From Paris's timeless elegance to Tokyo's avant-garde streets, this guide will unveil the heart and soul of trendsetting cities. 

They even make it easy to roam freely, with options like the luggage storage Barcelona and other big cities have to offer. That way, your shopping spree can be as carefree as it is stylish.

Paris: The Allure of Timeless Elegance

Paris is a name that resonates with fashion enthusiasts worldwide and stands as the epitome of style and grace. This city isn't just about fashion; it's a pilgrimage for the style-savvy. 

Begin your journey on the iconic Champs-Élysées. Here, luxury and legacy merge as flagship stores of world-renowned brands line the boulevard. Each window display is a masterpiece, promising not just couture but a story. 

Next, step into Le Marais, where the past and present dance in harmony. Vintage shops nestle alongside contemporary boutiques, offering a treasure trove for eclectic tastes. It’s where you find that one-of-a-kind piece that becomes a conversation starter.

For those who speak the language of high fashion, Boulevard Saint Germain calls. It’s the home of haute couture, where fashion is art, and every garment is a brushstroke of genius.

Milan: The Pinnacle of Italian Fashion

In the heart of Italy, you’ll find Milan, a city where fashion pulses through its veins, trends are born, and style is redefined. 

The most prestigious shopping street in Milan, Via Montenapoleone, is a testament to Italian craftsmanship. Luxury boutiques stand as temples of style, inviting the discerning shopper to indulge in unparalleled elegance. Then, step into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world's oldest shopping malls, where history and luxury meet under a breathtaking glass dome.

Beyond the grandeur, Milan’s heart beats in its hidden alleyways and boutique shops. Here, upcoming designers and local artisans offer pieces that blend tradition with innovation, capturing the true spirit of Milanese fashion.

New York City: The Melting Pot of Style

New York City is a melting pot of fashion, where every street is a runway and every passerby a model of their unique style. Embark on your journey at Fifth Avenue, where global fashion houses stand shoulder to shoulder, showcasing the pinnacle of style and luxury.

For a taste of the city’s eclectic spirit, venture into the thrift stores of Brooklyn. These hidden gems are where vintage meets modern and where every find is a piece of New York’s fashion mosaic.

We recommend timing your visit with the New York Fashion Week when you can witness the city transform into a global stage for fashion innovation. It’s an event where the future of fashion is unveiled, and trends are set for the world to follow.

Barcelona: The Center of Tradition and Modernity

A city where the balmy Mediterranean breeze whispers tales of tradition and modernity, Barcelona offers a shopping experience as vibrant as its streets. Begin at Passeig de Gràcia, a grand avenue that mirrors the city’s architectural glory. Here, boutiques display a fusion of Catalan heritage and contemporary design. 

Afterwards, step into the narrow alleys of El Born, brimming with independent boutiques and artisanal shops. This neighbourhood is a canvas for local designers, showcasing innovative styles that pay homage to Spanish culture. In Barcelona, every garment tells a story of past and present, woven together in a tapestry of style that’s uniquely Catalonian.

Tokyo: The Avant-Garde and Eclectic

Tokyo dazzles with its futuristic skyline as it epitomizes avant-garde fashion. In Shibuya and Harajuku, Tokyo’s youthful energy pulsates through its streets, where fashion is bold, expressive, and often boundary-pushing. Here is where trends are set, not followed.

For luxury enthusiasts, Ginza offers an array of high-end boutiques and designer stores. It’s a place where global fashion trends are interpreted with a uniquely Japanese flair. Tokyo’s fashion scene is a reflection of its societal norms, a blend of respect for tradition and a relentless pursuit of innovation.

London: The Place Where Classic Meets Punk

London’s royal heritage and rebellious heart offer a fashion landscape as diverse as its history. Start on Oxford Street, a bustling hub lined with stores ranging from high-street to luxury, catering to every fashion palate.

Then, step into Camden Market, where London’s punk spirit lives on. It’s a treasure trove for those who love vintage, alternative, and unique pieces. Finally, visit Bond Street, a reminder of London’s refined elegance, housing some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses.

Redefining Style in Every City

From Paris to Tokyo, each city unveils its unique style story. These capitals aren't just about shopping. They're about experiencing diverse cultures, histories, and innovations through fashion. Your next fashion adventure awaits, ready to transform not just your wardrobe but your worldview.

Every decision you make for your store affects the customer experience, from pricing and product selection to checkout flow and protecting against common eCommerce threats.

By understanding the key eCommerce principles, such as building credibility, marketing strategies, and product reviews, you'll be able to create an outstanding website that sells.

In this article, we'll share 10 eCommerce basics that your online retail store must get right.

While it’s important to keep up with the latest eCommerce trends, you need to get the basics right before you can start branching out. Here are 10 basics retail startup owners need to know.

1. Focus on the Customer

Even when you have similar products or services to the competition, you can still differentiate yourself with customer service. Make it easy for customers to purchase your products on your website. Be sure to simplify the checkout process and make your website easy to navigate.

2. Build Credibility

Build a credible brand by providing useful and informative content on a blog. Take time to create a strong and interesting “About Us” page, so customers can learn about who you are and what you do. Networking with people and brands in your niche can also improve your credibility.

Keep in mind that the people you work with can also negatively affect your credibility, and you need to do what you can to vet any potential business partners or influencers first.

3. Merchant Account

Having your own merchant account is critical for processing orders on your eCommerce store. Make sure to research different payment processors and find one that can offer good credit processing options. Don’t charge any personal expenses to your merchant account.

4. Marketing Strategy

Have a plan for promoting your website and products or services. Invest in marketing to get the word out about your business. Consider utilizing search engine optimization (SEO), display advertising, social media marketing, and content marketing to increase your online visibility.

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Many businesses fail because they don’t have enough money for marketing or advertise to the wrong people. If you’re on a budget, an SEO strategy can be cheap but very effective.

