Shopping: online and otherwise

[FakeSmile]

I’m not excited in the way that I’ll be straight down the shops tomorrow, but I’m excited for the thought that if I need to go to a shop for something I actually CAN! I’ve really struggled with everything being closed and not being able to get out and about when needed.

 

[lozzapaloozza]

I can’t freaking wait. Me and my boyfriend/best friend love going on days out to The Trafford Centre or Liverpool to just browse and then go for food. It’s just a nice day out especially as I’m so bored of going on walks to nowhere. Won’t be going until I feel like I need something as I’ve been online shopping a lot recently and can’t be arsed with the types of people that will be lining up the day they reopen

 

[265]

I'm going to wait until May until the fuss dies down . It's just nice to know our city centre is open .

You do mean May THIS year...

 

[Wifo1976]

Gutted, I’d booked a day off in the next couple of weeks to go and explore the shops for the first time in months, I was soooo excited! I’ve only gone and broken my ankle today going nowhere!!!

 

[Wifo1976]

I despise going shopping - for me there’s absolutely no enjoyment in trailing the shops for hours looking for something. I like to look online, filtering searches for what I want and voila it pops up, few clicks and it’s done. But then I barely buy any new clothes - I’m not a follower of latest trends and fashions so buying clothes is just when I need something (somethings now too small/too big, holes in etc).

I have no intention of rushing back to the shops when they reopen. The only shop I do need to open is the Card Factory so I don’t have to spend £3+ on supermarket or Moonpig cards for birthday cards when the 99p ones at Card Factory are more than suitable. I tend to bulk buy for a few months so the price difference is really noticeable!

I LOVE Card Factory! I also bulk buy, mainly because my memory is shit and it’s good to look organised when I’m not really

 

[Apple In My Pie]

I’m not that enthusiastic about shopping, all my family and friends are raving about getting into Primark, I can’t think of anything worse! Primark especially is ROUGH when it’s busy... kids screaming... babies in prams leaving a trail of Greggs pasty crumbs, it’s hot, it stinks, clothes in piles or just thrown everywhere, queues right out the door... maybe that’s just my local though I agree with the poster who mentioned birthday/greeting cards. £30 it cost me for a birthday card on moonpig a few weeks ago, okay it was for next day delivery but £30?!

I think for me it’s just the knowledge that I’ll be able to go out and get things or just potter around the shops for a few hours without it feeling illegal. Lol. During my undergraduate degree I LOVED sitting in Costa to study, I’d have lunch in there, work for a few hours, talk to all the old people. Although I work well from home I find I get so easily distracted just because my family are getting on with life around me, somehow it’s easier to tune that out in a coffee shop Now that I’m doing my masters I’ll be a godsend in the summer when I need to work on my project. It’s a nice way to spend a few hours.

Also so many stores on my local high street have gone. The pandemic has really changed my thoughts on shopping. I don’t feel the need to buy as many clothes or coffees and found I tended to do that out of boredom/for something to do. I also don’t like the thought of just buying clothes from stores and wearing them straight away - nowadays I’ll wash them first before wearing them as you don’t know who’s touched them, sneezed on them, tried them on in the changing rooms and decided against it.. blechkt.

 

[WilmaHun]

I much prefer to choose clothes etc on the high street, I'm sort of in between sizes so online it's always really hard to judge. It's nice to feel the quality of fabric etc in the store too. I won't be rushing out but I will probably have a wander round at the weekend.

 

[judgejohndeed]

Definitely high street if the changing rooms are open, soooo fed up with ordering everything in 2 sizes and sending half back now

 

[Tyla73]

Changing rooms it's down to the store/company. They are allowed too. I know some shops will not be re-opening the changing rooms yet.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for those who choose not to reopen the changing rooms shift on that policy, especially if they don't start to make the sales they are hoping to see. It's the biggest advantage they all have over online shopping, after all.

Apparently Primark aren't opening their changing rooms yet which is an interesting choice. I would have thought that in their bigger stores they are set up to be able to do it very successfully - the Manchester store could keep every other cubicle closed and still have a lot of changing room space available for example.

 

[1001 others]

I prefer online shopping - no snooty sales assistants asking if you were interested in trying a size up or side-eying what you're buying; no crowds; no parking hassles ... only having to put up with the occasional WiFi connection hiccup makes it more than worthwhile.

 

[Tyla73]

I'm excited as shopping is my escape from the kids. I miss changing rooms though. Wonder when they'll ever come back. I hate having to buy 4 pairs of trousers to take home and see which one fits.

