0:00:02 > 0:00:04The question I get asked mostly in here, believe it or not, is,
0:00:04 > 0:00:05"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 > 0:00:19It must cost more to make than what they're selling it.
0:00:19 > 0:00:20How they do it, I never know.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And they've put many of us under a spell.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24That's a pound!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27- I think it's great. - We'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 > 0:00:39- They're popping up everywhere. - It's a con.
0:00:39 > 0:00:40I think with the pound shops,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42we're all going to need hard hats before long
0:00:42 > 0:00:43just to be able 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 > 0:00:53We come to work every day, gumshield in, shin pads on, get on with it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58This week, Chris plans a new online store...
0:00:58 > 0:01:00You can't make the same mistake twice in business,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02so we'll make no mistakes this time.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05..but sparks a cyber war.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08A lot cheaper delivery and a lot cheaper next-day delivery.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09Bring it on, we're ready.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14In the shops, they've got a crime fight on their hands.
0:01:14 > 0:01:15Holy smoke, shoplifter!
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Quick, to the Batmobile. Come on, let's get him!
0:01:18 > 0:01:22And Chris' pound shop rivals make a deal that could change
0:01:22 > 0:01:23the face of the high street.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27They think they can walk over everybody and I'm just the person
0:01:27 > 0:01:30to try and say, "Well, you're not going to walk over us."
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Across the country, the tills are ringing in pound shops.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Three for two, eh? You can't go wrong, can you, eh?
0:01:43 > 0:01:44What an absolute bargain, eh?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47But some shifty shoppers don't make it to the tills -
0:01:47 > 0:01:50they're only out to steal.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53It's a crime fight that all shops face
0:01:53 > 0:02:00and it cost the retail industry over £600 million last year.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05And in Liverpool, some looters have taken it to another level.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13There was stock all over the floor, and as we looked,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15there's this big hole in the wall.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20On first inspection, I just thought it was plasterboard
0:02:20 > 0:02:24that they'd come through, but when we went round to the other side
0:02:24 > 0:02:29to have a look, it's breezeblocks, so they have come well equipped.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33The thieves smashed through a concrete wall from an empty shop
0:02:33 > 0:02:36next door, but weren't after bin bags or £1 bras.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40They had their eyes on something a bit bigger.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43As we came nearer, we've seen the big hole in the wall
0:02:43 > 0:02:47which leads to the office, and the safe was missing.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50It would have been about at least a tonne,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52it'd have taken some carrying.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56I think about five individuals were involved in physically
0:02:56 > 0:02:58getting it removed from store.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02It's not just the staff that are shocked. It's stunned shoppers, too.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Must have had some power tools to do that.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10No conscience. No conscience whatsoever.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16There's TK Maxx just a couple of doors down, do you know?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19They could have gone there and probably got more.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23The in-store CCTV captured the break-in.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27What we've got now is the first of the intruders coming through.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31You can obviously see a shadowy figure on his hands and knees.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32There it is.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34That's the safe coming out.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36£3,000 was stolen,
0:03:36 > 0:03:41and area manager Jason fears a member of staff could be involved.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43There's no doubt that somebody, somewhere,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46has got a good working knowledge of the store,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47about where the safe's located.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Now, whether that's a professional gang who, you know,
0:03:50 > 0:03:51have just done their homework,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54or whether, you know, what we can't rule out is, obviously,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57it could potentially be an inside job as well.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04News soon reaches company boss Chris Edwards.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07The last thing you'd think is somebody could actually
0:04:07 > 0:04:10break in through next door's empty shop and pinch the safe.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It's a sad, sad world we live in, I'm afraid.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And at HQ, his mum Alice is already inspecting the evidence.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Be better if you were there and you could hit 'em
0:04:21 > 0:04:24over the head with something.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Crime is giving Chris a hammering,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29wiping millions off his annual profits.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33£7 million from the size of our business is a big figure.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34That's more than we earn.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37We actually have more stealing than what we have profit in the company.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40But shoplifters aren't his only concern.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Some offenders are much closer to home - the staff.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47The majority are very good
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and they've got the best interest of the business, but every so often