5. Pricing

Price your products competitively. Price too low, and you’ll make little to no profit. Prices are too high, and you’ll discourage customers from buying. Do your research to find the right pricing strategy for your products. Ask yourself if your niche is willing to pay a premium for your products.

6. Shipping Strategies

Provide quality and secure shipping to ensure customer satisfaction. Make sure customers know how your products will be shipped and how much they'll cost. Offer low-cost shipping options, such as a flat rate, if it makes sense. Allow customers to track their shipments.

7. Delivery Times

Be upfront about delivery times. You don’t want customers waiting an unreasonable amount of time for their orders to arrive. Be realistic with delivery times. 46% of customers rank reliability as the most important factor when deciding to buy and remain loyal to eCommerce brands.

Keep in mind that most customers are fine with waiting a while to receive their packages as long as they’re expected to wait. If you don’t have the resources for same-day delivery, don’t offer it.

8. Security

Ensure that your website is secure. Invest in payment gateway software, such as SSL, to protect customer data. Consider data encryption for customer info. If you have employees, train them on how to detect and avoid phishing scams, as human error is the prime cause of hacks.

9. Competition

Research your competition to understand the marketplace. Know who your competitors are and keep track of their pricing and promotions. Look at your competitors' biggest fans and see what they like and don’t like about their favorite brands. See what you can do differently or better.

10. Product Reviews & Reviews Management

Reviews increase customers’ trust in your brand, so ask happy customers to leave testimonials on your website and other 3rd-party sites. If you write up a script for customers (or provide short prompts), you can make sure your customers are representing you in the best way possible.

AA research suggests that after three years, a car will have depreciated by 60% from its original showroom price tag, and that is if the car is averaging 10,000 miles per year. The biggest losses come in the first year however, with a deduction of around 40% being made by the end of the first 365 days. Obviously, there are different ways of putting the brakes on depreciation. Keeping the car clean, regular servicing in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines, and one eye on the mileage gauge, will all go a long way in reducing potential losses. But is there another option to consider?

However, when the hypothetical family from number 28 parade the street in their new Mercedes A Class, doing somewhat of a victory lap, Google is just seconds away as we scout our next big purchase.

Funding the initial payment

In reality not everyone has tens of thousands of pounds kicking about in their spare bedroom. With PCP, the payment is broken down into three major chunks.

Firstly, you’ve got the initial deposit which is usually 10% of the car’s showroom value. Secondly, the monthly payments which will include enough to cover the depreciation costs incurred throughout the contract. Finally — and this is where things change once the final payment of the contract has been made, you get the option to either return the car or take a new one on a new contract. Or, you can pay a balloon payment and then the car is yours.

Another option is taking out a PCP lease - the monthly repayments are significantly lower than they would be with a finance deal. The option then presents itself is to drive a car that you would initially have deemed to be significantly out of your price range. Therefore, if you don’t have a big deposit and want lower monthly repayments, then this might be exactly what you’re after.

Personal Contract Purchase

A personal contract purchase (PCP) is proving itself to be a popular option amongst those who pick finance, with 78% of those choosing the agreement. Admittedly, it goes against everything our parents have told us to do, in regard to owning our own car, but if you can battle those initial demons, then we’re here to show you why this might be for you.

The beauty of PCP, particularly if you don’t use your car for your daily commute, is you can effectively buy a weekend car. When purchasing a new car outright, you are restricted by the constant reminder that you will have this car for the foreseeable future. With PCP, you can buy the car that caters exactly to the needs of your evenings and weekends. For example, an SUV if you go camping with the kids most weekends throughout the summer, or a two-door roadster, if your Sundays are filled by coastal runs. And, if your circumstances do change, you can simply exchange the car.

Not only has PCP offered motorists a car they would never have been able to otherwise afford, it has in some sense saved the British car market. For the past three years, the number of new car sales in the UK has stayed above 2.5million units per year, in comparison to 2011 when it was only 1.9million.

Premium brands such as Audi, Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover have all performed outstandingly through the system. This is due to the fact these cars hold their value better, and therefore depreciation is less, ultimately benefiting both dealer and driver. Mercedes reported a 100% upturn in UK sales since 2010.

Mileage

Congestion charges, heavy traffic, and the cherry on the top of the cake — parking. Three reasons many drivers in the UK have steered away from the daily commute in the car and opted for public transport. A decade ago, our decision when purchasing a car will have depended hugely on our day-to-day usage — but when that isn’t the same, why should the choice be?

The average annual mileage of a car in the UK is 7,900. One drawback of renting your car through PCP is that is that when initially taking out the contract, you are given a mileage restriction and if you exceed this, you will be penalised. If, however, you would consider yourself to be one of those average UK drivers, then PCP offers no qualms. The opportunity to purchase a new contract once your current one is up means you aren’t going to have spent your days driving around in an old car with high mileage.

In summary, with more and more dealerships offering customers the opportunity to own a new car for £99 a month, when their total gym membership and mobile phone contract equates to more — well, it’s a no brainer.

Sources:

https://www.ft.com/content/0e651206-0ee1-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

https://www.thinkmoney.co.uk/news-advice/what-is-the-average-miles-driven-per-year-in-the-uk-0-8581-0.htm

https://www.lookers.co.uk/finance/pcp/

http://www.theaa.com/car-buying/depreciation

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/90794/pcp-personal-contract-purchase-car-deals-explained

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/should-rent-next-car/

Here Finance Monthly hears from Hannah Conway, Consultant at Brandpie, on exactly why shifts in consumer trust are what drive and alter the financial landscape.

The financial crisis of 2008 had far-reaching consequences, some of which can still be felt. Public trust in traditional banking institutions has eroded and brands in the sector are dealing with the reputational damages endured. One needn’t look further than Chase Bank capitalising on the trend of being relatable on social media only to face public wrath for bailouts that occurred ten years earlier.

