News 2005
Bogof Britain - bagging a good deal is priority in 2005 for Brits
28/01/2005
- Almost half of Brits shop in the New Year sales to save money
- 8 out of 10 British shoppers go for ‘buy one get one free’ deals
- 1 in 3 people buy in bulk
- One of the biggest monthly expenditures is the mobile phone
New research by Virgin Mobile shows that British shoppers are becoming ever hungrier to bag a bargain in 2005, with eight out of ten consumers going for buy one get one free deals. Half of British buyers are cutting down on their spending and tightening their belts after splashing out at Christmas.
With consumer debt at record levels; Brits are increasingly looking for the best deals to save money. More than one in three (37%) people buy in bulk and over two thirds (68%) go into a shop if it’s offering a good deal. Consumers are putting value for money at the top of their shopping lists with only 4% of Britons not looking to save money with offers or promotions. Consumers are also keen to cut down on one of their biggest expenditures, their mobile phone, with almost half (46%) taking advantage of off-peak calls.
However, Virgin Mobile’s research shows that it’s often not easy to get a good mobile phone deal as almost one in ten say it’s too complicated and 15% find it too time consuming. Also, 12% get frustrated by deals that expire before they get chance to use them, such as free minutes and texts on their mobile phone.
The report by Virgin Mobile also reveals that:
- 62% go online to save money
- 36% book a holiday last minute to take advantage of cheap offers
- 59% shop through duty free
- 12% are frustrated that deals run out before they get a chance to use them
Graeme Hutchinson, sales and marketing director at Virgin Mobile, said: “This is a time of year when people need to watch their spending as they pay off their Christmas debts and plan the year ahead. Consumers can be cannier with finding the right mobile phone deal, the report shows that only 21% take advantage of packages of minutes and texts for their mobile, despite the considerable savings available.
“Virgin Mobile Bundles give customers the opportunity to make cheaper calls and send messages to any other UK network at any time. Virgin Mobile Bundles offer customers not only greater flexibility but also longer-lasting value by allowing them to carry over any unused minutes or messages for another month when the Bundle is renewed. No other prepay network lets you do that.”
Virgin Mobile Bundles, are available to all Virgin Mobile customers, however they choose to pay, and offer tailored packages of calls, text messages and picture messages designed to suit their individual needs. Virgin Mobile Bundles are totally flexible, allowing customers to chop and change both their bundle size and bundle combination each month, offering customers all the benefits of a contract without the year long commitment. There are four different Bundle sizes and four different types to choose from. UK mobile customers who currently lose their unused minutes or messages, either every day or every month, should consider switching to Virgin Mobile to save money.
Notes to Editors:
For further information please contact:
| Virgin Mobile | |
| Virgin Mobile Press Office: | 0845 600 6272 or press.office@virginmobile.com |
| Alison Bonny: | 07802 430276 or alison.bonny@virginmobile.com |
| Joanne Baker: | 07941 233300 or joanne.baker@virginmobile.com |
| Lansons Communications | |
| Shellie Wells | 0207 294 3627 or shelliew@lansons.com |
| Liz Willder | 020 7294 3677 or lizw@lansons.com |
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4.6 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 08456000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the High Street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Specialist Stores, Virgin Megastores, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Argos, The Link, Dixons, Carphone Warehouse, Curry's, Comet, Phones 4 U, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough. It has been voted one of the top 50 places to work in Britain for two years running in an annual Financial Times survey.
Virgin Mobile's customers are considered the most satisfied in the pre-pay sector according to a recent UK survey by market researchers JD Power and Associates.
