Tag Archives: Shopping.

New luxury lifestyle emporium – Cuckooland launches in the UK

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– Another dreary luxury Gifting Site? Not on your nelly…. an exceptional site for extraordinary women launches in the UK-

Women deserve to be spoilt…check. Women love surprises…check. Women love unique…check. Well now comes a website that will spoil and surprise in equal measure with its unique and inspirational products for you, for your friend, for your family, heck – even your pooch!

Now if you are stressed out and have no time to pop down to John Lewis you just have to fire up your computer and go to Luxury lifestyle emporium Cuckooland is a website catering for the needs of the modern day woman and all her interests, impulses and indulgences. It features a range of luxurious and lavish products handily divided into useful categories including Mrs Smith, Mr Smith, Lifestyle Cool, Little Smiths, Pet Accessories, Travel and After Dark.

Each category showcases a cherry-picked selection of some of the most original and opulent brands on the planet including: luxury leather goods from across the pond with GI New York, the chicest jewellery from Sence Copenhagen, audiophile heaven from Ruark Audio, the sartorialist’s choice in travel accessories with TravelTeq and where else could you buy a white shirt for your dog? Only the most exclusive, original and desirable “non-mass produced” products reside in Cuckooland!

Even better, as a member you can earn site credits for sharing products you love with Cuckooland’s

“Share the Trends” incentive. Just share the products you love via Facebook or Twitter buttons on the product pages or you can create a Wishlist and then share your Wishlist by email, Facebook or Twitter and when the recipient buys the product via these links you receive credits:

• By sharing products up to the value of £75 you receive £2.50 credit on your

account.
• By sharing products over the value of £75 you receive £5.00 credit on your
account.

Unlike most luxury online gifting stores, the vast majority of Cuckooland’s stock is bought outright and kept at its warehouse for speedy delivery. All product deliveries are tracked and if you’re not happy with your delivery or order there is a “no questions asked 30 day returns policy”. And of course there is also a gift-wrapping service and a free gift tag available at checkout. In fact, the team at Cuckooland likes to think it has the best check out service in the business – quick, simple and secure. And, if you’re lucky you might even fall prey to a “Random Act of Cuckooness” – little surprises released by these slightly cuckoo people to brighten up your day.

Lastly, watch out for Zebarella, the awfully clever zebra centaur with a fabulously large bottom who you can thank for Cuckooland. It is Zebarella who had the idea of selecting the incredible array of original, desirable and non-mass produced products found in the hills, valleys, streams and estuaries of her native Cuckooland to share with you all online. If you want to see some of Zebarella’s favourite products take a peak at, “Zebarella’s Picks” a fantastic place to get you inspired before you flex your card.

Berlin Offers Best Value For Fashionistas On A Budget

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Berlin is Best Value

German capital is most affordable whilst New York’s cut-price clothing couldn’t offset its pricey hotels

 

Berlin was the most affordable shopping destination of the top ten fashion cities in the world, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®). The iconic style capital, New York was ranked as the most expensive despite its popularity amongst retail tourists for securing brands on a budget.

 

The Index, now in itseighth year, chronicles the actual prices paid by travellers in 2011 in more than 142,000 hotels around the world.

 

As the pound continued to strengthen against the Euro, the German capital provided the best value forboth the cost of its hotels and its fashion. The average cost of a hotel room was only £73, allowing British shoppers to make the most of their budget in the popular Berlin style scene.

 

Tokyo (£102) and Barcelona (£104) were the second and third lowest priced cities providing spendthrift style alternatives for savvy shopping tourists. The retail tourist’s staple destination, New York, was undeniably the most expensive at an average of £173 per night, despite providing some of the most affordable shopping.

 

City Country

Average room rate in 2011

Average room rate in 2010

 % Rise or fall
New York United States of America

£173

£166

4%
Singapore Singapore

£136

£123

11%
Paris France

£125

£122

3%
Hong Kong China

£119

£101

18%
Rome Italy

£116

£114

2%
London United Kingdom

£115

£114

1%
Los Angeles United States of America

£111

£104

7%
Barcelona Spain & Canary Islands

£104

£96

8%
Tokyo Japan

£102

£103

-2%
Berlin Germany

£73

£75

-3%

 

WIN A CANON IXUS 510

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Trial the new Canon IXUS 510 HS digital camera, and be in with a chance of winning one to take home

Five minutes of fame and Canon IXUS up for grabs, at Westfield Stratford City from this Saturday

From this Saturday, 16th June, Canon, the world-leader in imaging solutions, is inviting all photography fans to come along to Westfield Stratford City and trial the new Canon IXUS 510 HS camera, as well as be in with the chance of winning their own camera and a £100 Westfield shopping voucher.

