When are there shopping discounts in the UK? What is worth buying in the UK?

Choose a suitable time to go shopping in the UK. After all, shopping in the UK is really cheap when it’s on sale. The editor below will tell you some relevant strategies for shopping in the UK. Once you know this, you can go directly to buybuy and buy it in the UK.

When

There are four major discount events in the UK, which reach their climax at the end of December from June to January every year. Discounts range from 30% off to 20% off, so as long as you catch up, the discounts are extraordinary.

1. The summer sale is a big promotion in the summer

Time: July 1 to August 31 of the year

Features: out of season Single product, long promotion period.

Summer sales, also known as "seasonal discounts", are also the biggest discounts in the UK in the first half of the year; the items with big discounts at this time will be mainly winter items, with up to 50% off, such as Cannadagoose, UGG Snow Boots etc. Based on the experience of the past few years, luxury brands such as Burberry, Boss, Coach, etc. will also participate, and the strength and number of merchants are increasing year by year.

2. Black Friday Black Friday

Time: The fourth Friday in November (this year: November 23, 2018)

Features: Two waves , mainly driven by e-commerce.

"Black Friday" is also called "Black Friday Shopping Festival" in Chinese; locally, this day is usually considered to mark the official start of the Christmas shopping period, which is somewhat similar to domestic year-end sales. start. Maybe it’s just because it’s the beginning of a big sale, so the discounts on big brands on Black Friday are not high; but e-commerce companies like Farfetch and MONNIER Freres have super discounts on Black Friday, so in addition to big-name clothing and bags, food and health products are also very suitable to choose from. Buy.

Black Friday discounts are generally divided into two waves, one is the discount on Friday, and the other is the first Cyber ??Monday after the current week. In fact, it is an extension of Black Friday by merchants. After all, the sale only lasts for one day, which is so unpleasant.

3. Christmas Promotion

Time: December 26th - January 31st

Features: Limited Edition Special Model

The most popular Christmas promotion is the Chinese New Year promotion, so you can imagine the scale of discounts offered by merchants during the national celebration! And I have to mention that winter limited editions and Christmas special editions of major brands are all on sale during this period. Students who want it must not miss it!

4. Boxing Day "Double 11" in the UK

Time: December 26

Features: The biggest discount of the year, shopping for everyone

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How exaggerated is Boxing Day? At six or seven in the morning, the entrance to the mall is like the Beijing subway during rush hour. There were long lines and crowds of people. When the doors opened, people rushed to buy them! It can be said that the climax of the entire Christmas promotion is today. Big brands such as Burberry and Fendi have almost thrown away their discount restrictions for a year. Anyway, remember, buy what you like on this day as early as possible, and don’t think about price cuts in the future, because after today, there won’t be such high discounts throughout the year.

Tips:

1. Generally on this day, the opening times of major shopping malls will be advanced, and the final release time of these shopping malls on their official websites shall prevail.

2. If you like something, it is recommended to buy it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the yardage can easily be bought by others.

Where to buy

There are many shopping malls in the UK, which often dazzles students who are new to the mall. Therefore, Garfield has specially selected some well-known shopping malls or shopping districts with high guarantees for everyone to choose from.

a. Bicester Village, Bicester Village

Address: Bicester Village, Pingle Avenue, Bicester City, UK

Business hours: < /p>

9:00—20:00 (Monday to Wednesday); 9:00—21:00 (Thursday to Saturday); 10:00 to 19:00 (Sunday)

Transportation :

(1) Train: You can take trains from London, Birmingham, and Oxford to the shopping village. The name of the station is Bicester Village Station. The one-way time is 15min-70min, depending on the departure point.

(2) Bus: Currently it only supports departures from London. The specific departure location can be found on the official website.

Shopping:

(Bicester store distribution map)

Bicester Village has long been as famous as Big Ben in the UK and has almost become a British landmark. . There are almost all the big brands you can think of, and the prices are much lower than in shopping malls. The larger brands in the village include:

Burberry Raincoat

Located in the center of the shopping village, it is two floors high, with the first floor for women and the second floor for men. Each floor will also be divided into catwalk models and ordinary models. The annual discount will fluctuate between 2% and 6%.

Gucci

Located in the east building of the shopping village, it is a single-story store that mainly sells popular models on the market.

Prada

Located in the West Street area of ??the shopping village, it is a single-story store connected to Miumiu. The style is also popular in the main market.

In general, one of Beasley’s problems is that the styles are not so new, most of them are classics and last season’s styles.

