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BY ANGELA KELLY

Sales’ bargains that sometimes aren’t

SALES are great, aren’t they? The possibility of a bargain or your longed for outfit suddenly marked down to bargain levels is a thrill.

We can all get some amazing deals but there is a danger to grab at items in stores and believe you’ve got a real treasure – only for things to prove a little different.

My friend Carol thought she’d hit the jackpot when she saw a lovely little sports’ skirt, ideal for playing badminton. Its price was very attractive so she quickly bought it and went home a happy shopper.

However, when she tried it on later, she found she could hardly get it over her hips. So, reluctantly, she returned to the store the next day with the item.

“I loved this skirt, but I can’t get it on,” she told the saleswoman. “I’m not surprised, madam,” was the reply. “This is a boob tube so you’re at the wrong end.”

Exit Carol from the shop, red-faced and now re-thinking her sales’ strategy.

Parents need to address porn children watch

IT’S a sad reflection of the times that parents are being urged to talk to children as young as nine about online porn.

Yet, this is sensible advice given the avalanche of porn available today on all forms of technology, including our children’s mobile phones and iPads.

There has been concern for some time about the ease of access for children often browsing the internet unsupervised and the possible damage from the images they see. Now, Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, is urging parents to “talk early and talk often” in an ageappropriate way.

She wants children better prepared for this dark side of the online world. She also hopes it will make youngsters feel easier about raising difficult issues going forward.

That message has not come as a result of an adult focus group second-guessing modern children’s dilemmas but from the Everyone’s Invited movement which allowed youngsters to air their views.

Frighteningly, this revealed wide-spread sexual harassment and abuse in schools, suggesting that online porn can influence reallife behaviour and attitudes when it comes to gender roles, sex and consent.

While previously many of us would have suggested waiting until children become teenagers before broaching this one, Rachel de Souza wants parents to begin the conversation much earlier.

Using the advice from teens and young adults based on what they wish their parents had known, she has produced a guide to help adults with this possibly tricky conversation.

She doesn’t want this to happen all at once, though, but over time and in line with their developing maturity.

“My advice to parents and carers is to create the culture before the crisis,” she explained to a national newspaper. “Children have told us they want their mums and dads to create a safe, judgement-free space for them to talk about these issues.”

She’s right. It’s definitely better to tackle this thorny subject before there’s a problem and establish a channel of communication that allows children to talk to parents.

Singer Billie Eilish revealed only recently the negative impact that watching pornography from an early age had on her. She started at 11 and it gave her nightmares and made subsequent dating difficult.

There is a huge gap between what parents think happens and their own children’s reality. While only a quarter of parents believe their child has viewed pornography online the truth is that more than half of all 11 to 13 year-olds have.

This is a new world to all of us who grew up without smartphones but it’s one that adults urgently need to appreciate. Taking action now is the only way to protect our children properly and help them come to terms with this unsavoury area of life.

Rushing into online reviews can be unfair – and dangerous!

BUSINESSES can live or die by online reviews these days so rushing to TripAdvisor to record your opinion always needs careful consideration.

Unfortunately, not everyone is so thoughtful - or honest - in this and the damage to venues in the hospitality industry in particular can be huge.

Steve Hoddy, the owner of Blackpool restaurant The Bispham Kitchen had enough after one TripAdvisor poster made a series of derogatory online statements about his venue.

The false and malicious reviews – including claims like “the owner stares at you weirdly” and that customers had been made ill – prompted him to turn detective and track down his troll.

Unhappily for this particular individual, Mr Hoddy has two law degrees and admirable determination. Over three years, he pieced While prompting a small cheer from many other businesses who have been victims of trolls, the case is also a great step forward for fairness.

Honest criticism should be generally welcome and offer any business the chance to improve. In fact, how else would they know someone had an unhappy experience rather than just voting with their feet?

Malicious criticism, however, is totally unacceptable. It can ruin reputations and discourage potential customers and, obviously, that can be the motivation of some posters.

Going onto TripAdvisor and other sites is commonplace for many of us these days. We want to share our experiences with others, to praise those that deserve it and alert the public to potentially negative experiences.

Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, there is a pressing need for balance.

If you go somewhere that makes Fawlty Towers look like a Michelin starred establishment, it’s reasonable to say what went wrong. Equally, if you get exceptional service, delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s right to share this, too.

Anyone who has been in business knows that dealing with the public means constantly treading a fine line. So it’s completely wrong to hurl unfounded anonymous criticism out into the ether.

And, as this troll found, it can also come back to bite you in the rear.

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