Companies across the UK will be starting to think about booking their Christmas events soon, whether this is a traditional Christmas dinner or team building style event, and it won’t be long until festive tunes play out across department stores…and it won’t be much longer until the high streets are heaving with shoppers looking to buy all of their presents!

Now, as much as I love a good old wintery shopping trip I know how stressful it can be too. This is why I believe we should do as much research online as possible so that you have a good idea on which presents you’re looking for and you’re fully prepared when you hit the shops.

Browsing at shops online gives you an idea on how much different gifts are likely to cost and what gifts are actually out there. You can also compare different products from different stores to guarantee that you get the best price too. To avoid disappointment you can even reserve items online!

These few simple steps will help to make sure that your Christmas shopping trip isn’t a stressful affair – you will still have the festive shopping experience, but without the stress!

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It’s ONLY 49days, 15hours and 34mins to Christmas!!! Well at least it was when I started this blog, but you get the gist, it’s that time of year again. The pandemonium is descending upon us as quickly as the associated bills will flood many hall floors in January.

Love it or hate it, the festive season is very hard to avoid particularly if you intend doing any sort of shopping. It’s a retailers dream Christmas, a huge percentage of the population all buying mindlessly at once, so I suppose you can’t really blame them for shoving it in our faces before the last apple has been bobbed for… however if you’ve opted to avoid the total madness of the shops and opted for the peace of shopping online, then take note of the following and don’t run the risk of online security forcing you to adopt a wholly bah humbug opinion of the festive season!

Oh Mr retailer how secure are my details?

I love Christmas don’t get me wrong, but with more and more people opting to buy their stocking fillers and presents from the comfort of their own home, my fear is the level of online internet protection that the general public are receiving when they enter their card details online. The problem is that most people are of the opinion that if the retailer they are purchasing from online is a well-known brand, or a high street chain, that this automatically classifies them as safe but unfortunately this is not an assumption that we can automatically conclude. Therefore it’s important to make sure you apply a high level of computer security and that yourself informed as to which companies are publicised as have ongoing security issues.

Security in numbers… public opinion is split on online security!?!

It does seem however that a section of the population have become much more realistic about the possibility that even their favourite retailer is not immune to a security failure, if adequate online security service precautions have not been taken by them, thus relinquishing any previous loyalty. According to ‘U shop safe’ a new report has found that 10 per cent of UK consumers will leave their trusted online retailers or banking services, if they lose trust in the institution because of a security breach or data loss incident.

This is quite a positive revelation; however the next part of the Unisys Security Index report is much more frightening,
Eighty-five per cent of UK consumers do not consider online fraud or identity theft to be a real risk for them.

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This is an extremely scary statistic and stinks of the, ‘it won’t happen to me’ idea, not the most intelligent of online security plans. Yet on the contrary, the next statistic on the report states that three quarters of respondents suggested they would not start a relationship with a retailer or bank which had been proven to have inadequate security in the past. What? Is it just me or does this seem somewhat nonsensical, taking absolutely no action until it’s been reported that something’s gone wrong?

So what have we learned from the Unisys report… As UK consumers the plan for our online security goes something like this;

Do nothing because it won’t happen to me but if I happen to see something in the news involving a security issue with one of the retailers I use then I’ll just stop buying from them. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh come on people a bit more diligence please!

In actual fact, according to shopsafe.co.uk, two million UK citizens suffer from ID theft annually, making it a significant problem for the public sector, not the best thing to ignore! Additionally, Computer Weekly reported back in October that Identity theft costs the UK £2.7bn a year, so I think it’s fair to say your online security is worth considering.

In the conclusion of Miller’s report he notes the advice of Economist Benjamin Williamson, who suggested that ecommerce firms and online bank operators would have to address trust issues and plug security holes, to avoid shedding users in the event of a scandal involving a breach.

Even PayPal experiences a security stumble

It’s not that using your card to shop online is a bad thing, it’s just important to make sure your internet’s protected from treats such as viruses, malware and phishing scams which are created purposefully to steal your personal information leading to fraud and identity theft or causing serious damage to your computer.

