Just what happens when you order online with a small independent shop like designist?

It may be a well worn trope that when makers / small shop owners receive an order they do a happy dance. For us it definitely is true (and if you hear a little squeal from the back of the shop that's usually the reason).

Ordering online has a mixed reputation - thanks to some giant ecommerce businesses out there - often conjuring up ideas of conveyor belts, warehouses of stock, packed up to the rafters and mountains of cardboard boxes in every shape and size.

Here at designist we process everything from our base in South Great George's Street. While we do have a pretty decent mountain of boxes, everything that is ordered online is hand picked, checked, processed and packed up right here. So no conveyor belts (though Jennie has mused on the practicality of putting in a slide, 'cos you know, that would be really useful?!?).

All of this is why we can prepare your collection (click & collect) orders as fast as we do (sometimes within minutes, usually within two hours on a working day), and why you may also hear those squeals of delight as orders come through. It’s also the reason why we can add more personal touches; like getting to gift wrap presents for unsuspecting recipients, handwriting all your messages and packaging everything up so it will get to the right person on time, and looking fabulous.

All in the hopes that we manage to generate the occasional squeals of delight from our customers too (cheesy, yes, we know, but in all seriousness though, every order really does mean a lot to us).