On the day the shops closed down I went and bought a few tops from H&M, drove to the quiet end of the car park, tried them on in my car and took back the ones I didn't want straight away

Changing rooms are reopening again when the shops open tomorrow. I am really pleased about this as not being able to try things on and having to return things was really annoying. Being able to try things on before you buy them is one the main advantages the High St has over online shopping, so it makes sense to get them open.

I love shopping and generally prefer to shop in person rather than online so I'm pretty excited about the shops reopening. I do think the restrictions have sucked a lot of the fun out of shopping though, not being able to stop for a coffee or even take a seat anywhere makes for a dull and tiring shopping trip, but we need to start somewhere. I'll give it a week to calm down before I go to the shops but it settled down pretty quickly last time. I avoid shopping in Manchester city centre and the Trafford Centre in the school holidays anyway.

I've been through my summer clothes and have a list of things I'd like to buy to update my wardrobe, and I also want to go to Ikea for a particular pillow. I am booked in at the beautician tomorrow, the hairdresser on Saturday and a massage next Monday, so I've got more than enough to keep me occupied for the time being .

 

[JLXRD]

Hair cut Tuesday morning and then will be going to the shops afterwards, cannot wait tbh! I need socks desperately and it’ll just be nice to have a wander round.

 

[Grace Kelly]

I hate online shopping, I tried online clothes shopping during the first lockdown and everything I bought was a fail. I really want my life back but don't think I will be rushing out straight away.

 

[peachhes]

I want to go to Primark. That’s the only shop I can think of that I miss. We don’t have much money so I get most of my clothes and my sons clothes from there. Essentials like underwear, work clothes and summer clothes for my son. Very occasionally I have a splurge at Next on clothes for him (I barely buy anything for myself, and when I do I try and buy second hand) but Primark is great for cheap clothing and shoes. I know it’s ‘fast fashion’ or whatever but I get years of use out of the majority of stuff I buy from Primark!

I prefer online shopping at the moment over high street, my local town is terrible for shops and I can get much more variety online!

 

[cosmo girl]

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for those who choose not to reopen the changing rooms shift on that policy, especially if they don't start to make the sales they are hoping to see. It's the biggest advantage they all have over online shopping, after all.

Apparently Primark aren't opening their changing rooms yet which is an interesting choice. I would have thought that in their bigger stores they are set up to be able to do it very successfully - the Manchester store could keep every other cubicle closed and still have a lot of changing room space available for example.

I was thinking the same. It wont take long for them to change their minds on this. There will be customer complaints about the changing rooms not being open. The changing rooms being open also stops so many refunds. Which will keep queues down. People accepted changing rooms being closed because this was a government policy that all shops had to follow. Customer services will be so busy dealing with customer complaints on this. I give it a week before they all cave in and reopen them.

 

[bubbadabut]

Changing rooms are reopening again when the shops open tomorrow. I am really pleased about this as not being able to try things on and having to return things was really annoying. Being able to try things on before you buy them is one the main advantages the High St has over online shopping, so it makes sense to get them open.

I love shopping and generally prefer to shop in person rather than online so I'm pretty excited about the shops reopening. I do think the restrictions have sucked a lot of the fun out of shopping though, not being able to stop for a coffee or even take a seat anywhere makes for a dull and tiring shopping trip, but we need to start somewhere. I'll give it a week to calm down before I go to the shops but it settled down pretty quickly last time. I avoid shopping in Manchester city centre and the Trafford Centre in the school holidays anyway.

I've been through my summer clothes and have a list of things I'd like to buy to update my wardrobe, and I also want to go to Ikea for a particular pillow. I am booked in at the beautician tomorrow, the hairdresser on Saturday and a massage next Monday, so I've got more than enough to keep me occupied for the time being .

Brilliant, thanks for that info. I thought it would be ages before they opened the changing rooms up again. Only problem is it will make my shopping trips longer with all the trying on

 

[Wifo1976]

View attachment 524771

Queueing already at my local JD sports

What on earth for?!?!

 

[Wifo1976]

I just don’t get why though?? There’s no sales or discounts or anything?? I love shopping but could not be arsed with it tomorrow

 

[Scorpihoe]

And! They’ve been reducing stuff from winter because they were shut. I got this jewellery from there - currently full price in Harvey Nics - I paid £12.99

Omg that’s such a bargain! And such a beautiful necklace too

 

[lozzapaloozza]

The shop choices here are rubbish i need to go to Liverpool to do a good shop

Aren’t they? Unless you’re 75 and over