It’s been there for us through and through; from that one time you needed that last minute - cheap- purchase for a night out, for the times you couldn’t afford to go to Topshop because you went into your overdraft, for the excuse to buy a onesie, or for the time you realised that you’re in dire need of an underwear fix.
Primark- or Primani has it all.
It’s the ultimate student-friendly high street gem lending us a cheap and cheerful alternative from the other slightly more expensive high street brands out there. Let’s be honest though, the budget king that was Primark has put its prices up. It’s also extremely messy - ALWAYS - so no matter how many people are recovering a section, it’s still a nightmare to shop in. So here are a few tips to make your shopping experience less of a mission impossible for a somewhat tolerable one.
Always check the price signs properly.
Imagine you’ve been waiting a good 10 minutes in the queue and it’s finally your turn to be served next. You walk up to the counter with a dress you believe to be £10, but low and behold, a nasty surprise flashes on the register.
“Um, excuse me but I thought the dress was £10? The sign definitely said it was £10”
The cashier shows you the price tag, it’s actually £14.00. Oh.
So you think, well I guess it’s only 4 quid and you’re in a rush. Fine. So you buy the dress anyway. But you could have sworn the sign said it was for a tenner…?
Well it did, but perhaps you failed to notice the teeny- tiny “From” strategically placed before the supposed, larger printed price. Any item on the rail or table you were looking through is from a certain price. This is especially the case for folded items like jeans or t-shirts. Always check the price tag on the item to see if it matches the price sign to avoid any disappointment once getting to the tills.
Don’t trust the hangers.
Any experienced Primark shopper knows NOT to trust the size the hanger says. Usually the store is such a mess that clothes are just flung onto any given hanger, even if it’s not the right size. Check the label before you pay for the item. It will definitely save you from coming back and queuing up for customer service!
Always check the shoes are in the correct pair.
Because the shoe aisle is the messiest section of the store (alongside the underwear section).
They don’t have your size?
Nonsense! Primark always tend to overstock and still have MORE in the stock-room. Just kindly ask an employee to go and check if they have anymore. If they don’t there’s always bound to be another delivery sometime soon. Or to save time you could check one of the many other branches around town!
The art of the paper bag.
Is annoying. If you think your items are too heavy for the bag ask the cashier at the till to double-up your bags. The last thing you want is the bag to rip on the bus revealing ALL those cute french knickers you picked up for a £1 each...
Need to return something?
You don’t always have to go back to the same Primark you bought your purchase from if you want to return or exchange it. How inconvenient would that be, say, if you bought something from one whilst visiting your mate at uni only to find out much later (returning home later) that it is damaged. As long as you have the receipt you can return any Primark item to any Primark store.
No receipt?
It’s OK, I’ve heard Primark will still allow an exchange for the current price of the item you want to return. Go ahead.
The final and most important tip of all:
Check your items!!!
Especially if they happen to be jewellery, underwear or cosmetics because Primark do not accept these if you want to return them. If you have your eye on a necklace- check that it’s in tact. Wanna by a tin of lipgloss? Check it hasn’t been imprinted by another’s fingers. If you want to buy a four pack of underwear check they haven’t been opened or you’re more than likely to open a packet of underwear with an array of different sizes… (I’m being serious).
Good luck!
Image from: Wikipedia.com