It is said that every Thursday is the shopping day for Beasley’s big brands. On that day, you may be able to find something more refined and desirable.

In addition, the shopping village also provides some very convenient services, and Garfield has also selected several useful points for most tourists here:

Hands-free service | Picking up

If you buy a lot of things, it will be troublesome to go to other stores to choose things, so the shopping village can arrange shopping assistants to help you pick up the purchased goods and keep them safe until you leave; this service can Make a reservation at the Customer Service Center.

Night Night London Delivery | UK Delivery

The Village offers a same-day delivery service to areas within London, allowing you to have your purchases returned directly to your hotel. Of course there is a certain delivery fee. Please consult the customer service center or official website for delivery prices. (Calculated by box)

Global Postal Service | Global Express

If you want to send it directly back to China, you can use this service! Of course the postage costs are not cheap either!

Instant tax refund service | Tax refund currency exchange

There are tax refund points for shopping in the village, but they only have local tax refund forms.

Tip:

When you arrive in Bicester, remember to go to the customer service and provide your UnionPay card and passport to register once, and you will get an additional VIP brochure with a 55% discount. Basically all merchants can use it, and of course it does not involve some products that have been given heavy discounts.

Sensitive

Shopping and eating have always been closely related issues. Beasley has also considered this issue, so he has also prepared many resting places and restaurants for everyone to have a good meal. A meal.

Dinner: Farmhouse Restaurant and Cafe

Authentic British local cuisine, including breakfast, lunch and dinner; based on the overall British farmhouse style, the required dishes are chickpeas Smash, burgers and coleslaw with their homemade sauce; this would be a really nice place to rest and recharge, but the overall price is on the higher side.

Dinner: itsu

As a chain of Japanese fast food restaurants, Itsu will be a good choice for many students who are not used to Western food. For example, students who like rice can have brown rice or sushi, and students who like pasta can have a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup!

Dessert: Amorino | Little Angel Ice Cream

London’s internet celebrity dessert shop, a mobile open-air stall, is a very good place to rest in the hot weather. What you must order are their various flavors of handmade ice cream, as well as their pancakes. Oh, and his milkshakes are pretty good too!

B. Bluewater Shopping Mall, Bluewater Shopping Plaza

Features: Concentrated brands, the largest indoor shopping mall in Europe.

The square is located near Greenfield, Kent. It consists of three shopping areas and contains approximately 330 brand stores. It is the largest indoor shopping mall in Europe. The price may not be as low as that of Bisley Shopping Village, but its victory lies in the concentration of brands. There are not only luxury brands, but also high-street brands. Basically, you can satisfy your shopping here.

Address: bluewaterda99st, Greenfield, Kent

C. Manchester Trafford Centre, Manchester Trafford Shopping Center

Features: Food Court, Europe's second largest shopping mall.

As the second largest shopping center in Europe, it is located on the outskirts of Manchester but is popular with many department stores. In addition to shopping, it should be mentioned that his cruise ship is the largest food court in Europe, covering almost all kinds of food from around the world. It is said to pay homage to the Industrial Revolution and the Manchester Grand Canal.

Address: Management Suite m178aa, Manchester

1. Outlet Discount Village

a. Luxury Museum - Harrods

Features: Luxury department stores around the world, featuring rare and limited items.

Harold, founded in 1834, is known as the most luxurious department store in the world and the only one in the world, featuring Egyptian and Middle Eastern styles. You know, the famous Princess Diana got together with Harold's son after her divorce. Unfortunately, they died in a car accident in 1997, so the mall also set up a special Diana area. If you are looking for some styles that are rarely seen on the market, Harrods is definitely a good choice.

Address: 87-135 Brompton Road, London, UK

B. The petty bourgeoisie under British art - freedom

Features: Du Ze style British traditional shopping mall, high-end beauty cosmetics.

Opened in 1875, Liberty is one of London's traditional shops. Shopping here can be said to be a real enjoyment. First, enjoy the natural fashion sense of the products; second, the beautiful lobby design in the store, with clear lines and gorgeous but not greasy colors, makes people feel like they are in an exciting era that challenged everything from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Address: Regent Street, London W1B5AH

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Liberty Department Store is an antique department store located between Oxford Street and Regent Street. In its early days, it was known for importing textiles, furniture and decorative items from Japan and the Eastern world. Since then, the name "Easter Market" has spread like wildfire.