Even online payment store, PayPal which regards itself as, ‘the safer way to pay online’, was flagged with security concerns this week regarding its iPhone app.

A report by the Wall Street Journal states that the software was failing to verify digital certificates on PayPal’s website, an oversight which could have allowed a hacker to intercept users’ account passwords by tricking them into thinking they were on PayPal’s secure website.

The appWatchdog service scanned both PayPal’s iPhone and Android apps on 3rd of November and the results worryingly reported that the iPhone app failed on three out of four measures; securely storing application data on the device, securely storing usernames, and “additional” security tests, according to viaForensics.

According to eweek.com, the lack of security in mobile apps was highlighted recently by a study published by a Bucknell University network administrator, who found that 68 percent of apps listed in the “most popular” and “top free” categories on the app store transmitted personal information in plain text

A PayPal spokesperson said the firm is not aware of any users who’ve been affected by the online security issue, but added that the company will reimburse anyone who has fallen victim to fraudulent activity.

A welcomed boost for online security

There is some good news though! A separate article released by Shop Safe, announced new regulations handed out by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCISSC), will make it much safer to shop online. While these improvements are noted as being relatively small in scale, they will definitely have an impact on the average consumer’s ability to be assured of experiencing safe shopping online, according to PCISSC Spokesperson, Bob Russo (Shop Safe)

So if your intention is to complete (or start) your Christmas shopping from your sofa, in front of the fire with a nice mug of coco (the ideal scenario). Don’t be put off by the possible security issues involved in your online purchasing, but please just be somewhat more vigilant than the statistics suggest we are being currently!

Business owners don’t get caught up in employees shopping expenses!

As an extra note, if you’re a business owner a lot of your employees’ Christmas shopping is likely to take place during your time and whilst you don’t want to be the festive Scrooge, there’s no need to sit back and be taken advantage of!

There’s a happy media with services such asMaildistiller‘s WEBaware product which allows you to exert control on your employees browsing habits, keeping their productivity high and your organisation’s online security protection at a maximum.

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Furthermore, The Annual Christmas Retail Survey, released this week and available at the Deloitte website, predicts that this Christmas the most prominent trends in shopping are the increased use of the internet and demand for high-tech items.

The survey, which gathered, information from 1000 respondents, found that twice as many are expected to buy their gifts online compared to last year’s 14%. The survey also found that only one in 10 will spend a full day on the high street. This trend was aided by consumers becoming more familiar and confident with shopping online and improved customer service from e-tailers. The advantage of the internet as a shopping resource is obvious – consumers can avoid queues and items being out of stock while price comparison between different providers is only a click away. The important thing to remember if you are going do your Christmas shopping online is to allow for enough time for shipping in order to get items on time.

Consumer spending on high-tech items is also set to increase. Deloitte found that 44% of the respondents were planning to buy a computer game as a gift, up from 38% last year. 26% said they expected to purchase an MP3 player, an increase from 20% last year. If you aren’t looking to shell out the kind of cash required for a Nintendo Wii or an iPhone, there are plenty of more affordable gadgets available as an alternative. Most retailers will have a selection of Christmas gifts for him to satisfy most men’s inner geek, from Simpsons Doughnut Makers to radio-controlled Daleks. There are also now plenty of gadgets aimed specifically at women, from microwaveable slippers to USB-powered vacuum cleaners and hand spa centres.

In the end, Christmas is more about giving than receiving, and despite the trend towards increased spending; it is the thought that counts behind each present. With a little over a month away until Christmas it is should be easy to find gifts for most loved ones, whatever your budget, online or on the highstreet.

Head towards the Norwich Castle, and you will find the family orientated Mall, Norwich.  Known to locals as The Castle Mall and open seven days a week, you will find over 50 + retailers offering a great selection of ladies wear, menswear, toys and games, jewellery, watches, electrical items and home ware.
The Mall, Norwich is an architectural wonder.  Opened in 1993 on the old Cattle Market site, it is an unusual building, built into the side of a hill and mostly underground.   It also manages to hold a secure car park with over 800 spaces, with very reasonable fees.
There are plenty of places to stop and take a load off during your shopping trip.  On the Food Court you can enjoy a drink, snack or meal with plenty of choice to suit every palate. To entertain the kids, there is a Santa’s grotto on the ground floor where they can meet Father Christmas and some of his elves, and even have a photo taken with the man himself!

