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John Lewis
by littleme96
I have never really been a John Lewis customer up until recently, because there were no shops nearby. However I had purchased a few items online from them and was pleased with both the products and the service received. I was absolutely thrilled when they opened up a new store relatively near my house last year and couldn't wait to go ... and peruse the shop and be able to browse in person for the first time to see what they offered.
I suppose that you would call John Lewis a department store, because they sell a number of items under one roof - toiletries, gifts, clothing (although not in my local store), home accessories, furniture and electricals, however there is something about John Lewis that is just so glossy and perfect that it seems almost to be a category in itself. Perhaps a "boutique department store" is more fitting. In fact when I visit John Lewis, I have this intense feeling that I actually want to "be" John Lewis. I wish that I was as neat and uncluttered and designer and sparkly, but alas it's not to be!
The shop itself is neatly set out with clear sections to enable you to find the section you are looking for. I assume that each shop is different in it's layout, but my local one has the gifts and gift food at the front to entice you in further to homewares and beyond that, to the baby section. Upstairs is where the more expensive and larger items can be found, with TV's and posh electricals nestled close to sumptuous sofas and beds that you just long to lay down on. The stock is a good mix of own brand items (like the lovely John Lewis House range) and more specialist or designer brands such as KitchenAid, Molton Brown, Orla Kiely, LG and Emma Bridgewater.
I would love to be able to afford to kit my entire house out in John Lewis, but I am having to replace things gradually because quality does come at a price! However I feel that the prices charged are fair and reflect the quality and loveliness of the items they sell. They have a "Never Knowingly Undersold" policy, which means that if a competitor is selling a product at a lower price nationwide, John Lewis will lower their price to match (in store and online) including when the item is in a competitor's sale.
I cannot fault their customer service either. Prior to Christmas I purchased a gorgeous door wreath, which lasted the festive season only to completely fall apart on the day after Boxing Day. Having purchased the wreath as something to keep and use at Christmas for years to come, I was a bit dismayed to find it smashed on the floor where the wreath had fallen off the hanging hook (which was still attached to my door) due to the weight of it. I had kept the original packaging, but did not have the receipt so I wasn't sure if I would get a refund at all and if I did I was sure it would be at the (much lower) sale price. I was delighted when not only did the customer service advisor allow me to have a refund even though I didn't have the receipt, but also gave me a refund of the price I paid (which was marked on the packaging) and not the sale price, because it was obviously faulty. Most other shops would have refunded you the amount it went through the till at at the time. There are always a number of tills open and it is easy to find a member of staff on the shop floor if you require any help or guidance. Although I have been approached by them on visits to ask if I need help or a basket (!), they do not pester or make you feel spied on which I hate.
I absolutely adore John Lewis and think it's the perfect place to pick up a luxury gift or something lovely for the home. It's also the perfect place to send my Hubby to when he is looking to buy me a birthday or Christmas gift, because I know that he can't really go wrong with picking something nice for me!
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Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet village
by Clarey112
Cheshire Oaks is one of my favourite days out for shopping. It's only about an hour's drive from where I live and offers something a bit different. As it's a designer outlet the stores sell items cheaper and you can often pick up a bargain, this isn't the kind of place to visit if you've got something in mind that you particularly want ... to buy though so bare this in mind.
It's easy to find, located off junction 10 on the M53 and is a short distance from Chester and Liverpool. The parking is completely free which is a huge bonus and there's loads of it so you won't struggle to find a parking spot.
Shops
The shops are laid out in a circle round the car parks with shops on both the left and right and most of it is under a cover so if it rains your day won't be ruined. There's a huge selection of shops from women's and men's clothing, accessories, cooking shops and confectionary. There are expensive designer shops such as Radley and Armani as well as high-street stores such as Next, Gap and Animal so there's something for everyone. A full list of shops can be found here www.mcarthurglen.com/uk.
Food and Drink
There is also a wide selection of food places, there's cheap, fast food places such as Spud U Like and MacDonald's as well as sit down restaurants like Pizza Express and Wagamamas and a few cafes. There's also a few food stands located round the place.
Facilities
There are plenty of toilets dotted round and cashpoints as well as information booths. There is a large play park located next to the big M&S outlet store which is also right next to a café where you can keep an eye on your children from.
Cheshire Oaks makes a great alternative for a shopping trip to high streets and shopping centres and I thoroughly enjoy looking round the shops every time I visit. Make sure you take plenty of money and spend your time routing for the bargains.
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Harveys
by pencoedcharlie
Have just read some reviews from disappointed customers, but my recent purchase of 6 dining chairs was made without any prior knowledge of the store.
I did not buy online but directly from the store so had the advantage of seeing the product, and trying it out before purchase.
The store itself struck me as being a ... bit small , on the site of a previous MFI outlet the unit is shared with Bensons beds, who have their own set of staff on site. However at the front of the store I spotted some apparently sturdy and attractive Jaz chairs, some fabric covered, and a couple in a leather look material. Each individual chair was covered in its own particular colour, the result was very effective, as the colours were nice and bright /eg orange/, purple / grey. I already have quite a sturdy teak dining table, these chairs looked good.I preferred the fabric covered ones, but as the leather look ones were considerably cheaper I decided to be sensible and opt for the leather look ones in a nice light cream thus saving myself about £100. As there was an offer at the time, I was able to save another £50 so paid £459 including delivery ie about £76+ per chair.
The sales staff were very pleasant.but not until the deal was closing did I learn that delivery would take about 6 weeks, I was a bit put out about this, as I had hoped to have them for an occasion before then, but didn't want to pull out so said ok.Apparently this is because furniture cannot be stored in store, but has to be ordered direct from the factory.
In all fairness the chairs did arrive on time, and we were phoned twice in advance,can't complain about that,they were flat packed, which somehow I hadn't expected, luckily my husband was on hand to put them up. Even so one or two are a little bit wobbly, but he says they'll settle if not he will fix them (?).I did think the quality of the wood frame wasn't brilliant but then at the price we can't expect polished mahogony.The main things to me are that they really improve the look of the room, they are bright and smart.Also they are comfy.
An unexpected feature is that they are very slidey on our laminated floor.This is due to a plastic footing under the legs.On a carpet this would not apply, I think we are quickly acclimatising to this, but maybe any elderly visitors will need to be warned before they sit down. A label under the seat states that the chairs are fire resistant but do not have a shedule 3 interliner (not sure what that is, sorry)
So, I am not displeased, but have no info yet on how they will stand up to wear and tear.My 2 pieces of advice are do visit a store if possible, some things are just a bit risky to buy online, try before you buy, and only purchase if you or someone you have on hand doesn't mind putting up flatpack furniture, this service may be available but you should check!!
As I'm in a good mood I'll rate Harveys with a 4, but thats only my personal experience....yours may be different
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