Argos

I needed to find a new small (and cheap) suitcase for my upcoming business trip next week, seeing as all our luggage bags are way too big. It was a no-brainer where I needed to go find one - at Argos!

Argos is like a cross between Walmart and Service Merchandise. Like Walmart because it's the largest general goods retailer in the UK and has the low prices to go with it. Like Service Merchandise because it's a catalog retailer. You can either browse through their 1800+ page catalog or their website, select items to purchase, and collect them at the store or have them delivered. But Argos is much more sophisticated than Service Merchandise ever was.

For starters, you can use 'Quick Pay' kiosks in the store. You simply use a touchscreen terminal, enter the catalog numbers of the items you want, pay by credit or debit card, get issued a receipt and go wait for collection. You don't even have to use a cashier.

Or you can use their 'Check & Reserve' service which allows you to reserve your item online or via phone, or have your item delivered to your store of choice. They will hold it for you until the end of the next working day. You simply take your reservation number with you, pay the cashier or the Quick Pay terminal, collect your item and off you go.

Best of all is that you can check actual stock availability online or at the store kiosks, so you never have to waste a trip only to find out they're out of stock of something.

I searched the Argos website to find the suitcase I wanted, reserved it online, walked into my local Argos to pick it up, and was literally out of there in less than 5 minutes. Now that's the way I like to shop! Plus it cost me less than £12 for a rolling luggage piece!