Lots of choice at Next.co.uk (next.co.uk)

Member Name: butterflies

Product:	next.co.uk
Date:	11/02/06 (2218 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality goods

Disadvantages: Delivery charge, catalogue charge

I thought I'd do a review on one of my favourite clothes shops, Next. I tend to buy more for my daughter from Next than I do for myself or husband, however, we do get bits for us every now and again.

~ THE WEBSITE ~

Next.co.uk is very easy on the eye in my opinion, it's clearly laid out from the front page. A brief overview of the front page is a list of 'go shopping' departments on the left, a search bar in the middle, and your basket up in the top right.

There are many categories, see below:

Womens...Tailoring, Smart Casual, Casual Wear, Petites, Lingerie, Shoes, Accessories, Maternity, Swimwear.

Menswear...Formal wear, Smart Casual wear, Summer Casual, Underwear, Accessories, Shoes.

Childrens...Newborn, Girls 3 mnths - 16 years, Girls shoes & accessories, Girls swimwear & underwear, Boys 3 mnths - 16 years, Boys shoes & accessories, Boys swimwear & underwear, Schoolwear.

Home...Bedroom, Childrens Room, Bathroom, Lounge & Dining, Curtains & Blinds, Rugs & Throws, Decorating, Storage, Home Office, Lighting, Accessories, Kitchen, Summer.

You can also order fresh flowers and wine though the website! They do next day delivery on flower orders placed before 5pm and a 48 hour delivery service on wine orders placed before 4pm for only £3.75. I haven't used the flower or wine service, so I cannot comment on the service in this review.

Basically, have a browse and choose the size and colour of your choice, as with all other shopping websites. Then click 'add to bag'. This will then take you to your shopping bag. This lists the items you have chosen to buy so far. It is a clearly laid out page with: Item number, description, size, quantity, price, stock status, and the option to delete the item at the end of each row.

The 'stock status' is a great feature in my eyes. It tells you that either the item is in stock (which means it'll be despatched immediately), it'll tell you when the item is expected (i.e. 1-2 weeks, or 28 days, etc) or it'll tell you out of stock...in which case you'd have to delete from your shopping bag and 'go shopping' again. However, I have only ever had the 'out of stock' message when trying to order sale items.

You can also use 'Quick Shopper'. This feature enables you to type in the product number from the catalogue, and the item is bought up on the screen infront of you ready to just choose your size and colour, etc. This means you can sit on the sofa browsing your catalogue, taking a note of the product number of any items you like...then pop over to the PC and type the short code in. Time saver!

All in all a good website.

~ GOODS AND PRICES ~

Some people believe Next is overpriced, however, I believe you pay for quality, and Next clothes are quality.

An example of what you would expect to pay:

Womans pair of wedge shoes £29.99
Mens zip through sweater £44.99
Girls denim jeans age 5 £13.99
Bed with wooden slatted base £199 - £249 (depending on size)

Looking at the above examples, I would say the ladies shoes are very reasonably priced, whereas the zip through sweater seems rather expensive. So I think with Next, you need to browse through the website or catalogue checking the prices before you buy.

Next also have mega sales! They will advise you by email when the sale starts (day and time!), and I will give you a tip. Make sure you browse the catalogue and get the product numbers of the goods you'd like to try and get in the sale, as they sell out really quick once the sale goes live.

Once you have completed your order, you will be sent a confirmation email of the items you chose, the price, and when you can expect delivery.

~ DELIVERY ~

The delivery charge is £3.75 no matter how many items you order. (except Fresh Flowers and selected Home items) Orders placed on a Saturday and up to 5pm on a Sunday will be delivered on Monday, which is great! They have always stuck by this in my experience of shopping online. You can also confirm your delivery arrangements and specify a time as you are checking out, which again is a really handy feature for busy people.

The delivery is done by a courier. They have always come at the time and day specified in my experience, so I have no complaints about them.

If you'd rather collect your item from a store, this is infact free. You are advised of the nearest available Next store and the date to collect your order upon checkout. You must take a form of personal ID e.g. driving licence or utility bill and either your catalogue card, statement, delivery note or letter with your catalogue.

~ RETURNS ~

I have had a lot of experience with their returns service, as I order 2 of the same item in 2 different sizes, and return the size which doesn't fit! (My local courier must hate me!) Anyway, as I say she has always been on time delivering my parcel, and always on time collecting it too. You can simply go online (or call 0845 600 7000) and click 'arrange returns' once you are signed into your account. Then choose your preferred day of collection and any pick up instructions (such as in garage, in shed, in porch). The courier then collects your parcel, and your account is credited by Next. All returns are free and must be sent back within 14 days.

~ PAYING ~

When you first signup for the home shopping service you will have a credit agreement sent through the post. There is the option of paying for the goods online via credit/debit card immediately or you can add them to your Next account.

A bill will be posted to you each month. To pay for your goods you can pay at: post office, bank, paying by cheque, or paying online via the website. There is also an option called Self service, you call Next, (automated line) and pay by credit/debit card. You will need to provide the amount you want to pay.

~ SO... ~

Overall I would recommend Next.co.uk. However, if you wanted a catalogue to browse through at home, they are £3 each season. This is automatically added to your account. I really don't think you should be charged for a catalogue, or maybe you should be charged if you don't use it at all. Also the delivery charge is £3.75, compared to Freemans which is zero! How this is justfied, I do not know. But I would probably shop alot more with Next if their delivery charge was less, or non existant.

Thanx.

Summary: Quality goods, but overpriced delivery