- With nearly 50% of M&S shoppers set to complete their Christmas shopping by the end of November, M&S has launched a Christmas ‘shop in a shop’ concept
- Shoppers at Cheshire Oaks can pick up quality gifts at trusted value prices with 30% of gifts under £10 and 70% less than £20
M&S Cheshire Oaks is one of ten stores across the UK to have a full format Christmas Gift Shop – bringing clothing, beauty, food, and decorations together in one central, magical, ‘shop in a shop’ for the first time.
Offering local families a fun, interactive and easier way to shop, the M&S Christmas World Gift Shop also includes the best of M&S partner brands, including FAO Schwarz*, Early Learning Centre, Happy Socks and Smiggle, alongside Christmas must-haves like matching family PJs and themed bedding that M&S is known and loved for (in fact, M&S has sold more than 130,000 sets of family PJs already).
To deliver a festive and sensory experience for customers and to make it easier for them to find the Gift Shop in store, Scenting Machines will pump out M&S’ famous Christmas Scent (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year) whilst a newly installed electronic kit will ‘magically’ light up candles in store whenever customers walk past.
The Gift Shop includes a range for every budget. With 30% of the gifts priced £10 and under (including Apothecary ‘Moment of Calm’ Hanging Gift, Lychee & Rose Bath Fizzers, Discover Fragrance Trio and Knitted Beanie Hat) and 70% priced £20 or less, including the Light Up Gin Globe and the Hero Chocolate Box (both of which have dropped in price from last year), and personalised items from £15, there really is a huge range of big and small gifts to browse and choose from.
Also returning this Christmas is an icon that has been loved by customers since the 1930s – Spencer Bear. This year, the design team has worked closely with the M&S Archive to bring Spencer back – retaining his classic heritage origins but with a modern cosy and cuddly twist. Not only available as a plush bear, Spencer has also been brought to life through hand-drawn illustrations that feature on PJs, onesies, slippers, kidswear, bedding, throws and cushions. He is proving a real hit with customers – with more than 60,000 pieces from the Spencer collection sold so far.
Sara Holt, M&S Regional Manager for Cheshire Oaks said: “We’re always looking for ways to make the shopping experience at M&S even more rewarding and this year we are thrilled to be bringing even more festive cheer, with the launch of our all-singing, all-dancing Christmas shops. We’re bringing customers a bigger variety with even better value than ever before. We can’t wait to get ready for Christmas with the local Cheshire Oaks community.”
For customers on the hunt for beauty and pampering presents, the Christmas Gift Shop has it covered. Hero products include a flat-packed Luxury Hamper Box (£5), complete with tissues and ribbon for customers to fill with treats for loved ones themselves, plus silk gifting products, including eye-masks, hair scrunchies and pillowcases, sure to wow.
And that’s not all, the food team at M&S have been busy, ensuring the range of foodie gifts is just as exciting. With the biggest ever range of ‘£5 and under’ gifts available this year and something for everyone, the great value foodie gifts include the Collection Going Gnome for Christmas chocolates (£5), Percy Pig Piggy Bank Post-box (£4), Magical Gingerbread Musical House Tin and Light-up Gold Tea Lantern (£5).
