0:00:02 > 0:00:05The question I get asked mostly in here, believe it or not,
0:00:05 > 0:00:06is "how much is this?"
0:00:06 > 0:00:08How much is this!
0:00:08 > 0:00:09That is the truth!
0:00:10 > 0:00:11How much are these chamois?
0:00:13 > 0:00:15They're shops with a magical formula.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19It must cost more to make them.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21How they do it, I'll never know.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Everything costs a pound.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25A pound? Whoa!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Bargain in itself!
0:00:27 > 0:00:31And some people have fallen under their spell.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Football!
0:00:32 > 0:00:35This the most expensive shop in the centre.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38You buy one thing, then you find another and then you find another.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39Just so cheap.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41I like a bargain.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44There's now a pound shop in almost every town and city.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Bloody brilliant!
0:00:48 > 0:00:49I love Poundland!
0:00:50 > 0:00:56But for Chris Edwards, owner of the Poundworld empire, it's war.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59It's an insult to everything we try and stand for.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00It's ridiculous.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04It's a cut-price, cut-throat battle for survival
0:01:04 > 0:01:08against giant pound shop chains and now the supermarket.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11It was our best seller and now we haven't got it in again.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Somebody has made a big boob somewhere!
0:01:13 > 0:01:15And as customers get more savvy...
0:01:15 > 0:01:20Sometimes they are smaller sizes, to cater for the pound customer.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It's a fight to find new tricks to keep the magic alive.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27We saved a fraction by not including any underwear.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29She doesn't mind, she's got a smile on her face!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33This week...
0:01:33 > 0:01:36They're chasing everybody's business and they don't when to give up.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39The supermarkets are coming after Chris.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41They're monsters.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I think it's unfortunate a pound shop has come to Harrogate.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46An upmarket town gets pound fever...
0:01:46 > 0:01:49We've only got four tills.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51People are saying, I am not coming back.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And a new mascot evokes extreme reactions.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Oh, dear!
0:01:58 > 0:02:00The pound seems to be scaring children!
0:02:07 > 0:02:13In his quest to expand his empire, Chris Edwards has flown to an exotic location.
0:02:15 > 0:02:16How are you?
0:02:16 > 0:02:17Nice to meet you!
0:02:21 > 0:02:25There's obviously a lot of wealth in the island.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It's the last place you'd expect to find a pound shop.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Nice and warm!
0:02:36 > 0:02:37Can't wait to get in there.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41If somebody said to me two or three years ago that we'd be
0:02:41 > 0:02:44considering doing business in Jersey,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46I would have said not in a thousand years.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48You just think of Jersey and you think of money.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52This tax-free haven has nearly 3,000 millionaires.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58But local businessman Nigel Robson wants to persuade Chris it's ready for its first Poundworld.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The local stores all seem to have this one-pound price point and they seem to be doing
0:03:03 > 0:03:05what the Poundworlds are doing.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Nigel wants to open a new shop
0:03:10 > 0:03:13with Chris and is taking him on a fact-finding tour.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17- One pound, please.- Thank you.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Our KitKats come a little bit bigger for a quid!
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Just a little!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Chris may have bigger KitKats but if he opens here,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28he'll have a fight on his hands.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33There are already pound shops in Jersey, and a 99p superstore.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36It's full value, isn't it? Look at that.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40That's just fantastic value, 99p.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47Owners Robert and Andrine Bridgen aren't worried about Poundworld arriving.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51They're still a penny more than us and people don't want to pay that.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55They've even got what they think is the world's first 99p cafe.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00- All our cakes, baguettes, sandwiches...- 99p.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- Chilli con carne and rice.- 99p.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07They say more people are shopping with them than ever before.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10The pound market is no longer just working class people.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13It's everybody. Everybody comes in here.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15The stigma's gone completely, I think.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23In Britain, one in five pound shoppers are thought to be middle class.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26It's a trend Chris wants to cash in on.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30When we started, some people wouldn't be seen dead in one of our stores.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Now the middle class is very much our target.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Chris agrees with Nigel that there are opportunities here.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39This is the street I'd be looking for.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41This is where I would want to be - down this street.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44But there's very little available, I believe.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- You'd be able to see to the back of the shop.- Right.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52But the street Nigel has chosen is much quieter.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58The expansion in Jersey will have to wait.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59But there's a recent shop-opening
0:04:59 > 0:05:03in Britain that this former market trader is very proud of.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07There's one store I always wanted to have and we've managed to do it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Peckham. We all know who lived in Peckham.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13My hero - Del Boy!
