0:00:02 > 0:00:05The question I get asked most in here is, "How much is this?"
0:00:05 > 0:00:06How much is this?
0:00:08 > 0:00:09That is the truth!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11How much are these chamois?
0:00:12 > 0:00:16There are shops which promise to leave customers quids in.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18It must cost more to make it than what they're selling it for.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20How they do it, I'll never know.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And they've put many of us under a spell.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24That's £1!
0:00:24 > 0:00:25I think it's great.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27We're always in pound shops.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28I like a bargain.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36But not everyone's crazy about the pound shop invasion.
0:00:36 > 0:00:37They're popping up everywhere.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39It's a con.
0:00:39 > 0:00:40With the pound shops,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43we're all going to need hard hats before long, just to make a living.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45For the boss of Poundworld,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49it's a cut-price, cut-throat battle for the £1 crown.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52We come to work every day gumshield in, shinpads on. Get on with it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This time...
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Cool man, cool.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00..boss Chris gambles on a monster Halloween order.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04There's a reason why he doesn't make it a two-fingered hand!
0:01:05 > 0:01:08It's all-out war in Wales,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11as Swansea and Cardiff battle to make a killing.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13I think it's awesome!
0:01:14 > 0:01:19And Chris' new sales promotion could leave his stores dead and buried.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22The British shoppers are being conned.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36To me, the phrase "the customer is always right" never applies.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I don't care where I've worked! No, no, it's not!
0:01:40 > 0:01:46In Swansea's Poundworld, Assistant Manager Andrea runs a tight ship.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Horrendous.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50You'll find a bottle of bleach in the grocery.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51They're terrible for doing that.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Yeah, there we are. There's an ideal example there for you now.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Compared to bustling city centre stores,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03this retail park branch gets far fewer customers
0:02:03 > 0:02:06to mess up Andrea's pristine shelves.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Oh, my god, I'm only little!
0:02:09 > 0:02:11But, once they're through the door,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13they're often happy to splash the cash.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16£29 then, please.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Thank you.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- Ta-ra!- Ta-ra.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Regional Manager Dave Evans is in charge of dozens of stores,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28but it's pretty clear which is his favourite.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Swansea is one of the best stores we've had,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34certainly in my area and region.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37If I had all my stores looking like this,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I would be a very, very happy man.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45It's a different story just 40 miles away in Cardiff.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Seven weeks ago, CEO Chris Edwards opened one of his most expensive
0:02:51 > 0:02:54branches in the middle of an upmarket shopping centre.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57It was a big decision to come in here and pay the rent.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00We put ourselves under pressure, but I think we'll get there.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02With its prime location,
0:03:02 > 0:03:07the store opened with a big fanfare, and even bigger expectations.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09I declare Poundworld open!
0:03:09 > 0:03:11CHEERING
0:03:11 > 0:03:12Please come in.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18But, as the excitement of the grand opening has slipped away,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21so too have manager Duncan's sales.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26From the first week or so, it was brilliant.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28It has died down, I've got to be honest.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30The footfall is massive.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33We're having like, between 1,300 and 1,500 customers a day.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37The problem is they're not spending what I'd like them to spend.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Disappointing.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45My job is to make more money and take more money off our competitors,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and we're not making as much money as we should be.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52That's the thing that keeps me up in the middle of the night.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55And a two-year-old.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01The boost Duncan needs could be on the horizon.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05One tried and tested way of increasing profits
0:04:05 > 0:04:10is to make the most of seasonal sales, like Easter and Christmas.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14OK.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17And the season growing faster than any other...
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Wa-ha-ha!
0:04:19 > 0:04:21..is Halloween.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23All this for £2!