Consumers have clearly not forgotten the crisis. In fact, the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer ranked financial services as the least trusted industry worldwide. In the same report, technology ranked as the most trusted. Silicon Valley flourished in the decade following the financial crisis, with organisations small and large introducing technologies that would come to revolutionise consumer finance.

In this landscape, tech conglomerates, have been able to make serious in-roads into different aspects of consumer finance, a process that shows no signs of waning.

Amazon was among the trailblazers innovating in this space, introducing one-click ordering as early as 2000. With an ecosystem boasting 310 million active customer accounts, over 100 million Prime subscribers and over 5 million sellers across 12 marketplaces, Amazon is no rookie. The retail giant is building an array of financial services to increase further participation in the Amazon ecosystem, ranging from payments infrastructure to Amazon Pay – which already has 33 million customers worldwide.

Amazon Cash, which launched in 2017, enables customers to deposit cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at participating retailers. The cash is applied to their Amazon account immediately, giving “cash customers”, such as anyone who doesn’t have a bank account or debit and credit cards, the ability to shop on the e-tail giant.

The technological advancements in voice will ultimately enable Amazon to make further encroachments into consumer finance. Virtual assistant Alexa is set to dominate voice shopping, currently having the largest market share of smart speakers, more than twice that of its competitors, Google and Microsoft. Purchases processed through voice are expected to skyrocket to $40 billion by 2022. As consumers were already using the platform, the introduction of new customer-friendly payment experiences serve to further boost Amazon’s position.

The technological advancements in voice will ultimately enable Amazon to make further encroachments into consumer finance. Virtual assistant Alexa is set to dominate voice shopping, currently having the largest market share of smart speakers, more than twice that of its competitors, Google and Microsoft.

Apple has similarly made great strides in the space. ApplePay is already available in 33 countries, with over 250 million users worldwide.

CEO Tim Cook recently announced Apple Card, a new credit card, which is expected to be released in the US this summer before potentially being rolled out globally. Purchases from Apple’s physical stores, website, App Store or iTunes will come with a 3% cash back, with all other purchases at 1%, all in the form of Daily Cash, which will then be added in Apple’s Wallet app.

Apple is building an ecosystem which will see consumers use Apple products to pay, with the cash back options leading to more purchasing. In addition to the seamless customer experience across its portfolio, the giant is pushing privacy as its main differentiator, with its latest “Privacy Matters” commercial prime example. Apple wants to assure customers that all their private information on their phone is safe, with its new credit card offering similarly touting security and ease of use.

Facebook introduced peer-to-peer payment in its messenger app back in 2015, but it is the company’s subsidiary Instagram that is making significant in-roads to consumer finance.

Facebook usage might be steadily dwindling, but Instagram is on the rise. As Instagram is a highly visual medium and users have the feed to interact with their favourite brands, it was a logical next step that the network would introduce purchasing and payment mechanisms sooner rather than later. This became a reality earlier in the year with Instagram enabling in-app checkout for its shoppable posts. In April 2019, the offering was extended from brands to influencers, significantly boosting Instagram’s reach. Deutsche Bank analysts have already predicted Instagram’s move into social shopping could be worth $10 billion by as soon as 2021.

But while the West is fast encroaching this space, no one has managed to catch up to WeChat’s fast ascension into the sphere of digital payments. With over 1 billion active users, and thanks to its own in-app shopping and payment system, the Chinese social media network is a force to be reckoned with. It provides a seamless mobile lifestyle through which consumers can order food, send and receive money, pay utility bills, shop and more.

With over 1 billion active users, and thanks to its own in-app shopping and payment system, the Chinese social media network (WeChat) is a force to be reckoned with. It provides a seamless mobile lifestyle through which consumers can order food, send and receive money, pay utility bills, shop and more.

Social payments are the norm. Consumers can buy a friend a cup of coffee and send it through WeChat Pay. Busking musicians no longer expect coins or notes, they have signs with their WeChat Pay QR codes on them. WeChat Pay leads the way with over 600 million users, outranking most of its competitors. Tencent, the company that owns WeChat recently joined forces with JD.com, China’s leading e-commerce platform to cover both online and offline markets.

Thanks to the innovative way they use technology to communicate integrity, security and trust, as well as creating a better customer experience, tech organisations have seen younger generations and seasoned consumers alike gravitate towards digital-first offerings.

But while challengers were ahead of the curve in evaluating how consumers want to interact with banks, traditional players need not despair. From designing apps that introduce a more mobile-first offering to embracing cutting-edge tech, such as AI and IoT, to enable predictive and hyper-personalised interactions, there is plenty traditional banks can do to create captivating customer journeys to meet customers’ ever-evolving expectations.

During this time of financial uncertainty, many opt for emergency small term loans to cover the cost, however these are for financial emergency only and alternative funding will be needed. Here we are going to give you our top tips for saving money and avoid using your credit card.

Make A Shopping List

One of the main ways to avoid making payments on your contactless credit card is to have a shopping list and stick to it. In doing this, you can ensure that you have bought all the food that you need for the week at one time without spending large sums of money as a result. By having everything in the house that you could need, this reduces the need for you to travel to the shops and get tempted by a chocolate bar or other sweet treats that can be bought on impulse with your contactless card.

Avoid Fast Food

Although it may seem tempting to opt for fast food when you have had a long day in the office, it is important to avoid this temptation. One of the ways that you can do this is through making food the night before and freezing it. This not only helps you to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it saves you money as a result. This is ideal particularly for students as this will allow them to save excess money and maintain a healthy diet.

