The first retail stores in UK began fluorishingduring in the 1800s and by now they very often are part of retail chain. But in such case, how do we know which are the best and how are they rated? Most of the time, as purchasers, we look for the quality of the products they offer, the pricing for the brand-name goods, the discounts and the variety of the goods.
According to Ranker the king of all department stores is John Lewis followed by Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Harrods, Fenwick, Liberty, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and The Range to name only the first ten.
Another way to classify the retail stores would be to see into what are we looking for to buy.
Need RELIABLE BRITISH CLASSICS? – you will be at the best shopping at John Lewis and Marks & Spencer.
- John Lewis: Definitively number one when you look for all sorts of everyday goods with the best quality and affordable prices. It is a very reliable chain store where you will find school uniforms, bedlinens, down comforters, towels and bathroom products, appliances, tv-sets, cameras and small electronics, fabrics, curtains, clothings, beauty and shoes for men, women and children. As if that would be not enough, you will find there also classic and modern furniture and lighting and all sorts of garden products. The store offers also gift ideas that match typical British taste. There are 51 stores of John Lewis located all over England and Scotland, the most of them in the largest cities.
- Marks & Spencer. This retail store, known all over the world, specializes in high-quality British clothing for women, men and children and the stores are practically everywhere, in every market town. The largest stores have also grocery departments.
Shopping in the so called LONDON THREE: Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and Liberty. These three department stores are unique to London. They have no branches anywhere else in England except of small duty-free gift shopes at the airports. The luxury goods offered there are very expensive and not for average tourist pocket but browsing through all kinds of their merchandise floors is like walking through an anormous jewel box. A sheer pleasure for eyes.
For EVERYDAY SHOPPING go to John Lewis , House of Fraser or Debenhams. Debenhams department store is like John Lewis with relatively lower prices but not as good quality of the goods as John Lewis. House of Fraser on the other hand sells many exclusive designer products with price level rather not to moderate. In comparison of all three John Lewis still falls in the best category.
If you like to BUY CHEAP and cheer you up with lowest prices you definitively need to visit Primark. It is an Irish retailer company that started arround fifteen years ago in UK and is developing fast. They sell clothing, home products and beauty products. Prices are cheap but the quality of goods is also cheap. Clothing sold by Primark are manufactured in the developing countries and one can be certain that the workers there are underpaid for their work. However, if you need something quickly and do not worry about to throw the item away, this would be the store to visit.
Best FASHION AND LUXURIES are always offered at Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges and Fenwick.
Harvey Nichols is trendy, full of top designer products and very expensive. The emphasize in this store is top women fashion and beauty. Selfridges is this kind of retail stores for which you would need full day trip. They have everything you can imagine starting from fashion and finishing by designer furniture, technologies and home products. Its flagship store on Oxford street is the largest department store in the world and you can buy there a pound of patatoes as well as diamond-encrusted headphones. If you like to buy something that nobody else has it and it is very atypical. you will have to visit Fenwick. This is also a retail store known to support tastes of local people. In this way the selling goods differ from county to county.
Grazyna