The Best Shopping Stores in the UK
Topshop is the king of the high street, but how can you get a new look at an affordable price without breaking the bank? Boots is essential for everyone’s health and wellbeing, and Matalan sells homeware at an affordable price. But if you’re looking for the best shopping store in the UK, then Amazon UK should be at the top of your list. With so many options available, you can find the best bargains and save money in the process.
Topshop is the king of the high street
Sir Philip Green, the man behind the British fashion retailer, has been accused of being a shrewd asset trader when he bought the British fashion brand Topshop from Arcadia in 2004. He wanted to prove to the fashion industry that he could build a business and had therefore brought in Kate Moss as a designer. But he didn’t take action and the business collapsed. Sir Philip was subsequently knighted in a ceremony to celebrate his success in retail.
Despite the fact that Topshop has survived the downturn, the group’s fortunes are at stake. Sir Philip’s stake in Topshop and rival Topman was sold for a fraction of the value of the original investment, leaving the company with a PS500 million deficit. While Topshop’s business strategy is based on increasing sales, its profits have plummeted. Sales have slumped in recent years because younger shoppers have switched to price-sensitive brands and Instagram favorites, and the brand’s rivals have slid in the same way. Meanwhile, Sir Philip has been the subject of scandal over the past three years, including allegations of sexual harassment and pension mismanagement.
While Topshop boasts over 300 high-street stores worldwide, its brick-and-mortar stores have fallen victim to the online shopping boom. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a drastic drop in footfall. With sales falling at a record low, the British fashion brand is expected to close a record number of stores by 2020. Despite the challenges, Topshop has managed to reinvent itself into a high-street institution.
Arcadia had been a mainstay of British retail for more than a century, and Topshop was a star attraction. Its multi-million-pound partnership with Beyonce and Kate Moss led to lucrative contracts and front-row appearances at London Fashion Week. Topshop’s success was so great that it was given priority over rival brands. But it didn’t last long.
Arcadia’s collapse is a new low in Green’s career. While once regarded as the “king of the high street”, Arcadia is now the subject of racial and sexual harassment accusations. Green is also accused of living in Monaco, where he is photographed on his 295-foot yacht. He used to commute to London by private jet. It’s also not clear if he is still living there, but the recent collapse of Arcadia is an unfortunate setback for the business.
Boot is a pharmacy
As the cornerstone of UK healthcare, Boots is transforming the way that it delivers health care to the public. Operating in stores and online, it now aims to become the first choice for health, beauty, and pharmacy products. To deliver this transformation, Boots needed support from Accenture to develop a digital platform with the flexibility and scalability to scale effectively and rapidly. Accenture helped Boots launch a new pharmacy business and repeat prescription service within seven months, and lays the foundation for the next phase of the organization – the next generation of its online pharmacy.
In addition to offering a full range of pharmaceutical products, Boots also strives to be environmentally friendly. To this end, the company invests in energy-efficient technologies and strives to reduce energy consumption in its stores. Founded in 1844, the Boots brand now boasts over 2,500 stores throughout the UK. In 2012, Boots combined with Walgreens to form Boots, a global leader in pharmacy-led health and wellbeing retail.
The survey was sent to all chemists in the PDA and attracted 1,988 responses. Of these responses, six hundred and twenty-four were from pharmacists working in Boots. The results showed that pharmacists at Boots are under a great deal of pressure and many routinely dispense medicines without anyone noticing. They also report that they often dispense medicines without even bothering to check the contents of the bottles.
In the 1960s, Boots diversified into drug research. The company was responsible for the development of ibuprofen, which has cured millions of people from colds and flu. Its founders, John and Stewart Adams, received the Queen’s Award for Technical Achievement in 1987. By the end of the decade, Boots had opened its thousandth pharmacy in Scotland, and in 1936, it established its first store in New Zealand.
In 2007, TDR Capital, a private equity firm based in the UK, backed a bid plan for Boots. The investment group also owns the supermarket chain Asda. Together, they operate a small network of pharmacies in the UK. But TDR Capital faces stiff competition from U.S. investment firms such as Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners. Other investment firms like Apollo and Sycamore Partners are also in the running for Boots.
Matalan is an affordable homeware store
If you’re looking for cheap homeware and furniture, Matalan might be the place for you. The chain has around 230 branches in the UK and was hailed as a crucial and essential retailer by the government. In March, Matalan announced that it was closing its stores, but that government guidance has now changed to allow the homeware store to open again. On Monday, May 18, Matalan opened its doors again to welcome shoppers. It is worth visiting one of the stores that have been closed since the recession hit. The stores are out-of-town retail parks and have large homeware departments and ample parking space.
In addition to selling affordable homeware, Matalan has launched a new brand, Matalan Direct, which sells larger home furnishings and home improvement items. The new website is separate from the retail stores. It will also sell bathroom products. The retailer has big plans to expand into home improvements, taking on companies like Wickes, Homebase, and B&Q. The store’s new website will also integrate commerce with content, providing inspiration articles to customers as they browse.
The company is renowned for its value for money and has more than twelve million customers a year. As a family-owned company, Matalan aims to provide affordable clothing, footwear, and homeware for all members of the family. The company’s family-friendly criteria have led to awards such as the Mumsnet Family Friendly Awards. The company has also won numerous other awards, including the prestigious ‘Best UK Retailer’ and ‘Best Family Friendly’.
Amazon UK is the best shopping store in the UK
If you’re in the UK and you’re looking for a good online retail store, consider checking out Amazon UK. The online retail giant’s UK branch is booming. Not only do they offer a huge range of products, but they also ship to the UK. In fact, Amazon has surpassed other online retail giants in sales since the company opened in the U.K. and Europe. And, of course, you can find UK-only products.
Amazon has opened its first ‘4-star’ store outside the US. The new store will offer 2,000 products rated four or higher. The store will stock a wide range of items, ranging from Lego sets to kitchen gadgets. The new store will also have a large tech section, selling items such as Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets. Besides that, the new store will have a wish list section for shoppers to add to their shopping list.
Customers can shop by themselves with Amazon Go. Customers can shop solo by scanning a QR code at turnstiles, where a camera and weight sensor will record their purchases and charge them. Moreover, items they buy online can be returned to the store even if they are not packaged properly. Amazon executives declined to say how many more stores they plan to open in the UK. So, for now, Amazon UK is the best shopping store in the UK.
Amazon has also expanded its physical presence in the U.K. It operates 17 brick-and-mortar stores and has opened the first Amazon salon outside of the U.S. Its stores are located in shopping centres in Kent and London, around 18 miles south of the capital. Before the U.K. acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon’s presence in the UK was limited to eight Whole Foods locations. These stores predate Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods in 2017.
As for the high street, Argos is an old favourite. With its warehouse-style approach to selling items, Argos is still one of the largest retail outlets in the country. It is a great place to find bargains. It also offers free home delivery and reserve items online. However, Argos’ online presence is lagging behind its competitor in the computer electronics sector. It also has a Deal of the Day promo for those who are on a budget.