Norwich Royal Arcade runs from Norwich Castle to the Market Place and was designed in 1899.  Amongst its many remarkable features are some exclusively designed tiles by the world famous pottery house Doulton, featuring images of beautiful peacocks and various flowers.
Today the Royal Arcade houses some striking timber fronted independent shops including the world famous Colman’s Mustard Shop, and one of the cities best toy and model shops, Langley’s.

After the Norman conquest of 1066, Norwich Market was moved from Tombland (meaning open space in Saxon English) to an area then known as the Mancroft.  Today Norwich Market remains one of England’s finest open air markets, with the front facing side pointing towards Gentleman’s Walk and the Royal Arcade.  Open Monday to Saturday, it houses roughly 200 traditional stalls, covered with a colourful canopy of striped canvas offering a variety of local produce, clothing, books, electrical items and home ware.

From Norwich Market it is easy to find the Norwich Lanes.  Norwich lanes are a group of independent retailers, including the Norwich’s only independent department store Jarrold’s.  Situated along narrow, cobbled streets there are some lovely individual shops, bars and restaurants.

Norwich’s newest shopping centre, Chapelfield was completed in 2005 on the former Nestlé site.  Boasting 80 + retailers, with a large flagship House of Fraser on site and several cafés and restaurants.  There is also a 1,000 capacity car park conveniently situated beneath the shopping centre, which is open seven days a week.
Chapelfield also offers a fantastic Shopmobility scheme where the elderly, temporarily or permanently disabled can loan scooters, electric or manual wheelchairs for a small fee.  There are allowed to be taken out of the shopping centre as long as they are kept within the inner city ring road and can also be exchanged with the Shopmobility scheme at The Mall, Norwich.
During the festive season there are many events and competitions held throughout the shopping centre, with most of the fun and frolics happening in the courtyard.  With plenty to see and do, and gifts galore, make sure you take the time to stop at Chapelfield and sample the fantastic atmosphere.

After spending your time searching for that perfect gift, you’ll need somewhere comfortable and welcoming to stay in Norwich.  <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/3220198']);” href=”http://www.norfolkbroads.com/accommodation/norfolk/norwich-norfolk-area/hotels/”>Hotels in Norwich</a> offer excellent choice and value for money, whether you are on a budget or searching for something a little more luxurious.  Take a look at <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/3220198']);” href=”http://www.arlingtonhotelgroup.co.uk/”>Norwich Hotels</a>  today.

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Saving money on Christmas gifts isn’t hard, you just need to plan ahead. Planning a shopping budget is essential to saving money this holiday season.

First write down every one you’d like to buy a Christmas gift for and then the maximum dollar amount you are willing to spend on each person. Also list gift ideas down next to each name. Carry this list around with you, in your purse, wallet, or even in your car. The next time you are at the mall and see a good sale, refer to your Christmas list. If you start shopping for Christmas early enough you can save a lot of money by hitting clearance sales.

Shopping online isa great way to save money on Christmas gifts. There are many of these low cost stores online where you can pick up some great deals on fabulous gifts. Buying things onsale doesn’t mean you are being cheap, it simply means you are shopping smart!

Here’s a wonderful online shopping web which has daily discounts. This great site I like to visit most is “DealExtreme”. Dealextreme.com has a wide range of gifts, accessories, gadgets and gizmos for everyone on your Christmas list.

Dealextreme is a great site with some wonderful deep discounts. Be sure to check out their clearances often because they do change and are often limited to stock on hand. What’s more, everything at dealextreme.com is free shipping worldwide. I think it will save you a large deal of money during Christmas festival.

In conclusion, dealextreme is a smart choice to shop for Christmas decorations and gifts, and an effective way to save money for a happier festival!

