Graeme Davidson speaks

I was having a look through the new ecommerce sites for Gap and Banana Republic.

A few things popped up as I did it:

1. Sign up to email gives you 15% discount

2. Orders over £50 get free delivery

3. Returns are free

All great, but…

4. Some of the items shown are not actually the items shown.  Let me explain more.  When looking at the item below, the tailored corduroy blazer, it shows a picture of this young man facing in that strange way (his mate must be behind him shouting “Get us a pint, ya walloper!”).  Anyway, as you can see when I put the cursor over the “camel” colour the colour of the jacket changes but the picture does not.  This means that we are not actually seeing one of the products – rather that someone has just coloured in the original to show how it might look.

Here are the two very similar jackets

That just puts me off buying either, as which is the correct colour.  I don’t like pictures being manipulated in that way.

You can see it here again with this rather fetching leather bag.  Just simply hover over the colour changes and you will see what I mean.  I think that is quite a bit off putting and at worst, extremely lazy photography from Gap and BR.

Well, there you go – it may not stop you buying either the corduroy jacket or the leather bag, but it may make you think about why it is a turn-off from this site.

Posted on August 25th, 2010 in Work with no comments

Last Friday morning (13th August 2010), waiting at Archway station for a tube train to come along, I was having a great time with the anticipation rising for my weekend away to Paris.  However, we were delayed whilst waiting on the train coming along.

Eventually it did and we got on.  Then it didn’t stop at Tufnell Park.  ”Weird,” I thought.  Then it picked up pace and went straight through Kentish Town. “Uh no” I thought.  Then the driver came on the tannoy shouting that we all had to move to the front carriage of the train.  It was an emergency and everyone on board knew it.

Everyone made there way to the front and there were a lot of scared faces.  Mine was too, as we had no idea what was happening.  It was only once we had sped through all stations until Moorgate did the driver inform us that there had been a runaway engineering train behind us.  Not a good start to the weekend.  Now they are carrying out an enquiry.  Good.

Nevertheless, Paris was amazing.  I could easily move there.

Read more about what happened at the London Evening Standard.  And here’s more at the BBC.

Posted on August 24th, 2010 in holiday with no comments

Equator has been appointment by Lloydspharmacy to promote awareness of its Men’s Health services via an online media campaign this month.

“Lloydspharmacy is a well known and trusted brand throughout communities across the whole of the UK and we are thrilled to be working with them on the Men’s Health campaign” said John McLeish, Equator’s managing director.

“Through their Online Doctor service, Lloydspharmacy offers its customers an extremely discreet and convenient way to access a wide range of private doctor services online.  This service can quickly provide people with peace of mind, especially when dealing with potentially sensitive subjects such as impotence, premature ejaculation and hair-loss, which many men can be embarrassed to talk about.”

Jeremy Wilson, online marketing manager at Lloydspharmacy, added: “Through our online media campaign we want to raise awareness of Lloydspharmacy’s Online Doctor service amongst men. Providing access to a free, confidential online consultation with a GP from the comfort of your own home, and next day delivery of prescription medicines to your home or work, this discreet service means that no man should have to suffer in silence about their symptoms.

This post was taken from The Drum – Lloydspharmacy looks to Equator for online Men’s Health campaign

Posted on August 11th, 2010 in Work with no comments

Well, I finally did it.  I have waited for over a year for these bad boys to be reduced in price somewhere.  Thanks to ASOS, I crow-barred open my wallet, dusted down my bank card and bought them.  And I am delighted – reduced from £220 down to £98

Timberland boots

And here I am wearing them:

timberland colrain reissue chukka boots 2

If you want to read a fabulous blog about High Street Fashion then a friend of mine has a wonderful site.

Posted on August 4th, 2010 in Play with 2 comments