0:05:14 > 0:05:20But to grow his empire, he's now targeting places once considered too affluent for a pound shop
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and he thinks he's found the perfect spot.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It has like an air of class.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It's not like a city, is it? It's a town.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So it's a lot calmer than where we usually go.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Chris has brought his mum, Alice, to the spa town of Harrogate.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44It's so posh, it doesn't even have a pound shop.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Oh, that's nice!
0:05:47 > 0:05:52I don't think I've sat down and had a cup of coffee with my son for ten year!
0:05:54 > 0:05:59To see him sat in one place and not got his phone in his hand!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Don't get used to it - we're back to the grindstone shortly.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07Chris isn't here to relax. He's come to see the new store he's about to open.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I think this is probably a landmark,
0:06:14 > 0:06:19because very rare do we come to a town where we haven't got any competitors.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23In the past, Chris found it hard to get a site here.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24I think it's a bit posh in this centre
0:06:24 > 0:06:26so we'll have to be very careful!
0:06:29 > 0:06:31But attitudes have changed so much
0:06:31 > 0:06:34that this centre has offered them a prime spot.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35They open in a week.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40No doubt we're going to be here on opening day. Let's see what we get.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42I'm sure the response will be first class.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47I think it'll do well and I think it will be an asset to the centre.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51But old attitudes die hard in this upmarket town
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and its success isn't guaranteed.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57I think it's a little bit unfortunate that a pound shop has come to Harrogate.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01I suppose people would think...I can see why they would think it would lower the tone, but...
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I don't like...they pile them high, stack them up.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Scrummaging kind of shops.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10I'd rather be somewhere more salubrious to walk around!
0:07:14 > 0:07:16And it's not just attitudes Chris is fighting.
0:07:21 > 0:07:27With slick £1 ads and deep pockets, Tesco and the other big supermarkets
0:07:27 > 0:07:30have entered the pound-shop wars, with guns blazing.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32'Every little helps.'
0:07:34 > 0:07:38It's causing Chris sleepless nights.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Basically, you're going head-to-head with these people.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43I work 12 hours a day but that's not enough.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45If I could stay awake any longer, I would.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47It's impossible. You've got to sleep at times.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49I mean, this is a phenomenal business.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51You don't compete with anybody bigger than these people.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55They're monsters and they just don't know when to give up.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Survival of the fittest.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00If you fail, them lads are just ready to take you out.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03But he's created a new weapon to fight back.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06There we go. We're all set!
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Meet Percy Pound!
0:08:09 > 0:08:12It's going to be good, especially for the kids.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Area manager Nathan is convinced the kids will love him.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Once you get the kids in, they'll drag the parents in.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Right, let's go!
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Side-step and you're free!
0:08:25 > 0:08:27The mascot is being deployed
0:08:27 > 0:08:30at the grand launch of a West Bromwich shopping centre,
0:08:30 > 0:08:35where Chris is opening alongside one of the biggest Tescos ever built.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Can we just go outside Tescos, cos we've got a grand opening at ten o'clock.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Do anything you can - get the people up.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Go for it! Run free!
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Hello, everybody!
0:08:48 > 0:08:51I'm a pound. A very good pound!
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Everything is a pound at the pound store today!
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Tesco is touting for customers too.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Their leafleters are out in force.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12Their £1 signs are primed and they've even got their own mascot.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Hello! I'm a pound.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Mr Pound's efforts soon attract attention.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Help!
0:09:26 > 0:09:27Hoi!
0:09:27 > 0:09:30This coin is going to turn into a fistful of dollars in a minute.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Seeing that doesn't make you want to go into the store at all.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35He's not the only one who's not impressed.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36TODDLER CRIES
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Oh, dear!
0:09:42 > 0:09:44We've got a bit of a situation.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50The pound seems to be scaring children.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59We'll persevere until it stops scaring children or they get used to it - one or the other.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06At the minute, it's not looking great.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Chris's search for new markets is taking him to another unlikely place.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16With director Mark Ward, he's on his way
0:10:16 > 0:10:19to meet someone who should be a sworn enemy.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24We're on our way to see Steve Smith.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27He's the originator of the Poundland chain.
0:10:27 > 0:10:33Poundland is Britain's biggest pound-shop chain and Poundworld's arch rival.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Steve sold the chain over ten years ago
0:10:36 > 0:10:39and now he works from an office in the grounds of his estate.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- Hi, Steve, How are you doing? - Hello, mate.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Nice to see you again. How we doing? - OK. Good to see you.
