*An insiders review of Habitat!*

Advantages: I can help you save money!
Disadvantages: You may hae to wait for an offer to come around....

...A little insider?s review of Habitat! So, as some of you may know Habitat is owned by Ikano-the same company that owns Ikea. It was established in 1964 in London, and has now become an international brand with stores all over the UK and Europe, and now has franchised branches in places such as Dubai, Thailand and Turkey to name a few. It focuses on beautiful and stylish products, and on the whole, in my opinion succeeds in this. The main objection most people will have is the price. Habitat is not intended to be a high street retailer, it is an upmarket shop....open any specialist home design magazine and any Habitat products listed will be some of the cheapest there. But in comparison to high street stores, it is at the higher end of anyone?s budget. Anyway, onto the ?insiders part?. Firstly, getting what you want ? for less...

charlottemt 15.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Habitat (Shop)

Habitually bad, HabiTAT

Advantages: city centre equivalent of IKEA but classier and more durable
Disadvantages: Complaints system is dreadful, customer service is poor

...shows that the new table arrived in early December after two letters, 6 or 7 phonecalls and a LOT of hassle. When the correct one did arrive it was scratched and bashed so I complained. After another two months I was told that I was not entitled to any compensation and that was that. I still shop in Habitat but have sworn off buying anything that I haven't hand-picked and can take out of the shop that day. They now do a 10% student discount. I noticed that the sign says it is only in operation until the end of November so if you are a student and love home stuff as much as I do - go there, even just to get some glasses and a nice candle. Just don't expect much in the way of customer service, or maybe I was just unlucky with the Glasgow store! Who knows!...

Clare_1 20.09.2001 (02.11.2001) · Read review
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Review of Habitat (Shop)

Shattered Dreams of my Future Habitat

Advantages: Very nice, modern products
Disadvantages: Poor customer service

...I always used to love going into Habitat, dreaming about what my future home would look like with that sofa. Oh, and those chairs, with that table, and that cutlery set. My imaginary millions dwindled before my very eyes. But in reality, I only bought the odd small knick-knack – I am still but a poor student! Yet Habitat came to the rescue when I needed picture frames. I decided that I would be better off buying picture frames to save my newly decorated walls from the relentless torture of sticking up and ripping down posters. Habitat had just the ones… 70x100cm Frameless Frames. The only problem was that I needed three – and this turned into a gigantic problem! I purchased the first frame when I saw it and it was perfect so I decided that I would get two more. So off I went to Belfast (about 30 miles away...

paulruegg 09.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Habitat (Shop)

Childhood Memories In The Disney Store

Advantages: Special products, great for children, good quality and nice staff
Disadvantages: A lot of impulse buying

...The Disney Store is a shop that sells Disney merchandise. There are Disney Stores across the UK and indeed across the world. There are Disney Stores in Disney World and Disney Land. If you have never been in a Disney Store you will be amazed at the different types of products that are usually always in stock. Although I must say I think you either love or hate the Disney Store. My husband doesn't understand the appeal of purchasing a Disney character bear for £20 when you can buy another bear somewhere else for half the price. I think if you have been brought up to watch Disney cartoons then you have an automatic liking of Disney. Whenever I have been into the store there is a good selection with plenty of stock and the staff fill the shelves on a regular basis throughout the day. Impulse buying is very easy in this store as you...

Mickie26 16.04.2009 · Read review
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Money Saving Store!

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. There are currently 117 stores across the UK by an Entrepreneur named Nadir Lalani, according to the website he has an aim to have at least 200 stores open by 2010. ***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. It wasn?t anything special - if anything it could have done with a bit of updating, but then I guess that doesn?t affect...

Diamonds08 25.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of 99p Stores

Aspen furniture from Habitat

Advantages: If you like it, it is nice
Disadvantages: Approximate construction, VERY difficult to assemble. Wrong cuts.

......

teoteoteo 28.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Habitat (Shop)

Habitat - 5 months and counting to get my goods

Advantages: Nice and often unusual homewares
Disadvantages: Poor stock control, delivery and customer service

...As a rule I like Habitat products. They are generally well designed and different from the usual furniture and homewares available from other high street shops. However their stock management, delivery and customer service is very poor. I have been trying to buy one of their rugs since October and it is constantly out of stock. I finally got a delivery date only for this to be cancelled at the last minute, again due to lack of stock. I still don't have my rug. We also have friends that had their wedding list with Habitat and refuse to shop there now as they had such a bad experience. I think Habitat will have to get their act together as stores such as M&S and even Woolworths are moving into 'designer' homewares. My advice would be to go to Habitat for small items that you can take away from the shop, but avoid for larger...

c1223 18.02.2005 · Read review
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The mother of all Department stores?

Advantages: Its a real experience
Disadvantages: Expensive, but it doesnt claim to be anything else!

...Well over the past few months Ive suddenly been in a fortunate situation where I have had to frequent Selfridges on a regular basis to buy goods. I'll tell you the story first before reviewing the store. A few months ago I completed a survey at a tube station. There was a slight delay before the train came so I didn't mind doing it at all to pass the time! It was about George Bush(!) and was for a national paper. A few weeks later I got an email to say I'd won £1000 at Selfridges! I didnt believe it at first and ignored it (I thought it was spam mail) I then got a phone call to ask if Id got the email. It was only then that it clicked! I didnt realise that there was a prize draw for completing the survey and it was completely out of the blue! The voichers arrived and since then I have been popping into Selfridges from time to time...

Dan_ep 12.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Selfridges (Department Stores)

Great Value General Store

Advantages: good prices, good value , good range
Disadvantages: None that spring to mind

...There are not too many General Stores about these days but one that stands out for quality and value is undoubtedly Wilkinsons mor affectionately known as WILCO'S. Here you will find a whole range of goods from household cleaning materials to bubble bath and gardening products to pet food. In fact you can buy just about anything for the home, family or garden from here. Wilkinson's can be compared to how Woolworth's were a few years ago and shopping there is a truely pleasurable experience. I regularly purchase goods from them and have no complaints about the quality or price. They are competetive in price with other local retailers and you will always find a bargain there. Wilkinsons stores are springing up all around now, until they built their Chelmsford Store friends of mine regularly made the trek to Harlow to shop...

jonwhite 10.11.2000 · Read review
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The Disney Store

Advantages: Great for all ages and a wide range of products
Disadvantages: Can be pricey

...I have loved going into the Disney Stores since I was young and, as I am now mid-30's (not revealing my exact age here!), just proves that the magic of the Disney store is for the whole family. There is not a Disney store where I am, they are mainly around the larger cities - near me (I live in Scotland), I think the closest shops are in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Pre-children, I always loved going to the Disney store whenever I visited Glasgow or Edinburgh and I would buy things to put aside for friends' children for Christmas and birthday presents. Now that I have a family it's nice to take them to the stores too whenever we are away. When you go into a Disney store, what first amazed me was that there was not just items on display to buy, but also a large screen which showed clips, songs and music from Disney shows. The shop...

jules.34 05.08.2007 · Read review
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