Ellen shared some of the not-so-exciting items she found while shopping online — from an incredibly specific CD to an unfortunately suggestive fruit holder.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

 Napoleon was deemed to have said – rather disparagingly – that Britain was a nation of shopkeepers.  However, when it comes to Bristol he was not wrong since Bristol is very proud of its wonderful array of shopping centres, department and speciality stores, small boutiques and markets. Wow! What a shopping extravaganza this Christmas with a VAT rise looming in January NOW is the time to shop like never before and Activ Bristol is here to provide you with as much information as possible in order to ease your “shopamania” and make it more enjoyable.

So let’s start out of town with the Mall at Cribbs Causeway; here we have in excess of 135 top name stores with 7000 FREE parking spaces plus consistent late night shopping with easy access. This great shopping arena incorporating Marks and Spencer and John Lewis also provides in excess of 15 well known cafes and restaurants including Cafe Rouge, Carluccio’s and YOI Sushi to name but a few. This Christmas you can also find Santa’s Grotto for the little people together with a large ice skating rink where you can “take a break” (not break a leg) with the family from shopping. Surrounding the Mall there are more restaurants, cinemas superstores and car showrooms in fact all you could need for a Christmas Shopping Fiesta. 

Moving back to the centre of Bristol we have the spectacular undercover glass domed Cabot Centre with its imposing walkways and impressive stores including Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser. While perusing the 120 top name stores gracing the boulevards offering all one might need for those special Christmas Gifts, take time out and enjoy one of  the 25 superb cafes and restaurants from Giraffe and Coal grill to Raymond Blanc’s “Brassiere Blanc”. Dwell awhile and people watch before descending once again into the Christmas melee. Why not take a little more time out and try ice skating, new to the Cabot Circus this year, or after your day’s shopping enjoy a relaxing meal and a visit to the Showcase Cinema De Lux offering 13 different screens – some with 3D. Then when all is done you can wend your weary way home knowing you have enjoyed one of the best shopping experiences in the country.

With the introduction of Cabot Circus one of Bristol’s oldest traditional shopping areas tends to be forgotten.  This of course is Broadmead situated next to Cabot Circus and incorporates The Galleries, another undercover shopping area with over a hundred different stores including Boots, W H Smith’s, Waterstones and many more furnishing and clothing outlets.  Broadmead itself has an enormous range of more than four hundred stores and is the largest in the area with department stores such as BHS, Marks & Spencers, Primark and a vast Debenhams with many floors and different departments all serviced by a healthy number of restaurants and coffee shops.  Broadmead is also the venue for the exciting  Bristol Christmas Market and the Bristol German Market. You can contact Broadmead Management by email or by telephone: 0117 925 7053.

For a slightly slower pace, more refined shopping experience take a trip to Clifton Village where you will be gently massaged by the soft ambiance of boutique style shopping with different quirky unusual shops and undercover antique markets. This is the place to buy that unique Christmas gift, that slightly strange interesting bauble the recipient will have to ease gently from your hand on Christmas Day; yes this is the place to purchase a present with love and passion. Shopping with passion then deserves a lunch with peace and tranquillity overlooking the magnificent gorge and Brunel’s Suspension bridge – yes a quiet table at the Avon Gorge Hotel Restaurant will give you renewed vitality to carry on your search for that perfect present. A day in Clifton is an experience not to be missed.

For the more athletic type a trip to Park Street will be a shorter affair after a few hill climb sorties culminating in a circumnavigation of Queen’s Square. The physical requirement of this shopping area is well worth the effort as the array of  individual boutiques together with high-end retailers make this very worthwhile – in fact a perfect reflection of Bristol residents’ eclectic stylish look.  Watering holes are a “must” for this adventure.  At the bottom of the hill we have the famous old pub, the Mauritania and at the top of the hill, by the University, we have Browns.  Between these two points are some excellent restaurants, including Italian and French in which to ease your weary festive bones.