0:10:46 > 0:10:53It's quite ironic that at one point, arch enemies - and now we're in bed together! Eh?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Would you like to look around what we're
0:10:56 > 0:10:58- going?- Chris thinks Steve is offering to take him
0:10:58 > 0:11:01somewhere no pound shop has ever been before.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05Cyberspace.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Pound shops are closed at six o'clock at night and this is open.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13We're going to make money when we're sleeping - is that what you're trying to say?
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I was starting to believe you!
0:11:16 > 0:11:19It is exciting. I am optimistic it is win, win, win.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22But there's a problem.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Last week, Steve surprised Chris by putting a page
0:11:25 > 0:11:30of the website online, with a countdown to their opening.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32As you can see, the clock's ticking away.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Right. What have I got less? Seven days, seven hours! Bloody hell!
0:11:36 > 0:11:38And a lot to do!
0:11:38 > 0:11:4050,000 people have registered for the launch
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and Chris doesn't want to disappoint them.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Setting that clock ticking has put us under a lot of pressure.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51But what's done is done and we're going to try and meet it.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But it's going to be touch and go.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57I've only got half the photos in a state where they can go on the website.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01I've got no bar codes, I've got no descriptions.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05We're working flat out in there but it's really pushing it now.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10I keep looking at Steve's face and he's looking increasingly worried.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18At the grand opening of the West Brom arcade,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22the fight to attract customers continues.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Oh, bless you! Oh!
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I just got a cuddle!
0:12:27 > 0:12:29The pound's won over the children
0:12:29 > 0:12:33but now there's another problem threatening to sideline it.
0:12:35 > 0:12:42The shopping centre has brought in a local celebrity - ex-West Brom footballer Cyril Regis.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Nathan sees a chance to get in the news.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49We've got all the press down here,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52so we're going to go and get the pound mascot and he's going to photo-bomb this!
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Come, come, come! We're going to photo-bomb this.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59All the press are on this side so let's try and get them round here.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Operation photo-bomb!
0:13:02 > 0:13:03We have no boundaries.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Unfortunately for Nathan, the centre's PR does.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09I'm organising this on the PR side.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12We don't want Poundland in just this one picture.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- Where d'you want the deputy mayor? - On the stage, please.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19But as they set up shop, Nathan pushes his luck.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Just jump in the picture. In for a penny, in for a pound.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Put one leg up on there.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29But the centre's PR lady wasn't born yesterday.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Remember what I said just for this one photograph?
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Could you just move to the side? That's not a lot to ask.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37OK, we'll try. We'll try.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Nathan's missed the big shot.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Let's go to the next one.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Time for Operation Celebrity Endorsement.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Cyril! Can we get one with the pound?
0:13:53 > 0:13:55The pound! The pound!
0:13:57 > 0:13:58Poundworld.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Yes.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03Sorry.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Thank you, Cyril.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- Oh, that's lovely.- Cyril's not too interested in the pound.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12So...
0:14:14 > 0:14:18It hasn't gone very well but there is some good news.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22The pound is attracting more attention than anything else.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24You see!
0:14:24 > 0:14:25Everybody loves the pound!
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The pound charm-offensive has won people over.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Three beautiful young ladies. Thank you!
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Chris's new shop has been full all day.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42The pound has done well, apart from scaring kids at the start.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Really good. Really, really good.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48The Pound Coin has come home!
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Back at HQ, there's a problem.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Chris's plan to open the first online pound shop has been made public -
0:14:58 > 0:15:00but not by him.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04There's been an article about the online situation.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I am going to get on to our PR people and we'll make sure we put a cap on it straight away.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12I think we need a word with Steve to say our press release has come through us.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Steve Smith, the man who's supposed to take them online is in the papers.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21Steve's come out in the open and did a few press releases without our knowledge.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Our competitors may well see this and want to be the first
0:15:27 > 0:15:29and we want to be the first online.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Now Chris is pulling out all the stops to make sure they hit the deadline.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44But at the other end of the country, there's trouble brewing.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47"Poundland founder to open Britain's only single-price online shop."
0:15:47 > 0:15:53Chris's worst fears have come true. The publicity has alerted the enemy.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54He won't be first.
