Happy customer competition

You may be aware of the Happy Customers pages - testimonials and photographs. I've decided it's time to update the Happy Customers page (it was last updated 3 years ago!).

If you'd like to appear on the Happy Customers photo page, all you need to do is email me a photo of yourself wearing something you bought from Pin-Up Parade to helen@pinup-parade.com. Please let me know if you're ok with the photo appearing on Facebook as well in a Happy Customers folder as well as on the website.

"But Helen!" I hear you cry, "How the heck is that a competition?" Ahh... because you have until the 31st July to send a photo, and I'll draw one Happy (and also lucky...) Customer out of a hatbox and send them a voucher for £25 to spend at Pin-Up Parade.

So get snapping!

(Please note that Pin-Up Parade reserves the right not to use all photos received).

Postage price increases - sorry!

Dear all,

I don't usually write this blog but I feel I need to in order to explain the price increase I've had to initiate for my postage.

UK postage price structure changes
I used to charge £5 for the first item sent by Recorded delivery - I have increased it to £6. Royal Mail have changed their pricing structure and have removed the parcel post option that I used to use. It means that if a parcel is more than 3" thick, it suddenly becomes more expensive to post - £6.90 for first class, and about 70p less for second class. I haven't increased it up to £6.90, because I feel that an increase of nearly £2 would be unfair to my customers (a pity Royal Mail doesn't feel the same, quite frankly!). However, the additional price per item of £1 hasn't changed. It might mean, however, that if you choose Recorded Delivery and the item you have ordered is particularly bulky, it may be sent 2nd class, rather than by 1st.

I have increased Special Delivery to £8.50 (from £8). This service isn't affected by the strange size demands of Royal Mail, so you may want to spend a couple of pounds more to have a more secure, guaranteed delivery.

International postage prices
I have also had to increase international post prices a little too. Please see the Shop page for more information.

Alternatives
If you want me to send your order by a different method - Parcelforce, DHL or MyHermes, please let me know in the "Any special requests?" box and I will see what I can do for you.

MyHermes is a lot cheaper than Royal Mail and might be worth considering, but please do check their website as they charge more to insure anything over £25, which might not make it worth your while. It's a service where a courier comes to your shipping address in their car and will make three attemps to deliver it.

Collection: if you would like to collect your order in person (and save on postage prices entirely!), please email me helen@pinup-parade.com to arrange. I am based in the Birmingham area, and quite soon you should be able to pay by card in person (but not over the phone).


I'm really sorry that I'm having to increase my prices - however, it's unavoidable as my mark-up is already as low as I can make it, which means I'm unable to absorb the increase. With VAT running at 20%, it already cuts into the mark-up by making imports from the USA more expensive.

I am trying my best to keep going despite VAT and postage prices doing their best to hobble the most dedicated of small businesses. As you know, I try to get your orders out to you as soon as I can, and answer your queries in an hour or two of you making them - and these are things that these pesky costs can't get in the way of!

Anyway, I hope you won't be deterred from shopping with me!

Best wishes,
Helen.