Don’t Use Mobile Banking

Mobile banking is something that you should definitely avoid if you are looking to save money. This is because applications such as Google Pay, and Apple Pay make it easy for you to pay for items with a fingerprint or simple passkey. This will not aid you in saving money as this makes it to easy to overspend and end up buying items that you do not need. One way that you can get around this is through travelling to the bank to look at your finances or even restricting your online banking to one desktop.

Pay By Cash Not Card

When going out for a night on the town or on a shopping trip, it is very easy to opt for a contactless payment to purchase items quickly, but what about just taking cash? By taking cash with you and leaving your card at home, you restrict yourself to the amount of money that you can spend. This is particularly important if you are limited on funds as this allows you to budget accordingly and ensure that you do not overspend at any point. If an item is out of your budget at this time, you must then wait till next month to afford it.

Buy Your Own Lunch

Although this may seem like an extremely small transaction per day, purchasing lunch can actually amount to a large portion of your spending per month. In order to combat this and save yourself more money, begin packing your own lunch. This could save you an average of £5 per day which can amount to a large amount at the end of every month. This can then be saved and placed within a bank account for a financial emergency or a treat later in the year.

Whether you are looking to completely avoid using your card on a daily basis or you are looking to limit the amount that you are spending in general, you can be sure to find the solution that works for you by following one of these top tips.

But if you have to spend £20 every year on a replacement pair, then over three years that’s £60 spent. It makes more sense to spend that £60 at the start on a pair of shoes that will last three years or more, especially if they are more comfortable and a higher quality.

Your shopping habits have a huge effect on the environment too, and it is certainly suffering for these so-called ‘fast-fashion’ trends. While scooping up a dress for £5 might seem like an exciting bargain, let’s be honest, the price might be more the motivator in the purchase than the style, quality, or comfort. More and more of these clothes just end up being worn once or twice before heading to the bin. In fact, in a survey by Method Home, of 2,000 British shoppers, nearly a fifth admitted to throwing clothes in the bin.

What impact can fast fashion have?

With fashion trends changing faster than ever before, there’s an increasing pressure on consumers to change up their wardrobes faster. But, with our money only stretching so far, many of us are turning to cheaper outlets for our clothing.

Cut-cost fashion must also find somewhere to make savings along the production line. You can’t sell a £5 dress without using cheaper materials and such. This often leads to garments made quickly with non-organic fabrics. Plus, as the Independent reported, the process of dying these clothes is the second largest contributor to water pollution.

While the short-term purchase may be cheaper, the cost to keep replacing the item over the years will add up. If a more expensive version will last a number of years, it could end up being comparatively cheaper.

By its very nature, it is expected that the garment you have purchased will not be kept long, nor will it be expected to last for years. On the flip side, fashion with an emphasis on quality and durability will see you through. This manifests particularly in the threads lost during washing. Cheap clothes tend to shed tiny microfibres when washed, which end up polluting our oceans.

The cost of quality

As Life Hacker rightly states, a high price doesn’t always mean high quality. Here’s some top tips for spotting good quality shoes and clothing:

1. Spares for repairs — this is like a calling card from the designer. If the item comes with spare buttons, then the item is expected to last enough for it to require a button mend at some point!
2. Check the pattern matches at the seams — it’s the little things that are the biggest giveaway!
3. Look for gaps in the stitching — an item that will last will have no gaps between stitches on the seam, and also have more stitches per inch. Take a good look at those stitches!
4. Don’t look at the price tag — as mentioned before, this isn’t always an indicator or quality. People can, and will, charge good money for a poor product. Take a look at the item itself.
5. For clothes, scrunch them up a bit — take some of the material in your hand and ball it up for a few seconds, then let go. A good quality material will survive and the wrinkles will fall out. Cheap material will stay wrinkled and creased.

Leather ankle boots for example are versatile and can be used for range of occasions, so make sure to buy a quality pair to withstand all those wears! Divide its cost by the amount of times you think you’ll wear it and that will give you the cost per wear. If it’s something you’ll wear every day, definitely check the quality of the item! Remember, the ‘bargain’ comes in how many times you think you’ll wear the item. It’s always recommended to invest a little in timeless staples that can be mixed and matched for a variety of outfits.

Sources:

https://theecologist.org/2018/oct/30/fast-fashion-method-madness

https://lifehacker.com/cheap-clothes-are-too-expensive-buy-quality-instead-1751019637

https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/method-soap-brand-wants-to-clean-waste-in-fashion/2018101239428

http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/love-your-clothes-waste-prevention

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html

https://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-31/britains-love-of-fast-fashion-is-harming-marine-life/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/like-uber-for-clothes-stmnt-startup-fight-fast-fashion-closet-rentals-1.4902265

https://www.buzzfeed.com/alisoncaporimo/clothing-quality-clues?utm_term=.dewknndvZ#.jdqgLLJQ3

https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-spot-quality-clothing-1387970

Two-thirds (66%) of UK consumers do not want to use a smartwatch app to make payments or purchase goods. That’s according to new State of Finance research from experience management company, Qualtrics, which examines financial technologies and payment preferences across the UK.

The finance-focused research, which surveyed over 1,000 UK consumers, also found that 81% of those questioned say that they have never used a smartwatch to pay for items.

Although the debit card has overtaken cash as the preferred form of payment, the research found that 97% of consumers still use cash at least some of the time. Surprisingly, over a third (36%) are still paying with cheques — almost double those who use wearables.

Commenting on these findings, Luke Williams, CX strategy lead at Qualtrics, said: “While it’s great to see both retailers and financial institutions investing in new and innovative forms of payment, it appears that consumers are not yet ready to transition away from cards and cash.

“Financial institutions need to think carefully about what payment approaches work for their customers and the technologies that will meet consumer demands. There is no substitute for offering experiences that consumers want to engage with, and payments are no different. The key is not imposing technologies that you think consumers should use, but listening to customers and tailoring your approach to their individual needs.”