0:15:54 > 0:15:55When is he planning to go?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58At the moment, the 5th of February.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02These Devon businesswomen are also setting up an online pound shop.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06And the news of Chris's opening has given them a new deadline.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13It's huge, isn't it? It's a huge packet.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16These working mums think getting online before Chris
0:16:16 > 0:16:19will give them a marketing edge.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The first women leading a business like this.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26- The first out into the marketplace. - Yeah. Yeah.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- It has just got a nice kudos about it, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31So many Mr Pounds, we need some Mrs Pounds.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Mrs Pounds!- Yeah.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39But beating the boys won't be easy.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41We need to make sure that the warehouse
0:16:41 > 0:16:43is going to operate as it should.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47The MD, Donna, already runs another online store
0:16:47 > 0:16:49but she's never run a pound shop.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51We've more products coming in today.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55We thought it would be a good idea for Molly and George to get used to the picking and packing process.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Do you want to have a quick look around the pound lines?
0:16:59 > 0:17:04We've hopefully organised it as best we can.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Warehouse manager Adam has to bring his new team up to speed.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10I'm just showing them the ropes at the moment,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12so they know where everything is.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It's all right. Some things aren't clearly labelled.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22So it's just sort of trying to guess.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27It says "jumbo" but we've got "mega jumbo".
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I'm pretty sure this is the mega jumbo.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32It says jumbo. And it's a pound.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36It probably is these. It's just best to confirm in the office.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Just to make sure. Is that the mega jumbo?
0:17:40 > 0:17:43There's an awful lot to put in place.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It's just a case of having a quick look.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49I know where it is but I'd have to go through the boxes a little bit.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Making sure the systems are in place there,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54which we're sort of implementing at the moment.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Sparkling green...
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- Do you want me to go and ask the office?- Probably the best thing.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01There are a lot of things that can go wrong.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04The Mister Men ones, I'm not sure where they've gone.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- Could they be mixed with kids stuff? - They could be round the other side.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Watch this space, basically!
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Chris's ambition to be the first online may be under threat
0:18:15 > 0:18:19but there's one place he's definitely breaking new ground.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23You're on that till! Corrine, could you stand up front, please?
0:18:25 > 0:18:29He's about to open the first pound shop in affluent Harrogate.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Kirsty, you're on this till.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35When we open, go round there and offer the customer a basket.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Some people aren't happy there's a pound shop coming here
0:18:40 > 0:18:44so Chris is pulling out all the stops to win the town over.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- Good luck. You can't go wrong, can you?- I hope not.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52He's even got the poshest person in Harrogate waiting to open the store.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- Looking forward to it.- Yeah, yeah.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58And he isn't just relying on the mayor.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- HE LAUGHS - Is that another one?
0:19:02 > 0:19:07Are there any more? Are we having a fiver's worth then?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11- And cut! - HE LAUGHS
0:19:16 > 0:19:18APPLAUSE
0:19:28 > 0:19:31We're just down to earth, everyday people. We need a pound shop.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35There'll be a lot of people that are very pleased.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38I do work in ASDA, they won't be very happy, will they?
0:19:38 > 0:19:42With the store doing a brisk trade, the mascots hit the town.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Soon there's a one pound frenzy.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The queues are just queueing all up our aisles.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53I have never seen an opening day like it.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56If people said that Harrogate is too posh for a Poundworld...
0:19:56 > 0:19:59I bet we've got some millionaires in there.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04But just when it couldn't be going any better...
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- Sorry? - They've been down five minutes.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12They're not taking cards.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- All the card machines are down. - Right. Thank you for that.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17- Do we know about that? - My card was just refused.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19- We're sorting it out now. - Sorting it out now.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21- My purchase was refused. - Sorry about that.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Kick his ass and tell him to make it a priority.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25We need an engineer. We need one here.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29We're just trying to correct it now, as fast as we can.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- They're on the phone now. - Sorry about the wait today.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Hopefully people don't get the wrong impression.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Sorry about your wait, sir.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39The problem is fixed, but it's soon clear
0:20:39 > 0:20:42there aren't enough tills to cope with demand.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45I think we've been in there about 20 minutes queueing.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Others lose patience.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55There's easily £100 there. It's obviously lost sales.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58They're the ones that you can see.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01You don't know how many people have walked in and straight back out.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09People are saying, "I'm not coming back."
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I'm saying, "It's the first day. It's the first day." But...
0:21:12 > 0:21:14We've only got four tills - that's the problem.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19- Can't do without you. - Yeah, yeah.- God bless.- Thank you.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Despite the problems, people spend so much money
0:21:23 > 0:21:28that Harrogate is one of Chris's most successful openings ever.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31From our point of view, we've had an absolutely fantastic response.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Overnight there'll be two more tills put in.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40It's 24 hours before Chris's launch into cyberspace.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43And the ladies in Devon look set to beat him.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45It's terrible rain and wind outside.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48For online shopping, that's a good thing cos obviously,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51you don't want to go out to your high street.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But there are already problems emerging.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59The website at 9am was not up at all - there was an error message.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03The web company are confident everything will be fine for 11am.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07We'll put our faith in them. We'll see, though, see what happens.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It is a bit nerve-racking. There's no telling what will happen.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We hope it's going to be busy.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Are we good to go? Right! All live! THEY CLAP
0:22:27 > 0:22:29CHEERING
0:22:32 > 0:22:37Anyone looking for hereforapound.com now can get onto the site.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39We're online and we're open for business.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43They think they're the first online pound shop.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45But when will they get their first paying customer?
