Local shopping.

Advantages: See text.
Disadvantages: See text.

...and age, things are a bit different. Or, at least they are where I live! The local shop can offer the same service, if not slightly more than the bigger national named stores. Yes, the prices may just be a bit higher but in essence you get what you paid for. But with that said, my local corner shop has been able to sell his products at around 5% cheaper than our local supoermarkets and still be in business 25 years later. So what does that tell you? A lot of shops may even offer special discounts and/ or free delivery - this may be for a certain group of people, or a general thing. But how will you know, if you never use your local shops! Don't forget that, just like you the people who own these shops are just trying to earn a living like you are. But they cannot do that, unless they have got your support. Local shops can be...

dynamicnurse 16.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of Everything that starts with L ...

My Local Swift Shop

Advantages: Good range for a small store, opening times
Disadvantages: Rude and unhelpful staff

...My local Co-Op 'Swift shop' opened a couple of years ago. Before this it was an Alldays, the chain was taken over by the Co-Op. I actually used to work there when I younger as a Saturday morning sales assistant as my part time job when I was at school. It has improved since I was there but the assistants are just as surly as ever! It's run by the Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op. Location: Co-Op stores seem to be located in the middle of housing area, often in village centre. My nearest one is a 10-minute walk from my home. It's located next to a couple of restaurants and hairdressers in a nice new redbrick block. There is also a pub and doctor's surgery here so it has a village centre feel to it. There is always plenty of car parking. The exterior: The area around the store always appears clears and tidy. There is a cash...

Katieshaz 20.12.2006 (22.12.2006) · Read review
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Review of Co-op (Shop)

Great store for non food shopping

Advantages: Prices, choice, opening hours, staff
Disadvantages: Painfully slow check outs

...I only use Asda for non food shopping, for food I usually use Tesco & on some occasions Sainsbury's. My local Asda (with the Wal-Mart name above the door) is a two storey monster of a store with a matching two storey car park next door. The lower section is dedicated to food & an escalator takes you & your trolley (yes, really!) up to the non food section. This particular store recorded over 170.000 people through its doors in the first week of trading, breaking the UK record at the time. When it comes to non-food items, this is where Asda excels, they sell budget brands & famous brands, something for everyone & very competitively priced too. Looking for a camera, they have unknown budget brands for little money & more famous names like Sony, Nikon or Canon if you want to spend a little more. They have a huge selection of DVDs...

ScottishWestie 27.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of Asda (Shop)

Yet Another Of My Lovely Local Retro Shops!

Advantages: Everything! The Best Selection Of Sweets Ever!
Disadvantages: Nothing x

...of the sweets are from as early as 1885! They have a full range of sugar free/diabetic sweets, old favourites, fudge and fruit and nuts. They are also very cheap, and you can choose the exact amount of money, or weight, that you want of the sweets. The Bad The Traditional Sweet Shop is very small, and there is only one in the world, but although you won't get the experience of stepping back in time into the shop, you can always order online! My Experience I absolutely love this store! My personal favourites are the Sour Blue Raspberry Fizzballs! They are so nice - I get addicted to them, the only downside is that they turn my tongue a bright, bright blue; not too attractive! They go really well with the Blue Raspberry Bon Bons too! My sisters are always fighting over Sherbet Pips when they share a bag, and my Great Auntie is a fan...

xhoneybeex 20.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Traditional Sweet Shop, Otley

A unique shopping experience at any Lush store...

Advantages: high quality, ethical, not animal tested, natural, quirky, distinctive
Disadvantages: sometimes a little pricey, the smells can be very overpowering, no leave in conditioner!! (YET!!!)

...I have never been into a Lush store and been greeted with a frown, the staff always seem happy, willing to help and quirky. For a start, they are more approachable than the post-pubescent girls you stumble into in most Topshop stores. The Lush girls and guys always seem more than happy to help, have good product knowledge and seem so real, they are set apart from the corporate cliches on customer service. They also always seem passionate about the products they stock. You can see how, from the attitudes of the staff, Lush frequent the high positions on 'best employer' lists. Although upon first impression it may appear that the goods are quite pricey for what looks like, lumps of slime, it soon becomes apparent that you are embarking on a unique shopping venture. To my knowledge, Lush are one of the only cosmetic companies that...

flowerfly 15.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Lush (Shop)

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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Review of The Disney Store (Shop)

A good furniture store

Advantages: Good range - reasonable prices - good staff
Disadvantages: Delivery not included

...DFS is a furniture shop that sells mainly sofas and armchairs as well as some additional accompanying furniture. The majority of their range is produced in high quality fabrics and leathers and appears to be very well made. We have just purchased our new sofa from there after looking for many weeks for the right "deal". Many of the furniture shops offered some great ranges and great prices but did not match our requirements exactly. Eventually we found DFS offering the ideal sofa and at half price. What we liked about DFS was the lack of "Hard Sell" tactics. There were plenty of sales staff around but none were hassling us to see if they could help. They made themselves obvious enough for us to ask if we needed assistance. The layout of their stores is both logical and functional. Nothing is too cluttered and the suites are layed out...

romybuzzer 26.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of DFS Furniture Store (Shop)

Argos my local catalogue shop

Advantages: Local with a wide range of stock
Disadvantages: none

...Not very far from my home, just 2 minutes walk is my local Argos. Argos for the uninitiated is a catalogue store. You go in look through a catalogue and order by quoting the number. Having paid at the till you wait at your collection point for your purchases to appear. This is generally an efficient system which reduces shop lifting and so should reduce prices. Prices at argos are not overly expensive but not big bargains. The products sold at Argos can easily be bought else where. Argos is however very convenient. You can check to see if what you want is in stock. If it is not available in your local store you can check if it is available in other stores. Argos seem to stock every thing. Well not food but most other types of products. Jewellery, toys, electrical products, household ware, things for the garden they even sell...

mjbarkley 21.06.2001 · Read review
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Review of Argos (Shop)

Dfs Furniture Store

Advantages: Reasonable prices nice people
Disadvantages: Nish so far

...Now that my son is has grown past playing with plasticine and slopping food everywhere into playing with girls and slopping beer everywhere, and my dog is too old and fat to jump on the furniture, it is with a certain sense of irony that I regard my latest purchase in the suite department. Why, oh why, oh why, oh w.........you get the idea, did I never, in the years during which the choice would have made my life easier, choose a leather sofa? At the beginning of last year, when my suite looked as if it had been used for practice scrums by the New Zealand All Blacks, those nice people at DFS had yet another sale! I allowed my brother to accompany me to the Dfs store in Carlisle because he loves shopping with me and some of my immaculate taste may one day rub off on him. I have bought suites from Dfs on two previous occasions because...

sallyannebarnes 14.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of DFS Furniture Store (Shop)

Help out your local charity shop today!

Advantages: Makes you feel nice to help them out, clears space at home, get some bargains!
Disadvantages: None really, occasionally the odd problem with a book but nothing major.

...'d never have time to restock the shop! Recently I have acquired another new niece and nephew (niece from sister, nephew from brother) and whilst my brother wouldn't dare shop in a charity shop (snob!) my sister & I have found some great bargains whilst browsing, a coat (looked brand new) for my niece for around £1.50 and a cot mobile which lit up and played music (working fine, lights were working etc) for around £2.00. I think that people should always support charity shops, if I ever have any books that are unwanted and still in good condition I will always drop them in here as it's good to give something back and I know most of the books I really will be popular. Also, I will donate old clothes if they are still in wearable condition (no holes, no patches etc). It's important for people to donate to their local charity shops, we have...

katyeverett 22.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Charity shops (Shop)