(Source: Qualtrics)

Digital transactions do not end at simple purchases. Cryptocurrency, online betting, and sending cash via the internet have all become popular recently. With the amount of money changing hands online, it is no surprise that hackers see this as an opportunity for identity theft.

Privacy was once the only concern for web browsers, but financial data security has taken a place on the list of essential things to consider when roaming the internet. Digital shopping and online transactions are not going away, so it behooves everyone to learn ways to protect private information.

Seemingly becoming more challenging by the day, internet security is possible. Hackers regularly find new ways to attack their victims but practicing internet safety and putting safeguards in place will help keep your information out of the hands of a cyber-criminal.

1.       Protect Your Privacy Using a VPN

The first thing any mobile device user should do is download a VPN app. While a VPN can be used on other devices like laptops or tablets, it is important to protect mobile devices, too.

People frequently connect to Wi-Fi in public places to conserve data costs, leaving themselves vulnerable. Hackers roam unsecured networks hoping to find an easy target. A VPN can create a more secure environment by encrypting data to and from your device.

2.       Practice Internet Safety

Social media has created an environment ripe for malicious cyber-attacks. Facebook and Twitter alone often provide hackers with all the information they need to infiltrate the privacy of an individual.

Being safe online is more than avoiding “sketchy” web areas. Avoid putting too much personal information on social media sites and keep your profile restricted to those you know. Decline unknown friend requests and think twice about liking every post you come across.

Hackers prefer easy targets, and many users make themselves very vulnerable by providing so much information online. These details can give hackers tips to decoding your passwords or usernames, which opens you up to a world of digital trouble.

3.       Pay Attention When Purchasing

Online transactions are here to stay, and it would be ridiculous to recommend someone avoid digital purchases. However, when buying online, you should pay attention to where you are shopping.

Small online businesses are popping up everywhere, and while they may offer unique and trendy items, it is important to validate their security. Never enter financial information on a site missing the “HTTPS” at the beginning of its URL. The “s” means secure and any site without it should be considered unworthy of your personal information.

Internet security is possible by practicing a little diligence and understanding that your information is valuable. Hackers prefer the easiest targets and creating a few blockades may prevent you from becoming a victim. Practicing safe internet behaviors can help you enjoy your online shopping experience safely.

Long shop queues, busy high streets and a distinct lack of money can be tiresome and stressful. So, we’ve rounded up the top five Christmas shopping hacks to get you through:

1. Know when to look for deals

To save a bit of money over the Christmas season, it’s important to know when to do your shopping. Lots of shops will have deals on over Christmas to encourage shoppers into stores so look out for deals in magazines, newspapers and on social media.

Black Friday is also a great time to do the bulk of your Christmas shopping. This year, Black Friday falls on the 23^rd November but many shops will be offering deals for up to a week before. Find out what deals you could snatch here.

2. Suggest Secret Santa

If you have lots of people to buy for; a big friendship group or a large family then you’ll understand the struggle of buying presents for everyone. But this is the year that you should suggest a Secret Santa with a price limit, it will save you shed loads of money. You can even organise your Secret Santa online on DrawNames!

3. Stock up with on-the-go, filling foods

If you’re going to hit the high street, then make sure you’ve stocked up on filling, on-the-go foods to save you spending money and time on expensive high street food options. Lizi’s Breakfast Drinks  from Lizi’s Granola (Available in Sainsburys, RRP: £1.49) are the perfect on-the-go option as they’re full of protein and fibre to keep you going! If you’re after something slightly different, then Jake & Nayns’ Naansters (Available in Sainsbury’s, RRP: £2.00) are the perfect option. They are delicious naans stuffed with authentic curries that can be eaten cold and on the go.

4. Buy late Christmas presents

If you’re not seeing someone until after Christmas then why not buy their present late? Prices are slashed on Boxing Day and it’s the perfect opportunity to buy lovely presents for half the price, or to stock up on presents for next year! If you want to get ahead of everyone else then check online on Christmas Day, most shops release their sale items then!

5. Consider DIY presents

You don’t have to be an art and craft whizz to make a DIY present. DIY presents can be a great way to save money and still give personal and thoughtful gifts. You could simply buy a cheap frame and print off a friend’s favourite quote or saying to pop in the frame – easy! Check out this YouTube video for a bit of inspiration.

According to new research from leading payment provider MasterCard, biometric technology is set to become an integral part of all online shopping, as tighter regulations concerning online fraud are introduced. For instance, new EU regulations come into effect next September, which will increase the number of transactions subject to two factor authentication, known as “Strong Customer Authentication” (SCA).

MasterCard has been a board member of The Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) Alliance since 2013. FIDO is a global non-profit trade association developing technical standards and certification programmes for simpler, stronger authentication.

Andrew Shikiar, CMO of The FIDO Alliance, comments: “MasterCard is spot on in its assessment; the use of passwords is woefully outdated as a means of online authentication. The problem has long been overreliance on yesterday’s approach and a reluctance to embrace the ways in which technology has transformed both our habits and the options available to us. It’s encouraging to see that the tide is finally turning, thanks in large part to evolving regulatory requirements in response to escalating levels of online fraud. Far more secure methods of authentication, including biometrics, are now readily available at our fingerprints, which can greatly improve security and privacy for consumers accessing online services, while improving the user experience into the bargain.

“As the range of activities we undertake online using mobile devices continues to rise, the more sensitive transactions – such as payments and money transfers – can be facilitated using device-enabled strong authentication. However, its success hinges on the industry’s ability to offer this at internet scale. Biometric modalities deliver a number of user experience benefits, but not all biometric systems are built on secure, tried-and-true public key cryptography. Biometric authentication relies on matching an input to a held piece of original data, and how that matching process is managed - and in particular how identifying data is stored - raises a host of security and privacy questions. For instance, if data is held in an online central database, a breach of that data could be catastrophic.