0:22:47 > 0:22:50It'll be great to have a few today
0:22:50 > 0:22:53so we can just get on with the process.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57An hour later and the virtual shelves are still full.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01No orders yet, no.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07It's quite slow starting. A bit nervous, to be honest with you.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13If we get a few, you know, five or six, so we can get moving.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Come on folks, 30 minutes left.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26In Shropshire, Chris is also about to step into the unknown.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Needs more than this to make me totally excited.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32But I am reasonably excited.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35A virtual queue is already forming.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39300 people a second are trying to get on to the site.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41338 per second.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47I didn't know Steve had that many relatives!
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- THEY LAUGH - 350.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- 310.- Let's hope they all put an order in and we're laughing.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Oh, 378.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59- Going up and up and up. - Right, looking forward to this!
0:24:03 > 0:24:07So is it...is it 2pm now? It must be! Switch it on now.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10There's a few problems with the emails but we've sorted.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Ready to go then!
0:24:13 > 0:24:18It's like watching for blast-off! STAR TREK THEME
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- It's not working! It's stopped working!- I'm staying calm.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35The guys are on it! The guys are on it. They're in control!
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Unfortunately for Chris, that's not the case.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Too many people are trying to get on to the site.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48There's a lot of customers on there at the moment.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51They keep on pressing refresh.
0:24:53 > 0:24:566,000 people all trying to get in at the same time -
0:24:56 > 0:24:59that's why it's having the difficulty to open it.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02To Chris, that's 6,000 paying customers.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07It's tense, hey?
0:25:18 > 0:25:21The fear is today it's everybody trying to get on,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23tomorrow there's nobody.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26- Can you give us a second? We've a real problem.- Yeah.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28OK. We'll come back in a minute.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Worst case scenario, we are looking at five to six days
0:25:34 > 0:25:38to get a new server, probably, that can handle the traffic.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45I thought it was going to be a disaster
0:25:45 > 0:25:47if we were half an hour or an hour late,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51but one or two days late, what happens then?
0:25:51 > 0:25:54There's nothing to do but go home and wait.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56The hardware you've presented really needs to process it...
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- See you. See you later. Bye. - Bye, bye.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- Poundshop.com hasn't launched today. - Excellent.- We're definitely...
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- We're the first. - Really good news for us.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15And the good news doesn't stop there.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Adam, we've got the first paying orders out.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22To have had the first order, which is great!
0:26:22 > 0:26:26- OK. Yeah?- Someone has spent £30.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28That's 30 items for the team to pick,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31from bleach to a mega jumbo roll.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36That should be, I believe, around here!
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Good shot of you guys!
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Express and Echo, the London Evening Standard.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44That's a good one, isn't it?
0:26:44 > 0:26:47The press picking up on the story brings in more customers.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56The first 24 hours, there's over 1,000 items been purchased.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It's a great start for the business.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Couldn't really ask for much more.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- Should have more later for you, I think.- So far, so good!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It's the morning after the failed launch
0:27:11 > 0:27:14and Chris's search for new marketplaces
0:27:14 > 0:27:17has made him think about the past.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19On the market it seemed complicated.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21When I think back, it was so simple.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25You bought it, you sold it. Weather was your only enemy.
0:27:25 > 0:27:31Sometimes when I think about it I do wish I was back on the market.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35But not today, not when it's raining and blowing.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37The website is now up and running
0:27:37 > 0:27:40but since they and the Devon ladies launched,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44other sites have come forward claiming to be first.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Mark and Chris are putting on a brave face.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51We're certainly the first online out of the retailers.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56- Can we still say we we're the first? - I would say so.- I'll go with that.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01While they aren't the first pound shop online,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04they seem to be in high demand.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08They say 12,000 items were sold in the first 24 hours.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12The pound shop wars aren't over.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16In a small corner of cyberspace, they've only just begun!
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Gum shield in, shin pad pads on. Into battle!
0:28:23 > 0:28:27At least Chris will always have his mum Alice by his side.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30And I know just how he likes his coffee.