The return of the Marks and Spencer Penny Bazaar

PJB47

Dont get me wrong it is not often that you get 5 items for a pound BUT the choice you listed was not available at Castle Point Bournemouth at 1pm. I ended up with 2 jigsaws, a mug, playing cards , and a tangerine plus i could not look at the goods as an assistant just shoved them in a bag. PLUS the charity blocked the exit so you had to give an amount so no such thing a s a penny bazaar. I gave to the charity but will never go again as the old saying goes nothing in life is free.

CG77

PJB47 wrote: »

Dont get me wrong it is not often that you get 5 items for a pound BUT the choice you listed was not available at Castle Point Bournemouth at 1pm. I ended up with 2 jigsaws, a mug, playing cards , and a tangerine plus i could not look at the goods as an assistant just shoved them in a bag. PLUS the charity blocked the exit so you had to give an amount so no such thing a s a penny bazaar. I gave to the charity but will never go again as the old saying goes nothing in life is free.

I rest my case! :rolleyes:

The penny bazaar started at store opening so we need to accept that by 1pm in some stored not all the items will still be available. I don't understand your point about 'no such thing as a penny bazaar'. The minimum CHARITY DONATION (grrr!) you had to make was 1p per item. If you chose to contribute more (which in my opinion, as you were actually receiving some small gift items in return, it would be a positive gesture to do), then that was totally up to you. The fact you COULD give 5p for 5 items makes it a penny bazaar.

If you are not the type of person who is happy to make a small contribution to charity and receive fairly decent gifts in return, then yes, you're right, the penny bazaar is not for you and I'd suggest next time you do stay at home and leave the items for someone who is willing to get into the spirit of the event.

CG. x

supermonkey

I am so disapointed that I could not find any of the 1p items. I couldnt even see where they had been if they had already sold out.

There were signs saying "don't ask the price, it's a penny" and this was stuck on the top of a jacket priced at £125.

pegginout

I went yesterday and was really pleased...I got teatowel, notebook, chocs, yule log & hanky.
I then went round again when I had finished my shopping and got hanky, and chocs & yule logs and gave them to the big issue sellar in town. He is really pleasant and was really chuffed I gave them to him, God bless him!

Chocmonster7

Nothing left in the Darlington branch by the time I got into town in the middle of the afternoon, in fact they were just putting the clothes back where the penny stuff must have been!

LaLaLady

CG77 wrote: »

My local store still had some of their stuff at 9pm last night so we managed to get some lovely things too.

I totally agree with how irritating it is that some people are digging around for pennies in their purse-it's for charity!!! Grrrr. But some people are taking this to the nth degree and really taking the mick. My hubby happens to work for M&S and on Thursday, after the VIP penny bazaar on Weds...

...PEOPLE CAME IN TO ASK FOR A 1P REFUND ON THEIR ITEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not just one person, but 3 or 4.

To those people...YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!!

CG. x

I honestly can't believe people went back to ask for a refund. What is wrong with some people. :eek:

I can't understand why people are moaning about getting some bits of stuff almost for free then resenting given a bit of money to charity. M&S were giving the stuff away they weren't making any money (yes its good promotion for themselves) so why resent giving a bit of money to a charity. :mad:
I find it hard to believe that people can't to afford to pay more than 1p for these items when its going to a good cause.

There is a fine line between been a savvy shopper and tight !!!.

I also think the MSE newsletter should have made it clearer that this money was for charity and reminded people to give generously

kristi

To be honest I wouldn't have minded paying a few quid for the items I got. I emptied my purse into the bucket (didn't have much in there, but wasn't prepared as I wasn't planning on going!). There was a really good atmosphere and I had a good chat with a cpl of nice ladies I hadn't met before while we were queueing.

As for people taking things back for a refund, how ridiculous!!!

Lindz_Delirium

I manage to get a puzzle for a donation yesterday - in Milton Keynes - was very happy with that a day after the Penny Bazaar!

Liz3yy

magan wrote: »

I was really disappointed. Their newspaper advert said choose up to 5 items from a choice of hundreds. At Lewisham branch where I went, after waiting for a long queue I had already yule rolls and choc box inside the bag (which I didn't want) then the woman told me that I only had 3 more choices (not 5) men's socks didn't have the size I wanted so I got them smaller, I ask for nickers they didn't have size either (this was 15 minutes after they opened) so I asked for another pack of men's socks and I was told that I could ONLY choose ONE type of each item up to 3, I took a mug and a children's puzzle. As it was the first time I went, I took for granted that you would pay at a till and they will have some kind of bucket next to the till (even a lady from their staff told me yesterday that "when I get to the TILL they will ask me to choose 5 items") but there was no till. I had only 5 pounds in my pocket and when I asked for change I was told by their staff that they didn't have any change that if I wanted I could give what I had or they will take the bag from me :mad:. Felt really disappointed I think there must be a place where they are supposed to make clear that they don't handle change. Also a clearer message should be "choose 3 items from a choice of 14" not "5 from hundreds". Any similar experiences??

What is with some people? you get 5 items for next to nothing and still choose to complain, no one forced you to go did they?!

crazy_girl

i went to my local one and got a tangerine, a box of chocs and 4 hankies

the staff were lovely and very helpful

i didn't mind at all paying more than a penny each as it was for such a good cause, like some others on here i basically donated all of the change in my purse which came to quite a bit but again, i was glad to donate it as it was for the altzeimers society and that illness robbed me of the opportunity to know my great-grandad