“On the contrary, a decentralised approach allows users to authenticate by using a private key on their personal device to sign a cryptographic authentication challenge from the service provider’s server. With this approach, the service provider only stores a public key associated with that user’s account, which cannot be leveraged by a hacker having infiltrated a database. This is one of many reasons why leading service providers like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Dropbox and many more have deployed FIDO Authentication to protect hundreds of millions of consumers around the world, while reducing the outdated reliance on passwords.”

(Source: The FIDO Alliance)

For spontaneous spenders, the word “budgeting” can cause alarm bells, with the thought of having money left over at the end of the month seeming unattainable. People often think budgeting means having to cut back on the things that they enjoy. Being money smart doesn’t have to mean you miss out.

It was recently reported that in their lifetime, a British person will spend on average £144,000 on impulse shopping. This can include anything from the chocolate bar that you grab as you get to the till and other small purchases which soon add up, to regularly splashing out on new clothes.

There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself every once in a while, who doesn’t deserve a little retail therapy. However, if this is happening a little too often and you’re in need of looking after the pounds, there are a number of changes you can make.

The experts at PIWoP, a price drop alert tool, know how important the value is of every pound that you save. They offer five ways that people can create healthier spending habits and become money savvy.

1. Are you more attracted to the sale or the item?
   

   It can be tempting to pick up a product because the discount on it seems too good to miss, sometimes this appeals to consumers even more than the item itself. If this is the case, think about if you really need it, if it’s the money off label that’s caught your attention rather than the actual product, leave it on the shelf and save yourself money. That way, when you see something that you really want, even if it’s at full price, you’re more likely to have the extra money available to buy it.

2. Budget and prioritise
   

   Some expenses come out every month, write down what these are and then work out what you have left over. Then factor in things which are bound to occur, such as meeting friends for dinner or needing new school shoes for the kids. Prioritise these additional outgoings, certain things will need budgeting for, a weekly takeaway pizza is unfortunately not one of them! Cutting out spending that isn’t a priority could leave you with considerably more money at the end of the month.

3. Why are you spending?

   Treating yourself to a new outfit so you feel confident at an upcoming event or rewarding yourself after a lot of hard work is of course okay. However, if this happens on a regular basis and your bank account is suffering for it, it might be time to change your spending habits. Consider why you are spending and how productive it is. For example, if you spend when you are stressed or bored, there are other ways to blow off some steam that are considerably cheaper. Spending is often used as a short-term fix to feeling better, as soon as you remind yourself of this, you’ll be less tempted to overspend.

4. Do you need the item now?
   

   Finding a product that you really like or can imagine yourself needing for your next holiday or when the house is redecorated can make it easy to buy it right away. However, think about if you really need the item right now. If you’re moving house next year, although those lamps or expensive armchair might get you feeling excited, it might be better to wait for any upcoming end of season sales. Technology is helping consumers to do this by taking price comparison services one step further, such as the PIWoP tool. It allows consumers who have the tool installed on their computer, tablet or phone and see an item they like, to use it to enter the price they want to pay for it and the tool then alerts them if that item does go to or more likely below their PIWoP (Price I Want to Pay). Even waiting until the next day can make you realise that you don’t really need it, or that your money could be better spent elsewhere.

5. Set goals
   

   If you’re a real foodie who enjoys going out to eat, creating healthier spending habits doesn’t mean you have to stop doing what you enjoy. Or you might be interested in fashion and are eager to keep up with what’s new this season. Set yourself goals such as only eating at a restaurant one or two times a month (or however much you can afford without overspending) or allow yourself a couple of treats a month when it comes to clothes. Saving money while still allowing yourself a few luxuries will feel much more satisfying than regularly spending and then feeling stressed a few weeks after.

Recent news reports regarding Marks & Spencer’s shop closures have left other high street retailers feeling fearful about profits.

With plans to close 100 stores by 2022, in what M&S bosses are calling a re-organization of the entire retail chain, the aim is to turn a third of its in-store sales into online sales.

This of course is another blight in the midst of a global retail infection, predominantly caused by the propagation of online buying. Below Finance Monthly hears Your Thoughts on M&S’ shop cuts and the potential consequences across the UK.

Joe Rabah, Managing Director for EMEA, RMG Networks:

With the recent announcements that M&S is said to close 100 stores and that House of Fraser could close up to half its stores, it’s no secret that the UK high-street is under pressure as a result of changing shopper behaviour and a drastically altered customer journey.

For retailers to survive and adapt they must embrace technology to create meaningful, immersive retail experiences. However, it’s not enough for retailers to invest in technology without doing so in a purposeful manner and knowing the solutions that they invest in are going to be specifically relevant to their business and their customers. It’s essential that retailers use platforms that create frictionless purchasing experiences for their customers, enabling them to increase customer engagement that is tailored to individual customer needs and habits. In doing so they will drive customer loyalty and provide consistent cross-channel experiences. Today’s solution is not tomorrow’s in retail, and technology can either allow a brand to pivot so that it can adapt quickly to changing customer expectations, or it can lock a brand into delivering stale customer experiences.

While we don’t know what the future holds, retailers must understand whether the technology they are investing in suits a clearly defined purpose and is adaptable enough to suit their future needs and their customers’ evolving customer expectations, and consider this before making any technological investment.

Julian Fisher, CEO, Jisp:

With retailers, such as Marks & Spencer, facing large declines in high street spending as consumers turn to online shopping, bricks and mortar stores must evaluate how they are interacting with customers. We are a nation of shoppers and shopkeepers, but convenience is a key factor in driving potential instore customers online where they have access to a wealth of information, deals and personalised offers. To keep customers in stores, the high street shopping experience must provide this instantaneous access to information and personalisation through handheld devices. It is essential that retailers increase investment in areas such as mobile technology to bring the shop floor into the 21st century.

