Holiday Shopping Tips

Holiday shopping can be a very stressful and hectic activity!

Having witnessed last year's holiday shopping mayhem first hand, as a sales associate at Forever 21, the second busiest store in the busiest mall in Toronto (the Eaton Centre), I  can safely say that I will be better prepared for this holiday shopping season.

With the recent passing of black friday, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and infamous for hectic shopping conditions, (see below video) I thought I would recommend five things to remember in order to help you survive this year's holiday shopping madness!

1) Start your shopping as early as possible!

The closer to Christmas, the busier the stores get. Even the morning of Christmas Eve when one would assume most people would be at home getting ready to host relatives for dinner, I witnessed countless last minute shoppers scrambling for seasonal fashion finds.

2) Pay attention to holiday return policies!

I couldn't count the amount of times I stated our store's special holiday return policy while working cash, only to have the customer absentmindedly nod. It is these customers that have to deal with the ordeal of missing refund deadlines and not qualifying for refunds or exchanges. Make sure you're not one of those people, by listening, or asking about a store's holiday policies.

3) If you see something, grab it. It won't be there tomorrow!

Things often sell out within a day during holiday shopping time. Many times I had customers ask me where they can find a shirt that they saw the day before, only for me to tell them we sold out. If you are contemplating making a purchase, the safe bet is to buy it. You can always return or exchange it later.

4) Have an idea of what you are looking for before you go!

A lot of time can be wasted by wandering through stores and battling mobs of holiday shoppers, all while hoping a deal catches your attention. It can be much more efficient to set a game plan (maybe write a list) before you set out to complete your shopping.

5) Dont ask store employees if they think something will make a good gift!

"No I don't know if your niece would like that skirt ma'am, because I have no idea who your niece is and therefore no idea what she likes" is what I would have liked to have said many times during last year's holiday shopping fiesta. Only you know who you are buying for, so go with your instinct. I would not recommend asking the advice of a 19 year old trying to make commission.

I hope these tips help ease your shopping stress. Do you have any additional tips that could help others survive the holiday shopping rush?

Become an Insta-guru!

My iPhone has been glued to my hands since the moment I bought it, and admittedly, one of the first apps I downloaded was Instagram.

As far as i'm concerned, Instagram is quickly becoming one of the most popular social media applications! With a new online presence, and a growing number of corporate companies signing up, Instagram is proving itself to be worthy enough to be in the same leagues as Twitter and Facebook.

My interest in the app has only grown since I downloaded it. Also, since studying public relations and taking a social media class, my interest has turned into a goal (and slight obsession) to gain more likes and followers with each post, as I try to expand my social media presence. 

Over time while using the app, I have begun to notice certain tips and tricks that seem to help gain more popularity. I have also looked into statistics that helped me discover how to use the app as effectively as I can. Using these tips and tricks, I have been able to collect a total of 5,242 likes and gain 356 followers since purchasing my iPhone a few months ago.

By following these four ‘tips and tricks’ you will be able to use Instagram as effectively as possible!

1)  Post interesting and aesthetic photos! Users on Instagram are bombarded with different photos while browsing the social media app, so be sure your photo can at least keep up with others, or can stand out from the rest! What are your favourite kinds of photos to see on instagram?

              

                                    

                            fashion                                           food                                     outdoor scene

2)  Be sure to make your photo searchable by including relevant hashtags! Searching Instagram works by searching “hashtags,” which are words or phrases that relate to the posted photo. The following are some of the most searched hashtags on Instagram. What hashtags do you search most often?

3)  Engaging with others by leaving comments and liking their photos, will likely result in reciprocated activity.  Commenting on others’ photos and clicking the 'like' button shows that you are interested in what the user has to offer, which gives them a reason to check out your profile and photos in return.

4)  Post at the right time! Using an Instagram statistics website like statigr.am, can allow you to learn what times during which days your posts will get the most attention. With this information, you can upload photos at these peak times. 

Disney Launches Blu-ray and Glass Slipper by Louboutin

I had the opportunity to attend a special event hosted at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, presented by Disney and Christian Louboutin. Before going, I didn’t know what to expect, however upon arriving I started to understand the structure of the event, and quickly realized that I was witnessing Disney’s public relations efforts in full effect!

In what I thought was an effective PR move, Disney commissioned Christian Louboutin to create 20 limited edition pairs of shoes inspired by Disney’s Cinderella in celebration of the blu-ray release of Cinderella: the Diamond Edition. To launch the release of the blu-ray, and Louboutin’s new shoe, Disney also held a competition to find today’s ‘modern Cinderella,’ with the winner receiving a pair of Christian Louboutin’s infamous red soles. I thought this competition and collaboration with Louboutin was a very smart move by Disney, in order to bring the right publicity and audience to their product.

The event started with a cocktail reception where the event’s host, Jeanne Beker, engaged the press with photos and interviews with the finalists of the competition. Later, the guests were taken into a theatre where the Cinderella inspired shoes were being presented, and the winner of the competition was announced. I thought this competition was not only a good way to bring publicity to the product launch, but also publicize what the Disney brand is all about. When the contestant won, she told the audience that she felt “special and incredibly happy,” which I realized is exactly how Disney wants their consumers to feel. As I left the event, I couldn’t help but think about it with a PR perspective. I started to very much admired how Disney was able to further strengthen what their brand stands for, through the use of this PR event. Do you think Disney’s PR efforts were successful? 

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