0:04:24 > 0:04:29In the pound shop HQ, the merchandising team has invited
0:04:29 > 0:04:32boss Chris to check out this year's products.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33Cool man, cool.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Yeah, thanks.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36When did you model for that?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38I think it was last February.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40With 500 different Halloween products,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42it's their biggest range ever.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44One of the best performing lines year on year.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47I'll have one of them on my door, without doubt.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50For years, it's been massive in America, and years and years ago
0:04:50 > 0:04:54we used to sell fireworks, and that seems to have dried up a bit.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Halloween's took over, but now it's gone to Christmas sale proportions.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03To pull in as many punters as possible, the in-house design team
0:05:03 > 0:05:08has come up with some fancy new family-friendly branding.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09We knew we wanted it to be fun,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13it's like looking at the scary aspects of Halloween,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16but underneath there's a much more friendly tone.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21This is Frank and he is sort of our Halloween poster boy,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23a bit of a loveable lunatic.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We started, maybe a year and a half ahead,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30because we're putting a lot more effort into it this year.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Halloween is six weeks away,
0:05:35 > 0:05:41and the new branded range has been rolled out across all the stores.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45For ex-market trader Chris,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49giving centre stage to fun characters means just one thing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52We create characters cos that creates the sales.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Especially multi-sales - people having a party,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57they're going to buy cups, plates, decorations.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I mean, we don't just get a £1 sale out of this,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04it can be a fiver's worth, a tenner's worth, 20 quid's worth.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11MALE CHOIR SINGS
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Welsh cities Swansea and Cardiff
0:06:15 > 0:06:18have a long standing tradition of rivalry,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and Regional Manager Dave brings the battle to the shop floor,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24with a Halloween competition.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I want to see if Swansea are better than Cardiff,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32with regards to sales with Halloween.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37So it's Cardiff v Swansea live at Poundworld!
0:06:37 > 0:06:43The store that takes the most money through Halloween wins.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46I think they've got an unfair advantage.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47Why?
0:06:47 > 0:06:51Because they model most of the clothing out there
0:06:51 > 0:06:53because they're a pair of witches down there anyway.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56LAUGHTER
0:06:56 > 0:06:59This store, being my newest store at the moment,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03against my best store in the area,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05that will be interesting.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07The competition is there definitely.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10It's just a Swansea/Cardiff thing,
0:07:10 > 0:07:16there's just no love lost, I think, so bring it on!
0:07:16 > 0:07:17Bring it on!
0:07:18 > 0:07:20With city pride at stake,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Duncan is confident a certain type of Cardiff local
0:07:24 > 0:07:27will help him bury the competition.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30We've got a lot of students, a lot of parties.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32I think we'll crucify them, to be honest.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34I think they haven't got a prayer.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42It's not just seasonal sales that can boost profits.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46For the past few years, Chris's pound shops have been selling
0:07:46 > 0:07:51manager's specials - one or two items that cost more than £1.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58The latest must-have product is dancing water speakers.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Exactly what dancing water speakers are,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03I've actually no idea at this point.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10This one is actually broke.
0:08:10 > 0:08:16At £14.99, they're almost 15 times more than his other products.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17Have you seen these before?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21You plug them into your laptop, or something, or whatever.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24But he's struggling to get to grips with the high-end tech.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Right, let's see what we've got here then.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33GENTLE PIANO MUSIC PLAYS
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I think we need a bit beatier music.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40- You need something with a bit of...- Right, rock.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44MUSIC: Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
0:08:44 > 0:08:47# But it wasn't because I didn't know enough... #
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Well, I suppose it's whatever turns you on.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55They're different anyway!
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Manager's specials come in all shapes and sizes.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02They're a big money-spinner for Chris.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05This is one item we ran for a couple of years,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08particularly at Christmas time, we call it a blossom tree.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10It retails at £24.99.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13The loom bands, that's become very, very popular.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17This is a mobile phone that comes with all the normal accessories
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and we'll be retailing that at £9.99.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22When we decided to put the manager's specials in, obviously
0:09:22 > 0:09:26we thought about it because if you retail everything at £1,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29how can you put something that is in excess of £1?
0:09:29 > 0:09:30We were a little bit apprehensive.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32But everything has been good.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Long may it continue, cos we're getting fantastic sales from it.
0:09:39 > 0:09:44In South Wales, the battle for Halloween is in full swing.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Does this stick to the window?
