Prices dropped at Woolworths

Update: This offer has been extended! It will now end on Sunday 30 November. This is great news if you’re unable to pop into Woolies until the weekend.

Okay, first off, I know it’s a while since I posted on this blog. And I appreciate that this post represents a rather jarring change in tone.

But as some readers may know, I’ve been working part time at Woolworths for a couple of years. Even though I graduated earlier this year, I decided to stay on at Woolies for a bit while I mulled over my future options. The difficulties that the company currently faces have been fairly well publicised this week.

In the background of this, Woolies is having a bit of a drive this week to attract more customers. I want to share it with you and do what I can to help out the company during what is a very tough Christmas period. I’ve been encouraged to pass it on to friends and family, so I thought I’d share it with readers of this blog.

Thumbnail of voucher These vouchers will entitle you to a discount on almost everything in store. It’s the same discount that I get for working there. 10% off CDs, DVDs, books, software and electricals; 20% off almost everything else — toys, stationery, clothing, home, confectionery and more. This is on top of the other offers you will see in store including 3 for 2 on all confectionery (so if you’re buying chocolates as Christmas presents, this will be worth your while) and loads of toys that are up to half price.

Clicking on this link will take you to a PDF file of the vouchers. If you don’t like the PDF format, here is a JPG. Print them out. Don’t worry if it prints out in black and white — all the vouchers I’ve taken have been black and white. Make sure it’s full size though — I’ve heard stories of vouchers not being accepted for being too small, so if in doubt use the PDF link. Five vouchers fit neatly on a sheet of A4 paper. One other word of advice: hand the voucher to the cashier at the beginning of your transaction to make it easier for the cashier and quicker for you.

The offer is on until Thursday 27 November, and you can re-use the voucher as many times as you want. Pass them on to your friends and spread the word about the offer. Visit Woolies and you might even find someone handing out the vouchers at the door.

My other tip is to look out for items with yellow price stickers on them. Most (but not all) of this stuff is old stock that we’re trying to get rid of, but even so the prices are amazingly low. There are some mega bargains to be had for a quid or two, or even less.

And if you feel like spreading the word too, there is even a Facebook group for it. Feel free to join the group and share the information.

Sorry for the change in tone, and normal service will resume as soon as I can find something to write about when I have the time to do so!

11 comments

  2. Wow – I had no idea they were in such trouble. What a shame. Woolies is great for householdy stuff – they’d be missed if they were gone 🙁

  3. I went in to Woollies a couple of years ago for the first time in what must be a couple of years and they had good stuff at reasonable prices too. I’d hate to see them go under.

  4. Just to let you know that the offer has now been extended to Sunday 30 November. Great news if you’re unable to pop into Woolies before the weekend. A great opportunity to pick up some bargains and help save a High Street institution at the same time!

  5. I’ve been trying to work out where Woolworths is going wrong for a long time.

    You can’t argue with the prices – and the shop is eminently local. Plus many of us grew up with it so feel some loyalty.

    The shop which appears to have taken its place is Wilkinson. I think sometimes I go to Wilkinson because it is a proper hardware store – it sells all sorts of odd DIY bits and pieces that otherwise would need a trip to B&Q. Also, it sells things that you need every week – like toothpaste and kitchen towels. Although I like the shop, Woolworths doesn’t stock enough things that I need to buy regularly.

  6. Alex, thanks for your comment. That’s an interesting thought about Wilkinson. I’ve never been to a Wilkinson before. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you where there is a branch. Perhaps they are only in a specific part of the country. But it sounds like the sort of thing that would hurt Woolies.

    I will probably post my own thoughts on it once I’ve left the company.

  7. I hadn’t even heard of Wilkinson’s before I started going to Sussex all the time, but my love for them is deep and all-consuming. It’s pretty much Woolworths+, and stuff’s usually better priced.

    As for Woolworths, I’d shop there more if they weren’t so strangely inaccessible. I went quite often in Kirkcaldy, but there are only two I can think of in Edinburgh – one on Lothian Road and one at the foot of Leith Walk – both of which are pretty out of the way for me. Also, the few times I’ve been to a Woolworth’s in the last few years the shops have been dark and dingy, and service has been *atrocious* (in Edinburgh, not Kirkcaldy – don’t worry!), so I can’t honestly say I’m surprised things are bad, although I’m sad they are.

  9. Although it’s sad news to learn of woolies demise, it is not surprising this has happened. These days I don’t know what woolworths wants to be. It used to be the place to go when I was but a wee kid for music, stationery and most other things. It seems to have diversified itself, and the ranges contained in the stores are now poorly stocked, with little choice. Most of this is over priced compared to the likes of Wilkinson, Tesco and Asda. Even the pound shops sell some better quality items than woolworths. The one company to really steal a march on Woolworths is Wilkinson. This store is fantastic, sells lots of stuff that woolies used to sell, all at a lot better prices and better quality. The stores are bright and cheerful, always busy, and the service levels are far far better than woolies. Wilko’s as it’s affectinately known has 285 stores and had an operating profit of over £50 million in 2007, compare that to woolies 800+ stores making a loss and there you go. You do the maths.

  10. Sarah — There’s also a branch in Stockbridge, but I get your point about the locations. The sad truth is that it’s the big stores in the centre of cities that lose the most money for Woolworths.

    The state of the stores themselves is a comment I have heard a lot. I don’t see it myself, but all of the stores I have been to in the past few years have been post-refit, even the ones in Lothian Road and Leith (although I don’t know if you think they were still dark and dingy even after the refit).

    Dan — Wilkinson’s definitely need to get some stores north of the border so that I can see what everyone’s talking about. By the looks of it, Woolies’s demise would be greater felt in Scotland. There was a piece during yesterday’s Reporting Scotland about the pivotal role Woolies plays in some of Scotland’s towns.