FORMER Next worker Natalie Brookson has spilled sale secrets from the fashion and homeware chain.
Natalie, 36, from South Wales, worked at Next during its legendary sales.
The retail chains is legendary for its sales offering up to 70% off some items.
Eager shoppers queue from long before the store opens to get a prized position near the front so they can be one of the first into store.
But knowing Natalie’s savvy tips will help you to ensure that you really are getting a good deal and you’re not getting out of bed unnecessarily early.
In the lead up to the Boxing Day sale, stock can start being brought out in large quantities and are put all together on rails that run along the wall.
Staff also start to code up the tickets on clothes in preparation.
Natalie revealed: “If you’ve been shopping in store in the weeks leading up to Christmas and have seen a code that’s been hand written on to the swing ticket.”
“That’s your indication that it’s going into the sale. The letter is for staff but the number is the price that’s it’s going down to.”
When it comes to clothes, you may think that everything on the shop floor is going into the sale but that’s not strictly true.
A lot of the current stock that you’ll have seen when browsing, gets moved back into the store room to make way for the sale items.
And it won’t be brought out again until floor space starts to clear from the sale stock.
Natalie said: “A lot of stock that hits the shop floor for the sales is previous seasons or clothes that didn’t sell well.”
“So, for example a jumper that was priced highly at £80, or was an odd colour, and for those reasons couldn’t be shifted, find themselves in the sale.”
Mostly, reveals the former worker, it’s the old stock that is heavily reduced at 70 or 50%, the things you’ve seen more recently might not be reduced as much as that.
Now, if you’re after furniture, the ex-display sofas you’ve been taking a five minutes rest on while out shopping will have a heavily reduced price tag.
She said: “The majority of the furniture goes on sale online but the ex-display items can be an absolute steal.
“Although you will need to be at the store early if you’re intending on bagging a sofa or sideboard.”
Although in Natalie’s experience it’s not essential to be there early if you just want to go and browse what’s in the sale.
Suggesting arriving late morning once the rush has gone and the store has been tidied again for a more pleasant shopping experience.
She said: “There will still be lots of bargains left, there is so much stock that gets put out and despite the early shoppers grabbing arms of clothes, there is always a good selection of items left.”
Next stores now open from 6am but the sale starts online on Christmas Day at around midnight so that will save you time and dragging yourself out of bed at an early hour of the morning.
You can find your nearest branch by using the Next store locator.
When Natalie worked in Next the store wouldn’t process refunds or exchanges during Boxing Day sale.
She said: “I can remember the face of a customer who had queued for hours to return some unwanted gifts only to be told it wasn’t possible.
“Obviously, they were really disappointed.”
Although nothing is highlighted on the Next Christmas returns policy with regards to limitations on when you can return items.
Items ordered online or in store between October 25 and December 25 can be returned right up until January 5.
And if you received a gift that either doesn’t fit or you simply don’t like it take it back to a Next near you and you will be offered an exchange or a refund card for the value of the item.
All the details are on the website.
We did ask Next to clarify that returns could be processed from Boxing Day but they didn’t respond.
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
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