The restructuring decisions that Steve Rowe is making will have the desired effect with these future-thinking closures a controlled choice with M&S in charge of its own destiny. Customer service and quality of merchandise has been a hallmark of M&S for years.

Looking ahead, it will be innovation and the ability for stores and their staff to connect and personalise their brand with new customers who are armed with devices and a world of information and content. If they don’t they may succumb to the fate of others who have been unwilling to embrace changing consumer behaviours.

Iain Wells, Investment Manager, Kames Capital:

Will M&S shares be up or down tomorrow when they announce their results? I don’t know. Expectations are certainly low with earnings forecast to be down nearly 10%. The bad weather in the first quarter, that kept shoppers at home, has been so widely discussed that it can surely provide no negative surprises. With a dividend yield of 6.3%, and a price earnings ratio 9.8x, results that are in-line with expectations could see the shares rise.

While the share may rise on the day, more important is what evidence there is that the structural pressures that have impacted M&S over many years are easing. On this I am less confident. It is not that M&S is a “bad” retailer, just that the retailing world is changing around it faster than it can adapt, and the process of adaptation is painful for shareholders.

The key issues that M&S are trying to address include:

• Too many stores - too much is of the wrong size or in the wrong location. Addressing this is usually costly
• The increase in competition, particularly in clothing, and much of it from on-line players
• The shift to on-line which puts downward pressure on the store profitability, even if the on-line sale is made by M&S rather than a competitor
• Competitiveness of the food offer. With much of the growth of the business centred around food getting this right is crucial.
• Stabilisation/growth in market shares

Everyone has a view about M&S, what they are doing well, and what they are doing badly. As a national institution management have the misfortune of having to carry out their plans on a very public stage.

Terry Hunter, UK Managing Director, Astound Commerce:

The news of the M&S store closures is yet another dagger in the heart of the British high-street. The retailer plans to move a third of its sales online, and intends to instead have fewer, larger clothing and homeware stores in better locations. If the company is going to recover from its recent sales slump, it is imperative that it has an exceptional online offering. It will now be competing more directly than ever with the likes of Amazon and Asos.

Online retailers like Asos take advantage of efficient and nimble business models by avoiding the costly overheads associated with running bricks-and-mortar stores and as a result, they can afford to invest a great deal in offering websites which give the best possible user experience. Although M&S is cutting back on some of these overheads, it is not as experienced or effective in the ecommerce arena as the pureplay online retailers. M&S needs to make sure its in-store offering works in harmony with its online strategy. The retailer struggled over the Christmas period last year – basic logistical errors caused a real headache as next day delivery targets were missed – a type of error you don’t see the likes of Amazon making. A truly omnichannel approach is the only way that this British retailer is going to recover, let alone flourish.

One factor that is working against M&S is that its customer base has an ageing demographic. The company has been making efforts for some time to attract a younger shopper and an improved online offering could potentially aid this. A younger tech-savvy shopper is more likely to make purchases online rather than instore. One of the key battles for M&S will be ensuring that its predominantly over-50 female shopper continues to visit the new stores, whilst also becoming more active in buying products from its website. It is a difficult road ahead.

Paul Fennemore, Customer Experience Consultant, Sitecore:

M&S faces a similar challenge to many other retailers – in trying to find out exactly who its target market is, and what they want, ahead of them wanting it. Evolving a customer experience strategy on the basis of anticipating needs in this way will require a very sophisticated, multi-channel, cross platform customer experience strategy in place, each of which must feed the other to create a total experience that is worth more than the sum of its parts.

One way it could go about reinventing itself online is to go beyond personalisation – which all brands claim to be able to do – and move to individualisation. This will deliver content to its customers based on specific data points. This will help set it apart from the other online retailers, and help it provide its customers with an unexpected, satisfying experience which will keep them coming back.

By creating a robust individualisation strategy, focusing on customers as individuals, rather than using the more traditional broad personas, M&S will be able to attract a younger, mobile-first demographic, who value individual interactions with brands. The challenge here will be to ensure that experience is consistent across all channels, including mobile, online, social media, and in-store. Integration of its systems will be key for M&S going forward, otherwise customer data will be siloed, meaning they won’t be able to track a customer’s journey efficiently. This will ultimately lead to a worse customer experience, as it won’t be consistent.

Ben Holmes, Head of Display, Samsung UK:

Yet again, we’re seeing more boarded up shop fronts on the British High Street with M&S recently announcing a series of store closures. We understand the predicament M&S is in as it sets about ‘modernising’ its business to ‘meet the changing needs of customers;’ but at the same time, we do believe that bricks and mortar establishments can be part of the modernisation effort rather than being the sacrificial lamb to more investment in online. When every retailer is battling for the same pound spent, businesses definitely need to be more innovative in how they sell to their shoppers. The old rules no longer apply when it comes to in-store retailing in an age where shoppers expect personalisation, digital connectivity and high impact experiences. We’d encourage retailers to experiment with digital technologies like video walls and touchscreen kiosks because these technologies have been proven to drive engagement and sales. Physical stores are definitely not secondary to online retail estate because there is a real opportunity for companies to transform their stores into experiential destinations – think brandship not just flagship. Until retailers start delivering genuine, digital experiences, we can unfortunately expect more casualties.