One shopping area often forgotten is the Eastgate Shopping centre located in Eastville, home to Bristol’s massive Ikea store incorporating everything for the home from candles to kitchens all at great prices. However, that’s not all there is at Eastgate,  other stores abound including a large Tesco, Next, Laura Ashley, Mothercare, Halfords, Mamas and Papas, Asda Living, Pets at Home, Boots, and should you get a little peckish there’s Burger King and Pizza Hut not to mention the restaurant within Ikea. So you can have a great day Christmas shopping here and the parking is FREE!

Other shopping areas abound in and around Bristol such as Bedminster, Thornbury, Westbury-on-Trym and Christmas Steps, to name but a few, so you can see why Napoleon was right and we are the real winners when it comes to Christmas shopping in Bristol. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Activ Bristol.

Click onto Activ Bristol for more information on Christmas in Bristol 2010 

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There are many ways to save money when shopping online for Christmas, although few people may be aware of special offers while shopping online. Below are some ideas for you to save money while doing Christmas shopping online.

Use online coupons to save money while Christmas shopping. Some people may not know that there are special coupons offered over the net. It is one of the best ways to save money.

Buy discounted glasses from GlassesShop online and save money. If you have any eyeglasses on your Christmas shopping list this year, it would be advantageous of you to check for online coupons. There are many listings for popular items, you are sure to find a bargain with online coupons.

When you shop online for Christmas, it would be nice to surf on the internet for gifts, right? Well there’s a pretty cool website that lets you enjoy the lowest price and quality products. That will save a lot of running from store to store. The website is called uggsbootuk.org.

Use your credit cards with the highest rewards when Christmas shopping online. Be sure that the website you are surfing is a secure one with a little padlock on the lower status bar on the screen. Many credit card companies offer rewards as an incentive to spend more and you can receive money after Christmas with cash back program. This is surely a good thing, especially when you have to overspend on Christmas shopping.

After all, get ready ahead of time and shop for the best of best.

Think credit cards.

While you may instantly have had an image of a pile of debt come to your mind, that is not what I am talking about here. There are ways to use your credit cards responsibly and save a lot of money towards your Christmas shopping – take advantage of the rewards.

The Best Rewards Cards

Cash Back Credit Cards

By far the easiest way to do your Christmas shopping is with cash in hand. If you have a cash rewards credit card you can use that card for as many of the family and household purchases as you can during the year and then have the credit card company ship you a cash rewards check just before you get ready to do your holiday shopping. Some of the best cash back credit cards may well feel like you are part of a special Christmas club. You do the purchasing you need to all year long and have a check waiting when you need it.

Catalog Credit Cards

If you are a catalog shopper, catalog credit cards may be your best bet. You can order anything from catalogs these days. Additionally, many of the catalog families work together, so when you get a credit card for one catalog company, you may be able to use it for a number of their sister catalogs. The best catalog credit cards offer points for every dollar you spend that can lead to free merchandise or major discounts as you add them up.

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Do you have someone in your family that loves to travel? Or maybe you are the big traveler. Either way, the best travel rewards credit cards on the market can let you do your Christmas shopping and get some great trips out of it as well. Imagine giving a family member a round trip ticket to see someone they haven’t seen in years. They’ll think you spent a fortune. You’ll know it was just cashing in the points you had earned on your card. Additionally, if you are the traveler, you can charge all your holiday purchases on your best travel rewards credit cards, let the points pile up and then be ready to take a trip to recover from the busy holiday period.

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It does have it’s drawbacks though, it can be very stressful and frustrating and whilst I would never avoid venturing into the stores at Christmas if only to soak up some of the atmosphere there is, nowadays, an easier and more efficient way to get your Christmas gift ideas and actually buy them.

As if you didn’t know I’m talking about online shopping, the good old internet. I guess the title gave it away. The internet gets a pretty bad rap when you hear all the stories about scams and people being ripped off and these do occur and probably will continue to do so the same way pickpockets and other scam artists are always going to be active in the shopping areas and cities at Christmas time.

This makes it all the more important that you only use reputable organisations like Amazon, Overstock, Target and many other big names when you are looking for Christmas shopping ideas. All kinds of large retailers are now seeing an advantage to offering their goods for sale online and you can be sure that organisations such as these are not going to risk their reputations by allowing their customers to be the victims of any kind of fraud.

