Online toy store in UK?

[Guest]

[grecopa]

I'm looking for an online toy store in the UK that will take credit cards from the US, giftwrap and ship.  Know of one?  I need to send gifts to my young 2 nieces who now live in London.  I used to use Pee-Dee toys in Australia when they lived there and that store was terrific.  I'm going to search around the internet, but if anyone knows of a store offhand, please let me know.  Thanks!

[Roz]

Hi Kelly

I reckon Hamleys would be a great place to start. If you've been in the Wallace and Gromit film thread you'll see how dedicated they are to making nice windows and giving a good experience to people visiting their store (they have a whole scene from W&G in their window of their Regent Street (central London) store currently) and I would hope they would have the same dedication with the online experience.

http://www.hamleys.co.uk/

Anyone else got suggestions?

If you want to stick with someone you know then amazon.co.uk and probably toysrus.co.uk would be able to help you out. Amazon definitely gift wrap, but I don't know whether there might be any issues with any of these with US credit cards. I know certain credit cards aren't well received so if you have one try something VISA or mastercard as they are commonly taken here, but expect a slight conversion charge on your credit  from UK Pounds to US Dollars, (but with my own credit card it's only been ever so small).

[grecopa]

I tried Hamley's and Toysrus, but they don't giftwrap.  I was sure that Amazon did, but when I searched for an answer about giftwrapping I saw that they don't offer giftwrapping from Amazon Jersey.  What's Amazon Jersey?

[Roz]

Jersey is a tax haven, rather like buying from a state in the US with no sales tax eg New Hampshire. Anyway they run Amazon Jersey like a separate business and it will come up as a "z shop" rather than buying from Amazon direct.

I've sent amazon giftwrapped items but I've never received one so I don't know how it looks I'm afraid.

[Sharon]

Unfortunately Kelly the customer service in the UK is very different to that in the US.  I can count the shops on the fingers of one hand that will gift wrap in the UK and out of them there is only one that I know that does it for free (Boots do this for all UKers).

[Martyn]

I do know www.boysstuff.co.uk will gift wrap, but it ain't free!

[Roz]

Over here though if you go to any luxury shop they usually giftwrap things for you whether it's a gift or not. I went to Thomas Goode to buy my mum a giant Royal Worcester Cup and Saucer. I could have paid the same price in Debenhams (abominable UK chain department store) but I wouldn't have had half the attention or the beautiful gift wrapping


Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr don't talk to me about US customer service *

*Is still reeling from problems with powweb web hosting in the US!!

[Morningangel-Iola]

Hi Kelly

I reckon Hamleys would be a great place to start. If you've been in the Wallace and Gromit film thread you'll see how dedicated they are to making nice windows and giving a good experience to people visiting their store (they have a whole scene from W&G in their window of their Regent Street (central London) store currently) and I would hope they would have the same dedication with the online experience.

http://www.hamleys.co.uk/

Shame they can't do it, its is a brilliant shop, I have the pictures of the W&G window in the film thread

http://www.theyakshack.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1775.80

[grecopa]

Yes, customer service is going downhill fast everywhere.  I don't know of any stores here that gift wrap for free usually, but some do during the Christmas season.  Looks like I'll just buy here and ship.    I did see some UK specialty stores online that giftwrap, but with the prices I'll be better off doing it myself and sending.

I do know www.boysstuff.co.uk will gift wrap, but it ain't free!

I took a look at that site, but my nieces are only 5 and 2.  However, my sister-in-law might like some of it!  
BTW, if we go visit them in London sometime, I hope some of you will meet up with me!

[Roz]

I hope so too - definitely for fish&chips

[Morningangel-Iola]

Oh yes

[Sharon]

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