What I saw in the Pound Shop today

**MrMark** · 23 October 2010, 20:14

Originally posted by TimberWolf View Post

Lots of stuff for a Pound. It's worth a visit just for a laugh at what you can buy for a Pound. A pack of 35 Biros (well, biro-look-a-likes). A socket set. A set of spanners (which I bought for the car, to go in the tool bag I bought for £1 last week), a ratchet and socket set. A wind up torch on a key ring! It's got a little handle that you wind and two LEDs. Very cute. I bought this to hang in my tent, as it takes up little room in a rucksack. A box of After Eight's. And lots and lots more. A highly entertaining visit as usual. You do have to watch out you don't end up buying carp of course.

I always wondered how on Earth they made money. Apparently though they have a rather cunning business plan - They buy their stock from the 99p shop and hope for a high turnover...

**Gonzo** · 23 October 2010, 21:25

There are loads of them where I live now, except they are called $2 stores rather than Pound Shops.

They are all run by immigrants from China or nearby. I have long suspected that they are just a front to enable them to get residency through business-visas. I cannot believe that there is really a demand for the number of these shops that there are.

It is the spelling on the packaging that always cracks me up. I was in one yesterday (not through choice, I can't keep Mrs Gonzo out of them) and one of the 'products' on sale was a little kit that enabled you to tranform into a geek - glasses and bad teeth. It was called an

Instant Geak Set

**MikeC1408** · 23 October 2010, 21:31

Originally posted by TimberWolf View Post

You do have to watch out you don't end up buying carp of course.

Hmmmmmm, sounds a bit fishy to me

**Clippy** · 23 October 2010, 21:47

It's interesting to see how times change.

When these stores first appeared years ago, they mainly sold non-branded Chinese tat.

Nowadays, they deal with branded manufacturers who call on them to sell off excess inventory or cancelled orders.

Their buying power is so large that manufacturers will now do production runs specifically for them in customised product sizes.

However, have read a few articles that say margins are very tight hence the need to sell in seriously large volumes.

**Troll** · 23 October 2010, 21:51

I bought an collapsible umbrella in a poundland in Bristol earlier this year... still have it

**d000hg** · 23 October 2010, 21:51

Yeah they frequently have branded chocolates, etc - but the fun is going into a shop that isn't a generic supermarket... you never quite know what you'll find. One near us even has an erotic DVD section... though I don't know what kind of porn you get for a quid

**TimberWolf** · 23 October 2010, 22:20

Originally posted by Troll View Post

I bought an collapsible umbrella in a poundland in Bristol earlier this year... still have it

This is the very store of which I speak. At least, assuming you mean the massive one in Broadmead. Used to be a Primark, who are now where John Lewis used to be? Both going up in the world, size wise.

**thunderlizard** · 23 October 2010, 22:20

There used to be a 98p shop on the Seven Sisters Road.

**Troll** · 23 October 2010, 22:22

Originally posted by TimberWolf View Post

This is the very store of which I speak. At least, assuming you mean the massive one in Broadmead. Used to be a Primark, who are now where John Lewis used to be? Both going up in the world, size wise.

That's the one - saw some interesting people going into Bristol poundlasnd & Primark

What I saw in the Pound Shop today