Those who take part will be given the opportunity to take the stylish IXUS 510 HS camera along with them on their shopping trip to snap away as they shop. Each photographer will be able to take 20 photos, and will be asked to submit their best five shots to enter the competition. As soon as they are submitted back at the stand, the photos will be uploaded onto Westfield’s big FourDials screen, for everyone to enjoy.

Canon’s specialist panel will judge every photo submitted, and the winner will receive an IXUS 510 HS camera, worth over £300 (RRP) and a £100 Westfield

To register to take part, simply email reply@cuk.canon.co.uk and await more details.

The experience will be live on the following dates:

* Saturday 16th June 2012
* Sunday 17th June 2012
* Saturday 23rd June 2012
* Sunday 24th June 2012

Please note photo ID will be required in order to take part.

For further information about Canon UK please visit

http://www.canon.co.uk/

Popularity of cashback sites grows as more people shop online

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With the UK back into a double dip recession, many savvy families are looking for ways to boost their household incomes and Cashback sites are on the forefront of the online bargain hunt. They can possibly saving families anything up to £1000 a year. These sites pay members when they buy goods ranging from the supermarket shop to energy and even holidays, through their website.

Online shopping has been growing in popularity, this is shown by the fact that online spending in the first three months of 2012 grew by 13 per cent to £17billion[i]. One of the main reasons that online shopping grew so rapidly is because it can save consumers a vast amount of money. As well as vouchers and discounts codes which can be found online, consumers are frequently signing up to cashback sites. Cashback sites are becoming very attractive for online shoppers, with TopCashBack the most generous cashback site in the UK doubling the amount of members in the last 12 months alone. The site now receives approximately 4.5 million unique visitors per month.

Natasha-Rachel Smith, consumer affairs expert from TopCashBack, said, “The growth of cashback culture is a new phenomenon in the UK – it’s a great way for people to earn money from their spending. As online shopping is becoming an integral part of people’s shopping patterns, cashback sites are inevitably becoming the first port of call for people who want to save money.”

Natasha-Rachel concluded, “Cashback sites are a safe way to get more out of your spending. For people who frequently shop online it makes sense to shop through cashback sites as there are thousands of big name retailers and some niche shops, so there is always something for everyone. Sometimes people can get big cashback sums when switching their utilities or broadband through these sites so it’s recommended that people do their research.”

Finicky – Bespoke Shirts that Measure Up

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If you want a classic white shirt, and who wouldn’t?, then Frost Magazine has found an online shirt specialist, Finicky, which offers the affordable luxury of a world class tailor at your fingertips 24 hours a day.

Years of travelling abroad with access to bespoke, yet affordable shirts, entrepreneur and Finicky founder, David Buisson, wanted to share this shopping experience, and all from the tap of a keyboard in the comfort of a customer’s home or office.

Finicky’s team of highly skilled tailors can create any shirt, from a personalised quintessential classic (no wardrobe is complete without at least one simple white shirt…) to individual colourful masterpieces. The wide and varied choice of quality fabrics and style options available via the website ensures each shirt is as individual as the wearer.

With a contemporary and easy to navigate website, customers can create their own personalised online shirt portfolio, by inputting their measurements only once. The details are then saved for future ease of shopping.

Finicky takes pride in outstanding customer service dedicated to nurturing individual client relationships. Not only is there a unique loyalty programme where customers accumulate “shirt miles” – the shirts are also delivered free of charge anywhere in the world – and come with a full 100% money back guarantee whatever the reason.

Bespoke shirt from just £64.95, visit www.finickyshirts.com

John Lewis: The Best of British?

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Never knowingly undersold. That’s the motto, but is it true? Well, that is the point of the article. In a world were people are quick to complain, tweet and generally point out the bad, I wanted to say; yes, it is. In fact, I think that John Lewis is one of the best thing’s about Britain. It is quite high praise and here is why;

They care about their customers. If something is faulty and you need to take it back, you will get a refund. They care about their customers and want to keep them. They are smart enough to know that if you sell quality stuff and have excellent costumer service people will keep coming back. The first John Lewis store was opened in 1864 in Oxford Street, London. They have lasted the distance and for good reason. Buying something from John Lewis is a guarantee that you will not be screwed over, something that many other companies could learn from.