0:04:50 > 0:04:55you get a bad apple, and they're the ones you've got to catch.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58And to do that, he's employed a man in black -
0:04:58 > 0:05:01his very own private investigator.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Somebody's got to make a stand
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and now we feel as though we've got the ammunition to deal with them.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14They all know he's in black, they all know they'll never see him,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17but if he crops up, they're in trouble.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22The private investigator's identity is on a need-to-know basis,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26which gives him the edge when catching staff crooks.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30If anyone is acting dishonestly, we will discover them.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34I'm normally known in stores as the Traffic Warden or the Grim Reaper.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40It's his job and he wants to keep his job, so he's got to catch 'em.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44With his man in black ready to scythe down the losses,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Chris' attention turns to increasing his profits.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54Six months ago, Chris got in on the fastest growing sector of retail -
0:05:54 > 0:05:56the online market.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58But he didn't do it alone.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00He joined forces with his old nemesis,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02the founder of Poundland,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Steve Smith.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06It's quite ironic that, at one point, arch enemies,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and now we're in bed together, eh?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11But not everything went to plan.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14I've got no barcodes, I've got no descriptions.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18We're working flat out in there, but it's really pushing it now.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21And the website launch hit problems.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- It's not working, it's not working. - I'm staying calm.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30Six months on, with disappointing results, there's been a break-up.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37It just wasn't working.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40The website kept crashing.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43The pound shop pals have grown apart.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46He assured us his technology was right,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and we got that many hits. It just kept going down.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52They wanted different things.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We was really hoping they would give us access to the stores,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57so there was a bit of conflict there.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59There were constant misunderstandings.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03We thought we'd corrected it, and then relaunched again,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05and the same thing happened again.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07So they decided to go their separate ways.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09With Poundworld, really,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12they've got a lot on their plate without going online shopping,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15so I think they should concentrate on what they're doing
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and let us grow, really.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25Steve might think that Chris has turned his back on online retail.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27But he'd be wrong...
0:07:27 > 0:07:30So we've batted around different ideas for the logo.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34..because he's setting up his very own new website in-house,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36with one massive difference.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38We've looked at what you can actually achieve
0:07:38 > 0:07:41with a single price, and while it's fantastic offers
0:07:41 > 0:07:45and it does work in-store, we just thought it's an ideal opportunity
0:07:45 > 0:07:48to marry the single price along with the multi-price items.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51But selling things for more than a pound is not just about giving
0:07:51 > 0:07:55the customer choice, it's about making a profit.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Ultimately, we need to get the basket spend up
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to make this work as it needs to do.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Helen has got the task of setting up the website.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08There's a heck of a lot to do, a very small team doing it,
0:08:08 > 0:08:09and not much time to do it in.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13So, yeah...
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Pressure.
0:08:15 > 0:08:21UK online retail sales are set to hit 57 billion by 2018,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24so Chris and his in-house team have to crack the market
0:08:24 > 0:08:26before they're left behind.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28You can't make the same mistake twice in business,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31so we'll make no mistakes this time.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36It's fighting talk from Chris, and somewhere in Britain,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40his man in black is squaring up to tackle staff crime.
0:08:43 > 0:08:49But in Burnley, he already has his very own Dynamic Duo on the case.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Kapow! Boom!
0:08:53 > 0:08:55HE LAUGHS
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Holy smokes, shoplifter!
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Quick, to the Batmobile! Come on, let's get him!
0:08:59 > 0:09:03- You're crackers!- Oh, no, I've dropped my utility belt!
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Come on, let's get him!
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- It's an ever-increasing battle.- Mm.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- And it will never, ever dissolve. - No, it won't.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15It's something we've got to be on the ball with seven days a week.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Yeah.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20We are the Caped Crusaders, but we're unmasked, like,
0:09:20 > 0:09:21you know what I mean?