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Two weeks in, Swansea's sales are booming.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Lovely, thank you very much.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Being on a retail park may mean fewer customers,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58but they've been buying early and buying big.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00We're lucky, we've got a lot more space.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02I've got double what Cardiff have got,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05so we can put double the stock out then.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10This is one of the biggest pound shops in the UK, and
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Manager Paula is making sure every inch gets the Halloween treatment.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17This was our summer ball pit,
0:10:17 > 0:10:22so I've utilised this now for all our candy holders and pumpkins,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24and then I've changed all the front -
0:10:24 > 0:10:27every clip strip has been changed now to Halloween.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Come on, just bring him...
0:10:29 > 0:10:33And they have another trick or treat up their sleeve.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35RAUCOUS LAUGHTER
0:10:35 > 0:10:38You'll be dressed up in a corner if you don't shut up.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Come on, get him in.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Chuck that on his head.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Oh, that makes an improvement.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49SHE CACKLES
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Competition. We love competition.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I think it's awesome.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09In Cardiff, Duncan hasn't got the luxury of extra space,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13but he has got the city's 66,000 students.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15This needs to be full.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18We've got a lot of opportunity here,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21a lot of opportunity.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Many of these freshers have just received their student loans,
0:11:24 > 0:11:29and tonight the shopping centre is holding a student-only
0:11:29 > 0:11:33late night event, with discounts of up to 50%.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Duncan is counting on them spending big in his shop.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40He's hoping for monster queues for his monster products.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Right, guys, I can't stress enough,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Halloween is going to be a big part of tonight.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47You've got to make sure, right the way through the night,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49this is kept full, it's kept faced.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Let's start pushing ourselves.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52Get in conversations with them.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53If they're having parties...
0:11:53 > 0:11:56"If you have fresher parties, if you're going fancy dress,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59"have a look at our Halloween stock, we'll show you..." Blah, blah.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Duncan is gambling his entire weekly overtime budget
0:12:03 > 0:12:06on tonight's event being a success.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07It's make-or-break time, you know.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10We've got a lot of staff in and if we don't take the money
0:12:10 > 0:12:13to back that up, you know, we're going to look a bit silly,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15but there's some big queues building up out there
0:12:15 > 0:12:18so hopefully they'll all come in to Poundworld.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22- CROWD:- Five, four, three, two, one!
0:12:22 > 0:12:24CHEERING
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Everything £1, girls!
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Apparently, there was 6,000 just at the doors there,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49they've all just run straight past.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51They ran straight past us.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I think they're going to run down the other side of the centre,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58where all the designer shops are, they're going to get their bargains,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00and we'll have them on the way back.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09With more expensive shops slashing prices in half,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12this is one night where the Pound might have lost its pull.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Disappointed is not the word at the moment.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Really gutted, really gutted.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28It's just not working, is it? So...
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Out of the 28,000 students going past,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37a total of six make it into the shop.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38All chocolates.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Actually I am a chocoholic, I love chocolates.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47None of them buy any Halloween products.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53It's like everything else in life, you've got to take a gamble,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and we did and we lost.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Cardiff's chances of beating Swansea are looking slim,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03but for every cloud there's a silver lining.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06To be honest, I don't really like hard selling or anything like that,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10but luckily I haven't got to do it, because no-one's come in.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21At HQ, the Halloween juggernaut is taking over.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Every day, 40,000 spooky products go out of these doors,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30and if they don't sell, they'll come straight back in again.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33There we go. Would you buy that for a quid?
0:14:33 > 0:14:35These are chicken feathers.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38These have to go through very stringent tests.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42It's Billy Singh's job to find new ways to sell products for £1,
0:14:42 > 0:14:46and still make a profit for his boss, Chris.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49When we first bought this hand, it was a five-fingered hand.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52It actually wasn't feasible for £1 retail,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55so what we decided to do was actually take a finger off.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58And of course taking off a finger, first of all it's Halloween,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01so a finger missing looks good and looks a bit more gruesome,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04but taking off that finger saves another couple of pence,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06which is what our profit is,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10and hence it ended up as a four-fingered bloody hand.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14There's a reason why he doesn't make it a two-fingered hand.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Yeah, possibly!