From its opening in 1875 to the present, Liberty Department Store has been looking at the world with its own eyes for more than a hundred years, and has quietly adhered to its noble taste for a hundred years.

C. "Royal Exclusive" - ??Fortnum Mason

Features: Focusing on high-end food, exclusive to the royal family.

Fortnum Mason was founded in 1707 and is currently a supplier of royal food, specializing in tea, coffee, biscuits and picnic baskets. Therefore, for those students who are eager to eat, this department store must not be missed. Buy a box of English afternoon tea that Elizabeth is drinking. Don’t you know this is the same as being a celebrity? With the development, FM now offers some high-end furniture sales on the fourth floor, and you can also enjoy afternoon tea made by royal gourmets on the fourth floor!

Address: 181 Piccadilly, West End, London, UK

2. Department Store

a. Bond Street

Features: Luxury Retail Battlefield

This neighborhood is near Bond Street Station and can be reached in less than 3 minutes from the station. The main luxury goods are mainly concentrated in New Bond Street, which is currently one of the main battlefields of the world's largest retail brands. Basically all the brands at Paris Fashion Week can be seen. That's right, the world's largest channel flagship store is here, with a total height of three floors, offering everything from ready-made clothing to jewelry, leather goods to perfumes, cosmetics, and skin care series.

b. Dover Street Market

Features: A collection of high-end and trendy brands, with a high rate of celebrity encounters.

Compared to other "old guys" posh neighborhoods, Dover Street is a young guy. Designed by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo in 2004, it breaks the usual market shopping blocks in the UK and distinguishes trendy brands from high-end fashion brands, making it easier for shoppers to find what they want. But the new model went bankrupt twice within a year of its launch. And it is said that you can often meet European, American, Japanese and Korean stars here!

c. Sloane Street

Features: The "veteran" of luxury neighborhoods

Sloane Street (Sloane Street) has been in the international luxury circle as early as 1712 It has become famous and is now recognized as one of the most exclusive and luxurious shopping districts in the world. The German brand MCM is opening a flagship store with two floors, as well as various other big brands and new styles that everyone wants. In addition, London's famous Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Palace Theater, and Saatchi Gallery are all located in this neighborhood. It can be said to be a truly wealthy area in London.

3. Luxury Blocks

Now that we know the location and time of the discount season, the question becomes, what should we buy in the UK? Of course, luxury brands like Burberry, Gucci, Prada, etc. line up. Would be a good first choice. In addition, there are many high street and niche luxury brands in the UK that are also worth buying. By the way, those snacks in the supermarket that are so sweet that they can “melt” you are also a good choice!

What to buy

Burberry

The first choice is undoubtedly the British local brand Burberry, which is the most expensive in terms of price and style. From perfume to bags and clothing, we have it all. Remind Burberry that its largest flagship store in the UK is located at 121 Regent Street, London, which is four floors high and covers an area of ??4,000 square meters.

Gucci

Although Gucci is an Italian brand, it has an absolute price advantage in the UK. Garfield's friend bought a classic shell bag in the UK, and the price is half of the price in China (after tax rebate). Reminder: The fifth Gucci flagship concept store in the world designed by Gucci director Frida Giannini is located on Sloane Street. The Sloaney bag series can only be purchased in this store!

Estee Lauder (Estee Lauder)

Estee Lauder is the most expensive skin care and cosmetics brand that Chinese people buy in the UK. There is no one (of course, if it is a brand that suits them). The price is almost half of that in China. The once popular Estee Lauder platinum luxury pet eye tight set is on sale for 38 pounds (approximately RMB 342), and a domestic brand store sells it for 1,080. So, the price comparison came out.

Lancome (Lancome)

Without further ado, let’s compare prices directly. Take 30ml Lanc?me Micro Repair Cream as an example. During the discount season, it is priced at 19 pounds (approximately 170 yuan), and 50ml is sold at domestic counters for 780 yuan.

Guerlain (Guerlain)

Guerlain takes the gold and diamond six-color eyeshadow that was previously popular on the market as an example. The British discount season is 29.5 pounds (approximately RMB 266), and the domestic counter price is 740 yuan.

1. Luxury goods

There are many large and small supermarkets in the UK, and here we will give you some comfort based on price levels.

High-end

Whole Foods

Originated from the American brand, it focuses on healthy and organic food. The same type of products is much higher than that of ordinary supermarkets, mainly concentrated in London.

