Pro-bono Promo

Everyone loves a freebie. Everyone loves saving money. Everyone loves getting a bargain. How many times have you had this conversation?

“That top’s nice. Where did you get it?”

“Thanks! It’s from Topshop. It was only £10! It was a right bargain!”

Promotional items come in the form of: buy 2 for a reduced price instead of 1 at a higher price, buy one get one free, save X%, get a free item with purchase of a larger item. Promotional items kick start selling for a retailer, encourage you to spend money and think you are getting a bargain.

Promotional items will, more often than not, have entered the shop floor at their original higher price then been placed on promotion a couple of weeks later. For instance – knitwear. The winter of 2011 was mild and purse strings were tight so as retailers flooded their shopfloors with knitwear and coats, shoppers weren’t enticed. So M&S launched a 25% off all knitwear promotion over a weekend in December. Supported by graphics in the window and adverts on the TV, shoppers flocked.

More recently you will see new SS12 stock emerging at the front of the shop and in window displays and some of it will be on promo - this is to get you spending. These lines will also end up on promotion as the season progresses because when the best of the new SS12 stock hits down, this takes precedent over the "old" lines. It's a funny time - we want new season clothes but the weather dictates otherwise so we are left with these gorgeous spring colours and the odd bit of sartorial sailor ware (that old nautical trend rearing its head again) whilst the January cold dares us even to remove that big winter coat. So always watch what is on promotion. If you see rack upon rack of clothes on promotion they are destined for the next sale. And then you can save even more money!

Til next time...x