This is why I vote John Lewis as one of the best British things. Congratulations John Lewis and long may you continue.

Harvey Nichols A/W 2012

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I have always though of Harvey Nichols (or Harvey Nics as us Londoners call it) as a young person’s Harrods. It has all of the luxury items, but is a bit more laid-back. I went to check out there Autumn/Winter collection and…wow.

 

My favourite clothes were by Jenny Packman (a Catherine Middleton favourite, and one that women who have more curves look just as amazing in. I find I would look too ‘booby’ in some of the things Middleton wears), Osman, Rag & Bone (divine), Erdem, Roksanda Llincic, McQueen, Preen and Mary Kantrantzou. A lot of amazing British designers are supported.

Lots of patterns and even some Lady Gaga type heels. All in all, a brilliant collection.

 

Rag & BoneRoksanda llincic

Erdem

Alexander McQueen


Mary Katrantzou

Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe: ShopStyle 1st Event announced.

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Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe

with these top tips from Mrs Jones for SHOPSTYLE.CO.UK

Have you ever fancied adding a touch of vintage glamour to your high street party dress, but then frozen in fear when you face paying for something that smells like it has a history? How much is a fair price? What’s an investment? And what’s a mistake?

To mark the launch of ShopStyle.co.uk’s vintage styling evening with Mary’s Living & Giving (the charity shops set up by Mary Portas) and in aid of Save the Children, the UK’s leading online fashion shopping site has invited celebrity stylist Mrs Jones (clients include Rihanna, Goldfrapp and Paloma Faith) to give her top vintage shopping tips.

Mrs Jones for ShopStyle.co.uk says vintage clothes shopping can be fun but warns of the pitfalls. “Check fabrics carefully as the smallest hole will enlarge before you know it. I bought a silk dress for a video thinking I could repair it to last forever. The garment was in tatters by the time the shoot was over”.

Mrs Jones tips for vintage shopping:

Where to Shop

· The best places to get a vintage bargain are normally charity shops and boot sales. Not only are you finding some great items when shopping at a charity shop, but you’ll also be aiding those in need.

· Vintage clothing stores can be found in most major cities. They have some beautiful collections but can be pricey. This is good for people who want the vintage look but don’t want to do the searching.

· Auction web sites are great for vintage shopping. Be careful you don’t get carried away on bidding, stick to your maximum limit otherwise it’s not a bargain. Look out for bad pictures (some purposely upside down). Be sure to read the garment details. Some items look great in an image but if the fabric is synthetic polyester (unless you’re going for the 70s look), you may be disappointed when it arrives.

· Vintage fairs and festivals are becoming popular throughout the UK. You’ll find experts in vintage clothing selling their wares and whilst some pieces may be expensive, many vendors also have bargains.

How to Shop

· Don’t be put off by smells. Some bits can have a whiff of mothballs or smell a bit musty.
These can easily be removed with a trip to the dry cleaners. Although, and it is not very pleasing, body odor left on garments is one of the most difficult smells to get rid of, even with dry cleaning.

· Some old clothes and accessories such as handbags can look beautiful and very tempting but be careful as they can just disintegrate especially silk and lace. Give the garment a little test, pull the fabric in both hands and with your thumb nails give it a rub/scratch. If you see the threads of the fabric move about or crumble, leave it on the rack.

· Make sure you try things on or properly hold up to your body if you don’t like the idea of trying before cleaning. Older clothes are generally a lot smaller as people were smaller than they are now. (eg., a size 12 will usually be a size 10.)

ShopStyle.co.uk will host its first in-store event on 29th March at Mary’s Living & Giving in Notting Hill, London, in aid of Save the Children. With canapés and champagne in hand, guests will enjoy their very own vintage styling tips from Mrs Jones and take part in an amazing fashion raffle. ShopStyle.co.uk’s online style team will also be on hand to help digital fashionistas find out how to bag the best vintage and new fashion online.

WHO: ShopStyle.co.uk and Mary’s Living & Giving Shop

WHAT: Styling tips, champagne and canapés, raffles and fundraising for Save the Children

WHEN: 29th March 2012 from 6pm – 9pm

WHERE: Mary’s Living & Giving Shop (Notting Hill location)

177 Westbourne Grove

London

W11 2SB

Entry to the shopping evening is free, however there will be a small gift for all guests who show up with stylish donations of their pre-loved designer fashion or vintage pieces.

Frost will be there, we hope you will be too.