Max Spencer

China’s Max Spencer is a British brand founded in Leeds in 1884; fruit thinning products are more expensive than ordinary supermarkets, and snacks and desserts are more prominent. variety and quality.

Waitrose

British local brands are mostly concentrated in office buildings and some wealthy areas, and are the main choice for white-collar workers.

Their characteristic is that they often have things that mass supermarkets do not have, and the overall style is that of a convenience store.

Earthquake

In other words, most people choose lifestyle supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, etc. There are also some cheap supermarkets in the UK. Supermarket prices are lower than average, but the freshness of social food needs to be carefully identified. The main brands include Morrisons (meat), Iceland (frozen fast food), Poundland (snacks), etc.

Food recommendation:

Müller

As the saying goes, "As deep as Müller and as deep as the sea", this description is more appropriate. Many students who have returned from studying abroad often miss British yogurt. Muller's is the UK's most popular yoghurt and continues to dominate the yoghurt market. This yogurt family is very large, with many varieties, including high-calorie and low-calorie routes. And they launch limited edition flavors every year, winning the hearts of a large number of diners. Among them, Garfield recommends adding rice to Miller rice, which tastes like pudding. By the way, Muller also has its own high-end series Muller Amore. Students who are not short of money can give it a try!

Ladies All-Butter Pistachio Almond Cookies

Pistachio cookies are one of Garfield’s favorite cookies in the UK, probably because I have a natural passion for pistachios. You can’t resist anything that smells like pistachios; this biscuit is creamy and mildly sweet, making it a perfect pairing with English black tea. This biscuit is also produced by M&S itself.

Tyril's

This kind of potato chips also has a Chinese name called "Xiaoxinxin Potato Chips". Judging from its outer packaging, it looks fresh and artistic, okay! Moreover, they are gluten-free, low-sugar and low-fat healthy potato chips (although they will still make you fat! Haha!). They also have many flavors, including vegetarian vegetable series, high-end black truffle flavor, and strange sweet potato flavor. It can be said that the taste is very wide, and it goes well with beer!

Aspall's

British fruit wine is one of the must-try soft drinks in the UK. Garfield recommends Aspall's here. The average alcohol concentration is about 5.5%, and there are a wide variety of fruits, such as apples, blueberries, grapes, candied dates, apricots, raspberries, etc. Moderate sweetness and rich foam. If you are a poor drinker, you can choose raspberry. The alcohol concentration is only 3.8%, so it is recommended if you don’t like sweetness.

2. Supermarket omnivorous article

The British health products must be Dutch Barrett (HB) in terms of price and effectiveness. In fact, this brand of health products has a certain reputation in China and has attracted a large number of fans. If you buy it in the UK, both the price and the variety will be better.

Office Renewal Series

High Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex

A combination tablet for bone health issues ideal for long hours at the office Worker or student at desk. It can effectively protect and maintain the connective tissue in the joints, allowing young people to jump after working overtime!

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an important component of retinal photopigments. Sufficient vitamin A can keep our eyes bright; after all, if your eyes are not good, how can you find yourself who has been separated for many years? What about your “boyfriend/girlfriend”?

Vitamin B

B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins. Excess B vitamins will be excreted from the body every day, so we need to supplement them every day. b can maintain the nervous system, relieve stress, eliminate fatigue, help prevent blood vessel occlusion, and maintain the health of the heart and blood vessels. This is simply a good medicine for us who are struggling on the front line in the office.

Natural Evening Primrose Oil Capsules

In general, this kind of capsule is mainly used to regulate endocrine disorders, especially for women, and can alleviate many problems such as irregular menstruation and acne. It is also said to have the effect of breast enlargement and weight loss.

Tocopherol

When it comes to beauty vitamin E, how can we have less? Delay aging, effectively reduce the occurrence of wrinkles, reduce scars and pigment deposition, etc. Anyway, there is nothing wrong with loving beauty and vitamin E!

HB has many types of health products, which are divided very finely according to the different needs of different groups of people. Therefore, before buying health care products, the most important thing is to check the demand and then go to a specialty store.

3. Health care products

Tax refund has always been a must-have issue when traveling to the UK, so Garfield, this time I have also summarized some basic information and precautions on UK tax refund, so that you can No more headaches with tax refunds.

1. Tax refund conditions

The UK stipulates that "visitors from non-EU countries can apply for tax refund". Students will only be able to get a tax refund if you return completely to your home country or have a valid visa in the UK for less than 3 months and can prove that you will be out of the EU for more than 12 months.

