Shopping in London
August 23, 2010 4:33 AM Subscribe
I will be visiting London for two weeks or so in mid September this year, and I will be doing a lot of shopping.
Since I have been recently working and living in Egypt, I intend to buy myself a new phone and some electronics, and maybe clothes. (electronics here are too expensive and not everything is available)
My question basically is what are some good websites for phones that deliver to the UK. I know such things are much cheaper in the US, but I am not visiting there anytime soon.
If there are actual stores that have good prices, that would be great as well.
I will be placing my orders before visiting to allow time to reach there and for me to pick them up during my stay.
My question basically is what are some good websites for phones that deliver to the UK. I know such things are much cheaper in the US, but I am not visiting there anytime soon.
If there are actual stores that have good prices, that would be great as well.
I will be placing my orders before visiting to allow time to reach there and for me to pick them up during my stay.
It is getting incredible difficult to simply walk into a phone store in London, ask for a simple product or chat about which is best out of a group of similar products, and walk out within 30 minutes having exchanged cash for said product. The old capitalist fantasy of "heyy! I have money I want to spend, can you help me?" no longer applies in phone shops in the UK because......
I'm getting angry just thinking about the huge number of time-suck reasons and other frustrations I could put down here which make this so but please trust me. Use a comparison website for prices and then order on amazon.
Regarding clothes, if you give more detail of what you need I know a Mefite in London who is simply THE google madame of the internet as it applies to UK possibilities and we can send your details to her. I kid you not. Whether actual meatspace shops or online possibilities, give her some price ranges and age/size and we'll see if she's feeling creative. Memail me for details.
posted by Wilder at 5:26 AM on August 23, 2010
I'm getting angry just thinking about the huge number of time-suck reasons and other frustrations I could put down here which make this so but please trust me. Use a comparison website for prices and then order on amazon.
Regarding clothes, if you give more detail of what you need I know a Mefite in London who is simply THE google madame of the internet as it applies to UK possibilities and we can send your details to her. I kid you not. Whether actual meatspace shops or online possibilities, give her some price ranges and age/size and we'll see if she's feeling creative. Memail me for details.
posted by Wilder at 5:26 AM on August 23, 2010
London is nothing special for electronics but it is the city for men's clothing, especially of the hand-tailored variety, so I would encourage you to focus on that. Not just Savile Row, but the whole damn city.
Shut up, Hong Kong.
posted by rokusan at 5:38 AM on August 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
Shut up, Hong Kong.
posted by rokusan at 5:38 AM on August 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would avoid Tottenham Court Road for your electronics. People seem to think they can get a good deal there but I tend to find the internet to be far better and significantly more co-operative if something goes wrong with the product. After a couple of iffy products from those guys, I refuse to shop there.
What phone do you want? If you're looking for an iPhone then it'll be about the same price wherever you go - so you might as well pop into the Apple store on either Regents Street or the new one in Covent Garden.
posted by mr_silver at 6:05 AM on August 23, 2010
What phone do you want? If you're looking for an iPhone then it'll be about the same price wherever you go - so you might as well pop into the Apple store on either Regents Street or the new one in Covent Garden.
posted by mr_silver at 6:05 AM on August 23, 2010
TCR is definitely caveat emptor territory, though it's definitely better if you have established relationships with shops there.
For top-end electronics online, especially unlocked phones, then Expansys comes to mind; they list at Amazon.co.uk.
(Clotheswise, if I were back in London on a flying visit, I'd be braving the Oxford Street Uniqlo for basics.)
posted by holgate at 7:21 AM on August 23, 2010
For top-end electronics online, especially unlocked phones, then Expansys comes to mind; they list at Amazon.co.uk.
(Clotheswise, if I were back in London on a flying visit, I'd be braving the Oxford Street Uniqlo for basics.)
posted by holgate at 7:21 AM on August 23, 2010
Yes, I was going to say Uniqlo. I'm female and know nothing about men's clothing really but I tend to go there for jumpers and such. They have an online shop that delivers to UK addresses. What do you want - formal/casual? cheap/longer-lasting? Classic/vintage? There are so many places here that it's hard to give generic suggestions.
mrsilver, I had a bad experience ordering a new laptop online so went to TCR. I was worried I'd get some kind of bad tourist deal but it was cheaper than online and I was happy to avoid postage fees and have it to take away with me on my trip the next day.
posted by mippy at 8:57 AM on August 23, 2010
mrsilver, I had a bad experience ordering a new laptop online so went to TCR. I was worried I'd get some kind of bad tourist deal but it was cheaper than online and I was happy to avoid postage fees and have it to take away with me on my trip the next day.
posted by mippy at 8:57 AM on August 23, 2010
Agreeing with all of the above on ordering in advance via Amazon.co.uk - really are unbeatable.
Uniqlo is great for clothes - I also like Zara (conveniently located on Oxford Street near one of the Uniqlo stores) and Ted Baker (nearby on Regent Street). The latter two are pricier than Uniqlo by a fair margin.
posted by CRM114 at 11:44 AM on August 23, 2010
Uniqlo is great for clothes - I also like Zara (conveniently located on Oxford Street near one of the Uniqlo stores) and Ted Baker (nearby on Regent Street). The latter two are pricier than Uniqlo by a fair margin.
posted by CRM114 at 11:44 AM on August 23, 2010
Response by poster: Great suggestions guys, thanks!
Wilder, I will do that once I give it more thought, I still don't know exactly what my need is and what will be my budget, but for sure I need some dressy clothes, maybe a suit even for meetings and such.
mr_silver, I am considering of getting an android phone and in particular HTC Desire, unlocked of course.
Whatever phone I settle on, I will end up ordering online without actually "feeling" it in my hand. Phones are very personal and I hate the idea of ordering something like that without even seeing it in real.
I have a lot of research to do still...
posted by convex at 1:21 PM on August 23, 2010
Wilder, I will do that once I give it more thought, I still don't know exactly what my need is and what will be my budget, but for sure I need some dressy clothes, maybe a suit even for meetings and such.
mr_silver, I am considering of getting an android phone and in particular HTC Desire, unlocked of course.
Whatever phone I settle on, I will end up ordering online without actually "feeling" it in my hand. Phones are very personal and I hate the idea of ordering something like that without even seeing it in real.
I have a lot of research to do still...
posted by convex at 1:21 PM on August 23, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:36 AM on August 23, 2010