My shopping adventures in United Kingdom

Let me first tell you about Dubai Airport.
We had only 4 hours between two flights at this amazing airport. The shopping complex at the Dubai International airport is an unique experience. And to all passengers who are planning to change flights at Dubai, I would suggest to plan an itinerary that at least half a day is available between arriving and departing flights.

This renowned facility offers 5,400 square metres of shopper's paradise within the new terminal and is  known as Dubai Duty Free. Imagine a rectangular, centrally air conditioned, massive construction .Designed in a way that it resembles a ship .The runways & taxiways are seen at a glance from the cool glazing on either sides

In this mammoth building ,there are well organised shops offering wide range of top quality merchandise which include jewellery, electronics, cosmetics, liquor, luxury goods, sports equipment, designer wear, children's' wear, toys, books etc

Each commodity has been housed in a dedicated area. Dubai Duty Free was the first of its kind in the Middle East and has won over 70 international awards since 1983 and is known as a global trendsetter.

What we really liked that the visit to shopping becomes an easy affair between two flights. The airport logistics has been planned in such a way that after the security check, one is automatically led to departure lounge through this shopping plaza.

One can get a trolley in the arrival lounge, load the baggage and keep on walking in the entire shopping plaza without any restrictions. There are ramps, elevators and also the horizontal automated walk ways if you get tired.

Now let us talk about my shopping at & around Leeds:

So far we have shopped at M & S, Staples, Craft,Mother care, Sportsdirect.com , Pound world, Pound stretcher,Tesco Express, Tesco Metro express,Body shop, Morrison, Curry's, ASDA & Argos.

We also bought items from Leeds city market.
We took our meals at Subway,MacDonald, Burger King etc.

At Leeds ,there is a Crown Point Shopping Park established in the year 1989.
This also offers a different shopping experience .One can spend the entire day here just browsing through the different products in so many shops.

Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Village, Castle ford is simply amazing. There is a village called Glasshoughton near Leeds.A shopping center has been developed here. It has lots of famous brands available  in  92 shops at a single place.
It takes about 15 to 20 minutes by train from Leeds to Glasshoughton.
Junction 32 is located at a walking distance from this station.
On weekends ,you can  find families arriving here by their four wheelers. Couples shopping, Kids enjoying in the various amusement items.Its the scenereoof a picnic spot.
For kids, there are enough sport facilities in the same premises. On weekends, there are special festivals organised for the entire family.When we went there, we saw, among other attractions, the Bungy ride with trampoline, Face painting , baby train , the titanic ride etc.

The unique shopping experiences :

1.There is no selling as such. You visit any shop, you are moving ,purchasing on your own motivation .There is no restriction to your movements.You can go to any part of the stores.Pick up any product,review it, no one will lift an eye brow.
Of course, this sign board is always there for fragile things put to sell
" All breakages shall have to be compensated in full "

2.What I also liked in all the places I shopped, there is no security guard at the Entrance/Exit gates.

The reason is that all these shops are monitored by the CCTV (Closed circuit televisions) There is always a statutory warning near those CCTV cameras " These premises are under 24 hours electronic surveillance "

3.Another notable thing I liked on all these shops is the presence of price tags .No one needs to ask the shop keeper about any price. On each product, you shall find the price tag .If there is a discount available, it is also marked on same tag.

4. Most of the shops, there is no one supervising or watching your movements across the shop.Therefore it becomes a rather unique feeling to move around exploring the shop.You may just enjoy the various products, the styles, the types etc.there is no one to promote the product.

5.For viewing the product, you don't have to request any one.Just go pick the product from the shelf and have a detailed look .If you are satisfied with what is written on the label or packing, you buy it.If it is not what you are looking for, simply put  it back on the shelf.

6.Even if you are in a shop for a long time and return from the shop empty handed ( means without buying any thing), there is no question asked to you. This is what I really liked.

7.Another thing I liked that the shopping carts are readily available.You can pick it up and start wheeling inside the shop. There are some shops ( Like Continental shop which is famous for the wide range of Asian provisions ), where you get the shopping cart after inserting a coin of 1£ in the same.

8.The same system I had also observed at the Manchester airport.When you land on the airport and collect the baggage from the conveyor, there are trolleys stacked just nearby.
You need to insert a 1 £ coin in the last trolley of the line , and this  trolley becomes free .
You can take it, use it and when you are boarding your cab from the parking, there shall be a similar trolley line nearby.Just take your empty trolley, insert the chain from the previous trolley into your trolley and the coin props up for you to collect.

9.I also obserbed that in food items, the following details shall always be  available on the packing :
1.Contents.2. Shelf life . 3 Display limit date  4.Bar code

10.All the big shops we visited had computerised billing system.
Only In smaller shops ( like in Leeds city market ) the purchase price is told verablly and there is no billing

( specially the vegetable shops ).

11..Which ever shops I have seen so far, there is absolutely no bargaining what ever.If you like a product, if you find that the price is acceptable to you, just buy it.If  not, just walk out.No questions are asked to you.

12..I also liked the practice that when you are visiting some small shops ( bakery, poultry or meat shops, the shop owner shall certainly greet you, smile at you and certainly asks " May I help you".
To many such greetings I simply say  " Oh we are just visiting nothing to buy as such " and there is just a smile from the shopkeeper  ( No frowns .. ).
[ Big shops, on the other hand are quite neutral to your arrival as well departure )

12.Provision of Ramps/slopes:
One concept I liked every where is the provision to walk without stepping up/down .
Let me explain, if there is a disabled person moving around in wheel chair or a young couple is walking their baby in a pram , they need not be bothered by the steps .
Every where, there are ramps.Even while crossing a street, while arriving from a path way to the street , there shall be a ramp .Same thing is when approaching a path way from a street.Same concept when one enters a building from the street.There is always a ramp along side the steps.

If it is not on the front side along with the steps, you shall invariably find this sign,"There is a separate entrance for the disabled from the rear side"

In fact, that is something I always liked, the physically challenged persons moving around in their own wheel chairs or automated wheel chairs with ease. Once I observed an old mom being attended by her young daughter in a train.On arriving at the railway station ,the daughter helped her mom on the platform, just opened the folding wheel chair and the old mom was on her own in moments. The stepless walking is so convinient  for all.

So, friends, these were some of my observations.Hope you enjoyed the same.