Net stores in returns rush
ONLINE stores are bracing themselves for a returns rush tomorrow as a mountain of unwanted presents are swapped or refunded.
Figures show returns will be 80% above average, as for many people it is the first working day back after the festive break.
Clothing tops the return list, followed by electrical goods and software.
The Royal Mail research found internet shoppers return an average of one item a month, but 40% would buy more if they could “try before they buy”. Katie Price MARVELLOUS news! The Marvellous City will be a low-cost flight away from March.
Norwegian airline will fly its jetlag-busting Dreamliners to Brazil’s sensational Rio de
Janeiro from Gatwick starting at £240 one way.
And that seriously challenges British Airways monopoly on the route – great for travellers.
Talking of BA, they also have a cracking new Heathrow service – to Charleston, South Carolina, from April.
This easy-going, charming, foodie-friendly, warm weather Southern gem will open up the region from £600 return.
I also like the look of TUI’s new Mexican hotspot for next winter. Los Cabos, on the Pacific coast Baja California peninsula, attracts the likes of Nicole Kidman and George Clooney and flights start from Gatwick in November.
Cruising is booming and the ship to be on is the incredible new Celebrity Edge, which will be sailing the Med next summer. Among many innovations, the standout is the Magic Carpet deck which moves up and down the ship.
The B word can’t be avoided and Brexit will loom large, with a weak pound meaning Brits will seek value in non-euro destinations such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Tunisia and Egypt. And staycations will stay popular – expect Northumberland and Scotland to have a good year. Celebrity Edge IT was one of the biggest smartphone trends for 2018, but the “notch” could be a thing of the past in 2019.
Notches feature on many smartphone screens but have divided users, with many claiming they’re unsightly and PEOPLE have been writing off Cheryl for years but she still manages to retain her place in the spotlight.
But 2019 really does feel a make or break year for the former Mrs Cole. With her music career floundering – at least when it came to the lowly chart position of her latest single – all eyes are on her as she lines up as a judge on The Greatest Dancer on the BBC.
It’s a return to primetime doubtless accompanied by a big pay day.
But will it be enough to revitalise her somewhat mixed career to date in the eyes of the British public?
One person whose legacy is assured is Nashville legend Dolly Parton and the UK will be hearing a lot more of her this year – as her new musical 9 to 5 opens in London’s
West End. And will 2019 be the year that Katie Price’s career finally implodes and we can all stop thinking about her? It’s been teetering on the edge for some time with bankruptcy woes and both drug and marriage dramas.
She has always pulled it back from the brink with another big payday, be it a TV gig or a new book deal.
But has the public fallen out of love with her? We’ll find out in the next 12 months. SHOW TIME Dolly Parton
TRAVEL
TECHNOLOGY
SHOWBIZ
MUST SEE Rio’s art deco Christ statue distracting. But fear not, notchhaters, we could wave goodbye to the feature this coming year.
Both Honor and Samsung have confirmed their 2019 smartphones will instead feature a “display hole” – a cutout area in the screen that houses the front-facing camera instead of a notch.
Aside from smartphones themselves, the big tech trend for 2019 is bound to be 5G.
EE will roll out the technology in 16 locations across the UK in 2019, including London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester. Day to day, 5G will mean downloading and streaming films and games will be significantly faster – and you can wave goodbye to the dreaded buffering.
To get on board you’ll probably need a new phone which is 5G capable. EE is introducing 5G