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Chris has made his reputation by keeping one simple rule.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29"Everything £1."
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Well, almost everything!
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Yeah, we've got this one here at this moment in time,
0:15:36 > 0:15:42which is dancing water speakers above all things, you know! £14.99.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45In Burnley, management team Geoff and Ian
0:15:45 > 0:15:48like to get to know their products.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50- I guess it's like a mini disco. - Would you buy it?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- I don't know, I guess. - Would you buy this, Donna?
0:15:52 > 0:15:54- You'd have to set it up for me.- No.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58But higher priced items create higher expectations.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00A woman wants to bring back some speakers.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03She wants a refund on them, she said they don't work.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Is there any way we can try them?
0:16:11 > 0:16:12No, right.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Even the colours are totally different from what's displayed.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19I've never seen one fired up, so I can't really comment.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The other thing is, when you turn the music up,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25it doesn't go to the beat, it works on the vibration.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27This is part and parcel of one of the problems
0:16:27 > 0:16:30of when you sell an expensive item like this.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Argos and places like Currys and PC World,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35they'll already have a system in place -
0:16:35 > 0:16:37"OK, we'll give you a new one, or whatever," you know?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40It's not like doing a refund on a packet of mints
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- or a packet of crisps, it's like £15.- Yeah.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Dealing with refunds isn't the only headache
0:16:46 > 0:16:49the Manager's Specials are causing.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Everybody thinks it's going to be £1, don't they?
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So I think it's wrong.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57The British shoppers are being conned.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's a pound shop, so why should it be £9.99 in a pound shop?
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Oh, no. Oh, right! I thought it said it were £1!
0:17:03 > 0:17:08Those speakers there are £15, OK? It's a con.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11The sign says everything is £1.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21For some customers, venting their anger in store is not enough.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24We went into Poundworld.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Lo and behold, there was a nice LED Christmas tree.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31I thought, "I'll have one of them for £1."
0:17:31 > 0:17:33They were £24.99.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Steve was so enraged,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39he took his complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Stores need to get it right.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46When their strapline for their business is "Everything £1"...
0:17:48 > 0:17:50That's why they're called Poundworld.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56All Chris's shops have signage claiming "Everything £1".
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Stocking one or two extra products which cost much more
0:17:59 > 0:18:03is a decision that could come back to haunt him.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Halloween has finally arrived,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and the residents of Cardiff are busy shopping for a big night out.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20We can dress people from head to toe, starting from your fangs,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23your blood, a severed head you can carry.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Claude Lewis runs the biggest fancy dress shop in South Wales.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29The real popular one this year what everybody's going,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32is the Ebola costume, or the Breaking Bad costume.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34It's in bad taste but it's really popular.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Have a good day, cheers.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42For us, as a fancy dress store, it's one of the biggest seasons,
0:18:42 > 0:18:43it's bigger than Christmas.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Let's just put it this way.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Halloween helps us survive the rest of the year.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51But surviving is getting harder.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Many of Claude's bestselling accessories
0:18:54 > 0:18:56are much cheaper in the pound shops.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58I had a little browse in the pound store.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It's good to know what people are doing.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03On certain lines, we've got to reduce the price
0:19:03 > 0:19:05to make sure we are competitive.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10The thing with the pound store, they've got good buying power,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12we haven't got that buying power.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Lots of Claude's customers are students
0:19:15 > 0:19:18buying for Halloween parties.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21I think I'm going to go as like, a zombie Baywatch lifeguard.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Little red shorts, flip-flops,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27whistle, and then just like zombie make-up.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30I'm going to the pound shop to get my make-up
0:19:30 > 0:19:33because it's £1, and it's cheaper than here.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Cardiff's Poundworld is just five minutes away,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44and Duncan is hoping plenty of savvy shoppers are heading his way.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47HE SCREAMS
0:19:47 > 0:19:48She's blue!