Adam Powers, Chief Experience Officer, Tribal Worldwide London:

This latest announcement is yet another indicator of a malaise that’s been hanging over UK retail stalwarts for the past few years. The inexorable growth of online commerce means that a strategic rethink must be undertaken for businesses that want to successfully trade on the UK high street. Actually, this is a global challenge, but the UK is one of the most advanced ecommerce markets in the world and so we are seeing the outcomes here earlier. Like Mothercare, M&S is clearly trapped in the middle of a market where they are being squeezed at both ends. Cheaper or more fleet-of-foot competitors are doing product innovation around food (Aldi/Lidl) that was once an M&S sweet spot. Away from food, key competitors have high performing home delivery infrastructure like Next or ASOS that leave M&S looking lumbering and out of touch with modern customer expectations. Additionally, M&S are getting squeezed from the top as style needs for their target demographics are increasingly met by internet optimised clothing competitors. The wrapper around all of this is really customer experience - online and instore, this is the modern retail battleground. From the outside looking in, it appears that nobody at M&S is looking at customer experience holistically, with a mandate to drive radical, customer-centric transformation and the initiatives underway, such as store closing, look piecemeal. What’s particularly worrying about M&S delivering a turnaround, is that the way things are emerging must be highly unsettling for the workforce, the very people who are at the frontline of delivering customer experience.

John Taylor, Co-CEO, Duologi:

The internet has made it easier than ever before for customers to compare prices and shop around online, without ever having to leave the comfort of their homes. This subsequent decrease in footfall to the high street has led to a number of high-street brands opting to close stores where footfall has dwindled to save on overheads, with M&S being just the latest example of this.

However, this does not mean that the high street is dying – far from it. Rather, we’re seeing a shift in the retail landscape, wherein the retailers set to thrive will be the more flexible, agile brands which can offer customers a choice in how they shop and pay for products.

To accomplish this, savvy smaller retailers are taking the time to optimise their online presence to sit alongside their bricks-and-mortar offering, engaging customers who no longer shop with a brand due to ongoing store closures.

This flexibility also extends to the payment process itself. With consumer confidence currently low, flexible finance options such interest free credit, 0% finance and buy-now-pay-later can support shoppers at the time of purchase – particularly for big-ticket items – which can both engender consumer loyalty and increase average basket values.

Charles Brook, Partner, Poppleton & Appleby:

We should be careful not to jump to conclusions. There is undoubtedly an acceleration of change in the retail market with some large towns experiencing retail depletion more than others. Statistics released this week in Yorkshire put Doncaster, Barnsley and Huddersfield towards the top of those hit hardest by a combined net loss of more than 1,000 retail outlets in the past 12 months.

Marks & Spencer is shifting the focus of its in-store offering away from homewares and clothing to place emphasis on and serve its online offering in a more contemporary manner. This is a sensible response to the evolved way in which even its traditionally conservative-minded customers now shop and, having such a significant leasehold estate, and it needs to plan well ahead. I think it highly unlikely that M&S would try to foist a Company Voluntary Arrangement on its landlords.

Perhaps this is a good time to deliver seemingly bad news. The M&S Board may be gambling on the market and its major shareholders (if not the public at large) recognising that whatever issues have hit other big names, M&S is reading the trading conditions and charting its future trading strategy with typical caution.

Rick Smith, Director, Forbes Burton:

Retail is going through a transition, and a transition that M&S should have seen coming, especially with the likes of Ebay / Amazon etc dominating the way people shop, but unfortunately for all those concerned (towns, cities, the high street, communities, shoppers, staff) they didn’t. High street shopping is now all about the experience.

However, it’s not just the blue-chip retailers fault, it’s a collective from councils, property owners and communities. This should have been recognised and adaptive investment should have been put in place a long time ago. The problem we have now is that it’s all knee jerk and I’m not convinced they are going about it the right way. Closed high street shops is simply demoralising for the community and once the reality of it sets in it’s quite scary when you start thinking more about it.

M&S haven’t kept up with the times and they need to look at online sales especially for the struggling clothes and homeware sections. While they’ve been able to do well compared to their competition by attracting females to their clothing range, they have failed to find their proper place in the market on this side of the business and need to get this totally right. Also, many of the stores need modernising which is difficult when profits are dropping and there’s no money for investment.

Their food range is nice and appeals to a small, specialised section of the population. However, competitors have caught up with their food offerings and often for much less with most now doing a ‘finest’ or similar range. A small percentage do also believe the bad press around packaged meals, and this combined with the offerings from the competitors has had a knock-on effect because there has been no differentiator in terms of quality. M&S food is of very good quality, but it is now evident with these closures that they do not have the resources to convince the public otherwise.

Emma Thompson, Head of Strategy, Visualsoft:

E-retail is booming at the moment, with consumers currently spending a staggering £1.2 billion a week online. As such, high street retailers need to make the most of this opportunity to ensure they have the best chance of success. Those who fail to do so can expect to fall behind more digital-savvy competitors, as we have seen with the likes of Toys ‘R’ Us and Maplin.

While it still remains to be seen whether Marks and Spencer’s store closures will help boost performance, it is heading in the right direction by using this restructure to support the growth of its website. This forward-thinking attitude could see the retailer maximising its growth potential, as the majority of the UK’s top retailers that neglect their online offering risk stunting their growth as a result.

For Marks and Spencer to effectively focus its efforts, it needs to not only improve its website’s user experience, but also utilise a variety of online channels to boost revenue. Social media in particular should be a priority, given that a growing proportion of e-retail sales are driven through the likes of Instagram and Facebook. If the retail giant prioritises these areas, it can expect advantageous results to follow.

Leigh Moody, UK Managing Director at SOTI:

The decision to close 100 stores over the next four years is a bold decision from one of the UK’s leading retailers and highlights the shift in focus from high-street to online in order to keep up with evolving consumer trends.

In response to this change and to support its online growth plans, M&S will need to consider how they integrate their mobility management strategy across their entire on and offline operation to ensure they are streamlined, data is protected and customer demands are met.

As M&S becomes more digitally enabled across all channels including mobile and social, mobility will be key in influencing the shopping experience, touching every part of the value chain which in turn, will lead to further opportunities for cost savings and buying efficiencies.

We would love to hear more of Your Thoughts on this, so feel free to comment below and tell us what you think!