Mall Shopping Secrets Everyone Should Know

Shopping at the Brewery Quarter provides you with a multitude of retailers, both chain stores and independents. To make the best of your shopping experience at the mall we have put together some insider shopping secrets so you can shop smarter, have a great shopping experience, save money and take home the perfect items you have been searching for.

Best times to shop

The best times to visit the mall are weekdays at opening time or an hour before closing. This has the added benefit of perhaps allowing you to think more clearly when there are fewer buyers around.

The weekends are the times that many consumers have the free time to shop, but also time to do other things to, like visiting attractions or family. Retailers know they have to compete for your free time and some will have special sales over the weekends to encourage you to visit their store.

While most stores begin their sales on the weekend, some start earlier, on Wednesday or Thursday. Shop on these days and you are likely to be the first to grab the bargains. If you wait too long or until the weekend, most of the best deals are likely to be no longer available.

How to get an extra discount

Some stores may offer to match their competitor’s prices, with some offering an additional discount on top of the price match. Before you head to the mall, do some online research first and ask the store if they will honour a price match.

If you are a registered student at a college or university, take advantage of any student discounts on offer. Be aware these discounts may not be available when the item is in a sale or otherwise discounted.

It’s not just students who get a discount. Professionals can too. The Play Farm at Brewery Quarter for example offers a 10% discount for NHS professionals, military and emergency services staff.

If you are a diehard shopper at a particular store, sign up for the brand's own credit card. With this you can earn rewards with each purchase, extra discounts and details of exclusive offers and events. Some also offer credit as a welcome reward.

Sign up for the company’s free loyalty programmes which do not need a credit check. These usually give you cashback rewards each time you shop and you will receive details by email or text of special promotions, such as early access to special events at Brewery Quarter.

If the store does not offer loyalty cards, nearly all retailers have a mailing list where you can sign up to receive details of new stock and upcoming sales. It is also usually also the only way to learn about special events taking place at the Cheltenham based store.

Clothing

Store price tags contain a lot of hidden information that will help you bag a bargain. In preparation for sales, shop staff mark the labels with numbers, letters or dots on price tags. Often the codes mean the item is soon to be reduced. You may see written D13, F4, Q8 as an example. All this means is that the item is being reduced to £13, £4, or £8 respectively.

There is no way of telling when the sale will start, but it’s likely to be within one week of the hand-written codes appearing. Every store has a different set of codes, but an online research for your brand should decipher what they mean. Remember though, there’s no guarantee of a bargain as your item may sell out whilst you are waiting.

Many clothing stores arrange their wares by colour or this season’s look and not have all the jeans in one place and all the tops in another. They do this as an incentive for you to walk further into the shop. If you notice that staff are re-sorting garments by type, it may indicate they are preparing for a sale, so you may want to wait before purchasing.

Electrical stores

Electrical stores have to deal with new stock that is an upgrade to current stock. If the price ends with anything other than a 9 or a 0, this usually means the model has been discontinued. If you suspect that something is clearance stock, you could try haggling the price down. Some stores will flatly refuse, but others may offer small discounts or include a free item, for example a ream of paper when you buy a new printer.

Dining discounts

At the Brewery Quarter there are special offers at many of the restaurants and cafes throughout the week. Monday Burger at Brewhouse and Kitchen is at a discount; Frankie & Benny's has a bargain midweek menu and All Bar One offers Tapas Tuesday for a cheaper night out.