When checking out on these sites and entering your credit or debit card details look for the ‘lock’ symbol in the status bar of your browser. If you don’t see the status bar at the bottom of your browser screen go into the ‘View’ menu and click on ‘Status Bar’. You should always have the Status Bar visible when you are surfing the net, it provides all kinds of useful information. Also check the address bar. Instead of the usual ‘http;//’ look for ‘https://’ this tells you that it is a secure connection.

Obviously, you need to give yourself enough time for delivery when buying Christmas gifts online. Delivery services, these days are pretty good and you can even order gifts up to the last week before Christmas. Most of the on line retailers will advise you of the estimated delivery time and whether or not it will be delivered in time for the big day.

On the subject of delivery you may be forgiven for thinking that this will make your Christmas shopping more expensive. On the contrary most of the reputable online retailers offer free shipping once you’re over a minimum purchase. Often the minimum purchase is as low as . Even if you have to pay for shipping the rates are usually very reasonable. It’s only logical, if retailers are going to charge a lot for shipping they aren’t going to sell much! Oh! and on the subject of costs you will find most of the online retailers very competitive on price.

Another big advantage of shopping online which can be a real lifesaver is when you’ve forgotten someone or just don’t have any idea what to get them. The evergreen giftcard comes to your rescue! You can even buy this on Christmas day itself and have it emailed to the recipient. It won’t appear that you forgot them at all but planned for it to be delivered at the right time. If you are planning ahead with gift cards you can download and print them out or arrange for them to be mailed. All eventualities are catered for!

So, now you can sit back in the comfort of your own home with your Christmas shopping list and at the very least get all your Christmas gift ideas sorted out by surfing the online shopping sites. Better yet you can get all your Christmas gift shopping sown up online and just wait for them to be delivered to your door. Then you can go to the malls and just enjoy the atmosphere without charging around trying to find that special gift or struggle through the crowds loaded up with parcels. Your trip will be a pleasant excursion just for the fun of it.

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There are some fantastic hidden bars and pubs just waiting to be explored and that will not be on the tourist trail, full to the brim with shopping bags and the loud and obnoxious tourists. I will take you through some of my favourite spots for a Christmas shopping drink that will warm the heart and give you the energy and motivation to continue!

First up one of my favourite places for a classy glass of wine and relaxed environment is Chopper Lump, in the Bond Street area. This place has a fantastic selection of wines from across the world, has some delicious steaks if you already peckish, and an ambience that will sooth those sore feet and stressed mind.  So you are out again on the streets, dodged push chairs, prams, taxis and Chinese tourists and have managed to drag yourself out of Selfridges albeit with a hefty credit card bill. You are feeling thirsty again as you approach Oxford Circus and are in desperate need of a  G&T or a Winter Pimms to wash those shopping nightmares away. So where are the bars and pubs? Not  even 5 minutes away lies one of my favourite cocktail bars in London, Aqua Spirit. This is a taste of Tokoyo, Asian décor and style, so never fails to transport you away to a far off place. Be prepared to splash the cash as drinks aren’t cheap but I think it’s worth it for the rest and the tranquil environment.

You have done the Apple Store, battled through Hamley’s and have ventured through the crowds at Piccadilly Circus. The sun is starting to set on a crispy winter’s day and the mouth is feeling dry. You are in luck because the 5th View Bar is waiting for you. Set above Waterstones book shop, this bar overlooks Piccadilly Circus and offers some fantastic views of the city that you have just marched through. There is a strong drinks list and at happily affordable prices.

My final recommendation on your epic London Christmas shopping trip is a visit to one of my favourite pubs in Soho. You cannot visit London without a trip to a Soho Pub and this gem offers up some fantastic ales and beers that will make that trip to London a little more bearable. Now for a little surprise, they serve beer for £2.27 a pint, making it one of the cheapest places to drink a pint in London! It is called The Glasshouse and is a Samuel Adams pub. This is no Wetherspoon dive pub either, it is cosy, atmospheric and the perfect spot for your Christmas drink in London.

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