Not all items are refundable; the items listed above are non-refundable. In addition, you can only enjoy tax refunds when shopping at stores marked with the duty-free shopping logo. You can ask the merchant about this before purchasing. After purchase, the store will give you a tax refund form, which must be signed by both the buyer and the seller (otherwise it will be invalid)! Then take this form to the tax refund point to apply for a tax refund.

2. Tax refund process

Frequently asked questions about tax refund

Declaration: If tax refunded goods need to be consigned, they must be inspected at the customs before security inspection. However, if the unit price exceeds 250 pounds, it must be declared after security check, and the tax refund will be different.

Time: Generally, tax refunds take half an hour, and if there are many people, it will take longer; therefore, students who need tax refunds are advised to extend your normal arrival time at the airport by another hour.

Tax refund to card or cash: It is recommended to withdraw tax refund in cash. The time for tax refund to card cannot be controlled. It will take 2-7 months.

Tax refund fee: Generally 3.5 (some may charge 4.5). The tax refund amount is generally 10%-20% of the unit price of the product.

How to refund tax

It is recommended that small amounts be refunded before security check, and large amounts should be refunded after security check.

Airport tax refund points:

1. Heathrow Airport

T1 Terminal: No tax refund point (the original tax refund point was closed in 2015)< /p>

T2 Terminal: Inside and outside customs, global tax refund; outside customs on the 4th floor, inside customs on the 5th floor; time: 5:00am-22:00pm all week.

T3 Terminal: Inside and outside customs, global tax refund; outside customs on the first floor, inside customs on the boarding pass level; hours throughout the week: 6:30 am - 22:00.

T4 Terminal: Inside and outside the customs, global tax refund; outside is near the security area on the 2nd floor, and inside is on the 1st floor.

Terminal 5: Inside and outside customs, global tax refund; outside customs is on the 2nd floor, and inside customs is on the 3rd floor for check-in. Time: 6 a.m. - 22 p.m.

2. Gateway Airport

To get a tax refund at Gateway Airport, you need to go to the customs VAT office to get it stamped, and then go to the counter in the airport for a tax refund, which can be exchanged into any currency! There are three tax refund counters in the South Terminal and four in the North Terminal.

Tips:

There is a handling fee of GBP 4.50 for cash tax refund at Gatwick Airport, with a maximum of GBP 1,400 for a single person and a maximum of GBP 4,500 for card refunds.

3. Manchester Airport

T1 terminal: inside and outside the customs; the closed one is behind the duty-free shop, and the closed one is opposite the cashier of counter 16;

< p>Time: 5:5:30am-19:30pm all week

T2 pier: inside and outside customs; outside the customs is next to the duty-free shop, and inside the customs is near the check-in counter No. 1;

Times throughout the week: 6:00 am - 19:30.

T3 terminal: inside and outside the customs; the enclosed one is next to WHSmith, and the enclosed one is opposite the American Airlines check-in counter.

Time throughout the week: 6:00 am - 17:00.

Tip:

All tax refund points at Manchester Airport only refund tourists.

4. Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport also has only tourist tax refund points, one in the T1 terminal and one in the T2 terminal. T1 is located at 1L after security check, from Monday to Saturday from 4:00 am to 22:00 am; T2 before security check, from 4:00 am to 21:15 am.

Other tax refund points:

1 Bicester Village

The tax refund point is next to the Bicester Tourist Service Center. Working hours are Monday to Friday, Sunday 9:30 am to 19:30 pm, Saturday 8:30 am to 20:30 pm. Only local tax refund forms are accepted, but the maximum cash refund is 2,000/person.

2. Chester Shopping Village

Tax refund point store coordinate number: CH659JJ Working hours are 10:00-20:00 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 on Saturday -20:00, Sunday morning 10:00-18:00. Only local tax refunds are accepted, with a maximum tax refund of ￡500 for a single cash payment.

3. Harrods Department Store in London

The working hours on the second floor of Harrods Department Store are Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 20:00 pm, Sunday 11:30 am to 18:00 pm. Only tax refund forms for goods purchased at Harrods department stores are accepted, and a single person can receive a tax refund of up to ￡5,000.

4. Bond Street

The coordinate number of the tax refund point shop is W1C2JW. The working hours are: 8:00-12:00 in the morning, 19:00-22:00 in the afternoon; only Local tax refunds are accepted, and the maximum tax refund for a single cash person is 500/person.

5. Edinburgh

The tax refund point in Edinburgh is at Waverley Shopping Center