Presents Under Wraps Blog

VAT Rise Starting to Hit Sales

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:27:37 +0000

It’s not what anyone wants to hear but it appears that the VAT rise is starting to hit sales in retail stores across the country.

Many retailers suffered disappointing Christmas sales due to the terrible weather conditions and now this VAT hike is putting consumers off from spending in the New Year.

Rather worryingly the economy is now shrinking again and the VAT rise is expected to have a particularly large impact on small businesses, the likes of which often help to fuel economic growth.

With these economic conditions being the backdrop people are saving money either by looking for the best deals around or not even spending. But at least there’s Valentine’s Day soon to cheer some of us up!

This Year’s Bestselling Christmas Gift

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:13:00 +0000

Of all the Christmas gifts one has stood out above the rest this year, not only in terms of sales but also in terms of general interest and the intrigues that it has created.

That gift is the TV Wand Remote Control – it quite literally brings the magic of Harry Potter into your own hands.

The TV Wand was featured on the BBC investment show Dragon’s Den recently, with the Wand Company actually receiving investment.

If you’re stuck for what to buy this Christmas then it’s certainly one gift that’s likely to go down well.

Christmas Shopping To Begin in August

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:22:09 +0000

That’s right… there are over 5 months to go until Christmas but some stores are already thinking about launching their Christmas shopping ranges.

The biggest culprit this year is Selfridges, with their Christmas shop being launched on 2nd August, and their buyer Geraldine James saying:

“Christmas is coming earlier each year. I can see a time when we offer a Christmas collection throughout the year.”

Selfridges defends its move by saying that they are simply following customer demand. Last year they sold over 1,000 Christmas baubles in the week that followed the opening of their Christmas store, with the sales being driven largely by tourists.

The Church of England has responded by saying:

“We don’t really think consumers need five months to do their Christmas shop. There is a danger that if the run-up is extended so far ahead of the festival itself, people risk losing sight of the true meaning of Christmas.”

It does appear to be far too early to be opening Christmas stores, and the move is certainly disliked by many. You have to question whether the trend of Christmas coming earlier each year is simply being driven by retail stores.

Are you thinking of starting your Christmas shopping soon?

Father’s Day – June 20th

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:59:56 +0000

It’s only just over two weeks away now – Father’s Day that is – so here’s our round-up of what we expect to be amongst the most popular gifts this year.

Gadgets – if your father is more technical than most then he’ll love one of these gadgets:

- Tape Express – every dad has a huge collection of old tapes which are now almost useless. Well, Tape Express brings these tapes back to life by converting them into MP3 files.

- Video 2 PC – very similar to the Tape Express gadget except that this one moves those old VHS video tapes over to your computer.

- Messless Gadget Charge Kit – if your dad is into his gadgets then the chances are that he’s frequently nagged by his wife to tidy up all the recharging wires. This Gadget Charging Table will relieve him from countless hours of nagging.

Driving Experiences - every father loves fast cars, so why not give the gift of a fast car for a day? You can drive a Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini or Rally Car.

Fun Gifts – these products are cheap and cheerful and will add a little fun to Father’s Day:

- Sat Nag – the satellite navigational system which will simply nag you rather than tell you were to go. Perfect for those fathers who have to make long trips without their wife!

- Personalised ‘The Stig’ Poster – every man likes Top Gear and now your dad can become The Stig.

- The Don Mug – if your dad likes to think that he’s the man of the house, the one in charge, then The Don mug is the perfect gift.

Have you come across any other gifts which would be perfect for Father’s Day? Feel free to mention them in the comments below.

Presents Under Wraps Launched

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:56:19 +0000

Presents Under Wraps is now officially launched – the gift ideas generator for the UK.

Gifts for all the major occasions are available, including birthdays, anniversaries and christenings. You can narrow each category down according to different criteria, whether it’s price, recipient, type of gift, and more.

In the past week when we’ve been testing the site it’s received a few visitors, with the following gifts becoming the most popular so far:

When browsing through the site you can add gifts to your wishlist. It’ll automatically be saved for the next time that you visit the site and you can also always create an account so you can view your wishlist across different computers, as well as enabling you to review any individual gifts.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve the site or find any small glitches feel free to let us know in the comments below.