0:19:50 > 0:19:51Nice Dunc, nice.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Look sexy, mate, look sexy!
0:19:53 > 0:19:56The end is nigh for the South Wales competition.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Just one last chance to try and make a killing.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Not quite what I would buy,
0:20:06 > 0:20:07it's not gothy enough.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09There you are.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Not too heavy, see.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15That's good, I'll take one of those as well.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Bargain hunter Kay has made the trip from the nearby town of Barry.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Excellent.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Yes, definitely a spider.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29We're having a quiz in our street for friends and neighbours.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33We thought, "Well, why not just sort of push the boat out
0:20:33 > 0:20:35"and have a party as well?"
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Well, the kids enjoy themselves, why can't we?
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Shock pop eyes, they're always good for a laugh.
0:20:42 > 0:20:43I like those.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- I don't trust this woman, I can't help that.- Trust me...
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- She don't like me. - ..I'm a doctor.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56In Swansea, Andrea's making a final effort to attract as many customers
0:20:56 > 0:21:02as possible by making her staff as unattractive as possible.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03What colour's pus?
0:21:03 > 0:21:04THEY CHUCKLE
0:21:04 > 0:21:06- Yellow-y.- Well, yours is green
0:21:06 > 0:21:07SHE LAUGHS
0:21:09 > 0:21:10I forgot my horns.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13I've had to put my boxer shorts on.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15See at the back.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Get behind the car and get them off and roll round in the mud.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Andrea's attention to detail has reached new levels.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It's a bit too clean.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Apparently, real zombies wear muddy trousers.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32That's better, man.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37But despite all the Swansea staff doing their bit,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Halloween sales have been slower this week.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44That's £6 altogether, can I offer you any sweets today for a pound?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47I think it'll be close.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I hope I'm wrong and we've whipped his backside.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- Do you need a bag?- No, thank you.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00With much more passing trade,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Duncan's store has pulled in hundreds of last minute shoppers.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Yes! Oh, my God!
0:22:07 > 0:22:08What about one of these?
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I wish we'd bought more in the other shop yesterday,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15but we didn't realise that Daddy had lost the fake blood.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I've just finished work, been running around like mad.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Any sweets for a pound?- Go for it.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Duncan has still got his eye on the prize.
0:22:25 > 0:22:26Can I help anybody at all?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Are you going to a Halloween party by any chance?
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Yes, we are. - You are, so it's a panic buy?
0:22:32 > 0:22:35We just left it until the last day and it's just not that convenient.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38That's £4.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- Do you want a bag?- No, thank you.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47As the competition ends, the staff have an agonising wait
0:22:47 > 0:22:49to see who will be crowned
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Best Halloween Pound Shop in South Wales.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01For their customers, it's time to blow on the cobwebs
0:23:01 > 0:23:03and start to party.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06I'm not sure about this.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09I thought it was cute, it's like those police...
0:23:09 > 0:23:10- Yes, it's...- ..thingys.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Kay's back in Barry after bagging her bargains,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17and is all set for her spooky quiz night.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20One of the Addams Family can help me here!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- It' looks amazing.- Oh, wow!
0:23:26 > 0:23:29I wanted to look as hideous as possible
0:23:29 > 0:23:31and I think I've succeeded.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36Chris's plan to generate multiple sales seems to have worked.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Well, as you can see, I think for the pound shop it's amazing,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42and I think we've got a very good effect in here.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Right, are we all ready?
0:23:46 > 0:23:52Right. Number one, are pumpkins fruits or vegetables?
0:23:52 > 0:23:54OWL HOOTS
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Chris's Halloween range has been a big success,
0:23:59 > 0:24:03but he's facing a backlash against his higher priced products.
0:24:08 > 0:24:14Rival Poundland has already had its wrists slapped for flogging £2 DVDs.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Now Chris's Manager's Specials are in the dock.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled
0:24:22 > 0:24:25that Poundworld's "Everything £1" claim is misleading.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31It's a ruling that threatens all of Chris's branding,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33in store and online.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Some people must have nothing better else to do.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Ten to five in the morning,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42somebody's put on Twitter, "Mm, a good pounding from ASA."
