - well they were a couple of months ago and are now slightly out of date but kids don't mind that. They also sell lots of cuddly toys, skipping ropes, childrens books, toy cars etc. Do not take your kids in there if you don't want em moaning to have something - I have seen it all too many times when shopping in there....
...
little_miss_sunshine1982 20.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poundland (Shop)
Advantages: cheap, simple consistent concept Disadvantages: quality?, limited range, maybe not nearby, not always bargains
...recently we didn't have any Poundland stores north of the border, although stores with a similar concept do exist, many of which are independent, and there are many discounters such as Your More Store and the late What Everyone Wants (WEW)
Although I live in Scotland, I travel a lot around the UK and being familar with the Poundland concept, emailed them about six months ago to ask when they were heading my way. Probably by total co-incidence there ... ...established. I have been to Poundland in Birmingham Pallisades and it was a scrum.
Like most other retailers they do dump stuff in the aisles and this can exacerbate crowding. There are a few aisle-end bins (Sh*tbins I think they are called in the trade) but no worse than anyone else.
At established Poundland Stores I have usually had to queue, but rarely have I abandoned the shop. Queueing can in fact be a good reality check as you look into the ...
mark-southside 23.10.2003 (17.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poundland (Shop)
Advantages: EVERYTHING!! Disadvantages: a few - but see op to see my defence!
...a worker at my local Poundland store, i can honestly say I LOVE IT! *THE STORE*
The Poundland stores are throughout the UK, being the number one retail outlet! Our local poundland in glenrothes, fife scotland opened late April 2005 which is when i started. Been there over a year now and (without including snow days) the shop has yet to have a quiet day. Everything is £1 and customers STILL dont seem to understand the word 'everything'. I have lost ... ...now i tend to laugh.
*ABOUT ME AND THE STORE*
I am only weekend sales assistant (SAT 0830-1800, SUN 1100-2000) and my duties include serving customers and filling and remerchandising stock. Due to the fact most of my time spent in the store is behind a till and stacking shelves, i do not get to shop much. But since i serve over £2000 worth of items a day on my till (£3520 being my highest) i do get to know what all the bargains are and tend to ...
Gareth113 04.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poundland (Shop)
Advantages: You don't HAVE to ask the price, but it's fun anyway Disadvantages: Crowded and check-out are annoyingly slow considering the simple cash transactions.
...back to reality .
Yes, Poundland even has a corporate style using a lot of pale green in its decoration, with light oak effect flooring in between fixtures. The large door gives immediate access to a well-ordered stack of wire baskets and first sight of a security guard who looks like he means business! Yes, even when items only cost a pound, shoplifting is rife (well, it is in Hounslow anyway). The overall effect is that of a reasonably respectable ... ...a member of staff in Poundland How much is this? And this, is that a pound too? What about this then? Oh yes, the possibilities for getting thrown out by the guard are endless!
Having got the pricing structure out of the way with one blow, describing the stock range is a little more difficult. For one thing, they cover toiletries to foodstuffs, batteries to toys and DIY tools to light bulbs.
Another problem when describing their stock, is that ...
BNibbles 05.11.2003 (06.01.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poundland (Shop)
The first Poundland store opened on 13th December 1990 in the Octagon Centre, Burton-upon-Trent. The whole Poundland idea was started when Steve Smith suggested the idea of a shop where everything on sale cost just £1. Steve Smith had years of retail experience as he had previously worked for his father’s wholesale business.
When Steve Smith originally put his idea forward to bank managers, landlords and businessmen alike it was met with amusement. ... ...across the country.
Today Poundland has over 70 stores in major towns, cities and shopping centres and have 1 million visitors per week. It employs 2800 people and has a turnover of over £160 million. Poundland sells a huge range of products, between 1800 to 2200 items, which vary depending on stock availability and the time of year. The product range includes: -
Bodycare
Lifestyle
Carcare
Homeware
Kitchenware
Home DIY
Toys and Games
Stationery
...
dibalmond 19.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poundland (Shop)
Price
Value for money
Selection & range
Quality
Staff knowledge
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Advantages: Change for the copper jar Disadvantages: Large queues, unhelpful staff. (Technically language problems)
Quite a wide choice of stock. Everything is priced at 99p, so slightly cheaper than poundland. The shop in our city centre is cramped and gets overcrowded, but they sell things for the garden, kitchen, and allsorts really. They have lots of sweets and soft drinks. the only problems with the cans of pop is that they are not refrigarated which can make them taste a bit lousy. This said though you do get three or four cans for 99p. It is hard to find any of the staff that speak much English. It may also be me that looks slightly dodgy but the security guards have a bad habbit of following me round their store. I find this approach off putting as it makes me not want to buy anything from them. I can go in Marks and Spencers and hardly get a second glance from the staff. I have just worked it out, I'm too posh for the 99p store.
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of 99p Stores
Advantages: Great bargains to be had. Disadvantages: Staff look a bit misserble.
I had never really heard of 99p stores until my boyfriend and I went Christmas shopping in Birmingham recently. My boyfriend joked (well at least I think he was joking) that my eyes lit up when I saw the store, because it was one whole penny cheaper than shopping in Poundland. Obviously I just had to go in and see if there were any bargains to be had.
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***The Store***
The particular store that I went in was really quite big, although I cant be sure whether all stores are the same or if this is just because it was a city centre store.
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Advantages: Store layout, Convenience, Range of products, Lower Web prices for Collect @ Store Disadvantages: Price of accessories and some items, Queues, Selection of certain items
World due to the rip off prices. Some items are slightly more expensive than what you can find elsewhere, which is fine but things like accessories and cables can be 20 times more expensive at PC World than if you were to shop elsewhere.
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