Product Description

By 2008 the clothing market will be worth an estimated 22.2 billion. Womenswear accounts for over 60 per cent of the apparel retail market in Britain. Where you shop is more important than ever to the high street, but how you shop is even more important to you. "How To Shop" looks at shopping through the other end of the telescope: from the consumer's point of view. Mary lets us in on the tricks and tips she's learned from her years at the leading edge of fashion retailing with the ultimate insider's guide to how to get the most out of shops. When to hit the sales, how to read a shop window, who you are as a shopper in the eyes of the retail trade, and how to transform arrogant shop assistants into willing slaves. "How To Shop" tells you everything you wanted to know about shopping but were too afraid to ask. Mary Portas is the woman who turned Harvey Nichols from the place you went to get your Barbour repaired and your tiara polished to a modern powerhouse of fashion and style. Today, she's one of the most respected figures in the fashion industry, she runs her own retail consultancy, Yellowdoor, and writes a regular shop review column for "The Saturday Telegraph". What Mary doesn't know about shops isn't worth knowing. Combining must have tips and tricks with a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the world's top fashion retailers, "How To Shop" is the ultimate 21st century guide to shopping. Don't leave home without it!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9474 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Glamour
'The BBC's Mary, Queen of Shops shares her essential tricks, tips and advice, making this the 21st century shopping guide you simply can't be without'

Synopsis
By 2008 the clothing market will be worth an estimated 22.2 billion. Womenswear accounts for over 60 per cent of the apparel retail market in Britain. Where you shop is more important than ever to the high street, but how you shop is even more important to you. "How To Shop" looks at shopping through the other end of the telescope: from the consumer's point of view. Mary lets us in on the tricks and tips she's learned from her years at the leading edge of fashion retailing with the ultimate insider's guide to how to get the most out of shops. When to hit the sales, how to read a shop window, who you are as a shopper in the eyes of the retail trade, and how to transform arrogant shop assistants into willing slaves. "How To Shop" tells you everything you wanted to know about shopping but were too afraid to ask. Mary Portas is the woman who turned Harvey Nichols from the place you went to get your Barbour repaired and your tiara polished to a modern powerhouse of fashion and style. Today, she's one of the most respected figures in the fashion industry, she runs her own retail consultancy, Yellowdoor, and writes a regular shop review column for "The Saturday Telegraph".

What Mary doesn't know about shops isn't worth knowing. Combining must have tips and tricks with a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the world's top fashion retailers, "How To Shop" is the ultimate 21st century guide to shopping. Don't leave home without it!

From the Publisher
Fashion and retail guru Mary Portas gives you an insider's guide to the fine art of shopping.

Customer Reviews

More Please
Feel Fab at 50

As an image professional who spends time shopping with and for clients, I get to know which shops look after their customers and which do not. Mary's book, and her whole philosophy, is knowing your customer and giving them what they want in a great environment. I liked her book, her tribes were recognisable and her advice sound. I just wish more retailers would sit up and take notice, especially those who sould be catering for the over 40's woman!

Very poor excuse for getting cash from TV programme fans
This really is a very disappointing book indeed. I have read it from cover to cover and have not found a single point which is new or enlightening. Like many people, I am a fan of Mary's TV show and enjoy seeing how her expertise and contacts in the field can turn around the ailing boutiques of this country. However, this book is really a very poor companion to the programme. I think it probably took about a day to write it, there is so little information contained within. She says the book is for shoppers not shop keepers - well, as someone who is both of these, I can say there is very little to be gleaned by either. For example, why does the book contain a section on how shops dress their windows? What use is this to a shopper? Most shoppers pay very little attention to windows, except maybe when in a traffic queue... I think it is simply there because Mary started out as a shop window dresser. Please don't waist your money buying this book - if you are still interested, order it from your local library. Now my problem is - how do I get rid of it?

perhaps the most useless book ever written on this subject
Please don't waste your money on this book. It's just full of useless statistics and useless advise and it doesn't teach you anything about how to shop. I just feel deceived by the title and the book's description. If the book is intended for the shopper, do I then need to know that a blue light is sometimes used to make a black dress look more luxurious? Or that the shop window is like the shop's face and then to go on and on and on about it for the next ten pages including the window shop dressing crimes. E.g. autumn leaves decorations in autumn. Now how is this information going to be of any use to me? Have I learnt anything there? What if I don't think it's cheesy to have autumn leaves in the shop window and indeed I like it.
And then there is the author's high opinion of herself which is impossible to be missed thoughout the book. E.g. Jean-Paul Gaultier started as a window dresser and then there's also me of course.
Aarrgh!