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I mean I like the way he's done that, "A good POUNDing,"
0:24:44 > 0:24:48but ten to five in the morning. Either he can't sleep, or...
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Well, that's up to Chris and his lawyers.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I mean, what's he going to do, change the sign?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56"Almost a pound"?
0:24:56 > 0:24:58You can't put "Everything a pound...
0:24:58 > 0:25:02"and £3.99 and £8.99."
0:25:02 > 0:25:05No, no, no. The sign would be like a mile long, Geoff.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08It's short and simple, Poundworld, "Everything £1."
0:25:08 > 0:25:12I wonder what would happen if Chris decided to say, "Everything £1...
0:25:14 > 0:25:15"..and over."
0:25:18 > 0:25:19- It's a thought.- Mm.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Chris isn't keen on "Everything A Pound And Over World",
0:25:26 > 0:25:28and he has no intention of withdrawing
0:25:28 > 0:25:30his Manager's Specials either.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34We don't try and deceive, everything is a pound and we just have
0:25:34 > 0:25:37possibly two or three, that's what we call a Manager's Special,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40quite clearly marked and we've had some adverse comments
0:25:40 > 0:25:44because people walk in, saying, "I expect to buy that for a pound".
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Well, you know, we're not insulting nobody's intelligence
0:25:47 > 0:25:50when it's quite clearly marked it's not a pound.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52That's how it is in every single store.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Absolutely right, yeah, we daren't just put it in a pound thing like,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58you'd have to be loony to do that.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Yeah, because then you see you've got to honour that deal at the till.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Chris has been asked to remove "Everything £1" from his website
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and any leaflets but, for now, his shop signage is safe.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14We can sell thousands of something and three people make a complaint
0:26:14 > 0:26:16then we're deemed to be doing something wrong and yet the
0:26:16 > 0:26:19other thousands of people are more than happy with what they've bought.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I cannot see how any government body would think
0:26:22 > 0:26:25we're trying to deceive, cos we're not.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26Bye.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33For the past six weeks, rival stores Swansea and Cardiff
0:26:33 > 0:26:36have been battling it out over their Halloween sales.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Today, regional manager Dave has the results.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Right then, team...
0:26:42 > 0:26:47It was a lot closer than I thought it would be.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52The winner of the South Wales...
0:26:54 > 0:26:57..Halloween competition 2014 goes to...
0:27:00 > 0:27:01..Cardiff, St David's.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Oh, my God, I'm going to quit.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04THEY LAUGH
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- Um...- Well done, Mr Tiller! - Thank you.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I think we should have a recount. Who done the figures?
0:27:11 > 0:27:16Out of the seven weeks, Swansea were leading five times.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20All part of the plan, all part of the plan.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24The last week, you lost it majorly.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Oh, my God. Are you sure those figures are right?
0:27:27 > 0:27:30I double, triple, quadruple,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34I even tried to fudge the figures and it just didn't work.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Swansea, they've got experienced staff,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40they've done these set-ups before.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42I didn't think Cardiff would win.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45They managed to pull it out of the bag on the last week,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49so well done to them, it was a very close call.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52I'm gutted we lost, we lost to him as well.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54It could have been anybody else.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56- BOTH:- Anybody!
0:27:58 > 0:28:02I just want to shake your hand a minute and say, "Well done."
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- I'm going to whack him in the face now.- Shake my hand.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08- Go away!- I'll see you later.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Five times, Duncan, five times.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Oh, my God.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Next time...
0:28:14 > 0:28:17I'd rather not have the hairy arms sticking out if that's all right.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19It's north versus south as Yorkshire's finest
0:28:19 > 0:28:22invade their rivals' back yard.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25They're all going to be selling exactly the same stuff,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27so what's the point?
0:28:27 > 0:28:31And Chris flies in to face a shopper backlash.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Bryan, are you a fan of these pound stores?
0:28:33 > 0:28:37No, I am afraid I'm not, I think that they should be banned.