Spend All day at Allders! (Allders)

Member Name: stickywicket

Product:	Allders
Date:	20/05/01 (337 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Find most products under one roof

Disadvantages: Get lost too easily!

Sitting like the a Queen holding court at the top of Northend, Allders has the rest of the Croydon shopping area seemingly built onto it. It is apparently the largest department store outside central London. Access to and from the store is available from the high street, and several ways via the Whitgift centre, aswell as the multi storey carpark.

With 5 floors it is a huge spawling affair which is easy to get lost in. The tram stops directly outside and into the the walk through arcade past menswear you have various smaller leased shops including bakers, delicatessen and some heavenly smelling coffee shop/natural beauty products shop that looks almost intimidating. Bypassing the carpet and crystal dept (aviod with children at all costs!) on the left you hit the perfumery beauty floor, populated by all those beautiful sales assistants (would be airline hostesses?) counter after counter of after shaves, perfumes, color appraisals and moisturisers that cost as much as my weekly shop!

Now, you could take the escalator/lifts or stairs to the white goods, bathroom and kitchen store in the basement or try the first floor presenting you with rows and rows of curtains, towels, bed linen and other housewares, and is also a childs delight for hiding from parents, the second floor has your dream suite for your home as well as lighting, beds and dining rooom furniture that would make Ikea lovers faint!
Third floor, sports, ladieswear, babyshop and toystore, and finally up to electrical on the 5th. There are several cafe's and restaurants on the various levels.

My experience of this huge retail setup? I'll start with washing machine affair two years ago. I swore never to buy a Zanussi again, too much trouble and unreliable, but the Allders sale staff talked us into it, arranged delivery of selected model for 3 weeks later. The day in question we phoned to check morning or afternoon delivery, uh oh....warning bells rang as the response was
could they ring back in 10 minutes as it seemed our order had been misplaced.I knew it, the call back revealed that our machine was not on the delivery list for that day. A few calls to Currys and next day delivery arranged at £50 cheaper. Swore that Zanussi and Allders would never get our business again.

Ok so I went back, special sale price 50% off carpets, a quick 15 minute selection, forms filled in further 5% off for being an account card holder, carpet delivered and fitted within 2 weeks.

Camcorder battery packed, electrical department sold me an ex display one at half price, brilliant I thought. Unfortunately it didn't work, the return was hassle free.

Our latest purchase, two Viper II micro scooters last Saturday from the toy dept, reduced from £60 to £40 each. Unpacked and given the 'under 8' treatment at home. The foot pad curled up, the wheels went wobbly bits dropped off the trimming. Took them straight back 6 days later and got a no quibble exchange. Get these home, foot pad started to curl up again , got the super glue out and all is well. I really can't be fussed to go back again as the Car park lifts aren't working (until August!) and walking eight floors of steps with two micro scooters twice is really showing how unfit I am!

My favourite part of the store has to be the kitchen gadgets, always a decent offer on and you can find every Ready Steadt Cook gadget there, for a price...

It's a good store, but the layout and ease of getting lost really need to be tackled. Finding a toilet for a 4 year old is sometimes a real emergency!

I've just about forgiven them for the washing machine debacle, as they have been fairly consistent recently.

You get what you pay for at Allders - except in the micro scooter dept!!

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