0:09:21 > 0:09:25We're just protecting the company's assets at the end of the day.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28We try and not make it obvious, obviously.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34But, you know, at the end of the day, sometimes they cotton on.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Nothing gets past this eagle-eyed duo,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39and they've got the results to prove it.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46A cashier had bought a packet of these, and what she did was,
0:09:46 > 0:09:51she took 'em out and put 'em into another packet,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55so in effect, she were getting two packets for the price of one.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59You know, why throw away your livelihood for the sake of a pound?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- Yeah. - And that's exactly what she did.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10It's two months since Chris broke off his online relationship
0:10:10 > 0:10:15with Steve Smith, and his new website is taking shape.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17It's really exciting to see it coming together,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21and to be able to show that there's, you know, there's physical products
0:10:21 > 0:10:25to see, to add to the basket, and, yeah, it looks really great.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27But there's still plenty to do.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Kev has got to measure each of the thousands of products
0:10:30 > 0:10:32they'll be selling on the website.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37I've measured that and I've measured these.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40They all have to be checked...
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Instructions!
0:10:43 > 0:10:45..and photographed.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Measured that. Measured these on this shelf.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Each item is given a detailed description.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- The key words, it's fluffy. - Yeah, yeah.- And it's got a zip.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59And I measured this,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01all this here...
0:11:01 > 0:11:03With 6,000 products to list,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06the size of the task is growing day-by-day
0:11:06 > 0:11:09for the five members of the online team,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14so they've had to make a drastic decision to delay the website launch.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16We want to get it absolutely spot on,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and so if it means that we've got the right products
0:11:19 > 0:11:21in the right departments, that everything is stable,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24that the orders are going out as they should be,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26then that's not a bad thing, to delay it to get it right.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31More stuff, sorry. This is the last lot for today.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Back store, please.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40But every day they're not online means missed sales
0:11:40 > 0:11:44because there's already a pound shop website that's making money.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46We're good to go!
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Right, all live.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49THEY CHEER AND CLAP
0:11:49 > 0:11:54Hereforapound.com launched six months ago,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58beating Chris to the prize of being the first pound shop online.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01When we launched Here For A Pound, we didn't know...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05It was new, you know, we were sort of breaking new ground,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07so we didn't know if people wanted to shop online
0:12:07 > 0:12:08for their pound items,
0:12:08 > 0:12:14and we've got over 20,000 customers, and lots of repeat business.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15The company's doing so well
0:12:15 > 0:12:19that it's caught the eye of a multimillionaire.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24He's a colossus of the business world...
0:12:26 > 0:12:29..with a track record in moneymaking ventures.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35And he wants to join forces with go-getter Donna.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Yeah, really exciting.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43I'm about to meet somebody really interesting for our business.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47He'll be a familiar face to many in pound shop circles,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49especially Chris Edwards.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Cos it's none other than...
0:12:55 > 0:12:56his ex!
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- Hi, Steve!- You OK?- Yes.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05The jilted partner has got back on his feet and moved on.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07He's courting Chris' main competitor
0:13:07 > 0:13:12and he's pulling out all the stops to impress her.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14This is where it all started from.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16The first shop opened December 13th 1990
0:13:16 > 0:13:18in Burton-on-Trent.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22And these were done before that shop opened, yeah?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Yeah, this was to convince a landlord to get the first shop,
0:13:25 > 0:13:30and this shop, on the first day, took almost £13,000.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Not only could Donna have
0:13:32 > 0:13:35the daddy of the pound shop revolution on board,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38but there's someone else that wants to join in.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Hello, Ashley, Donna's here.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Steve's son, Ashley.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Hi, Ash.- Nice to meet you. - Great to meet you, too.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Steve still owns Poundshop.com,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52so his proposal is to merge with Donna's company using his brand name.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55This is the new design that we've got going around.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Don't know if you guys... Don't know if you like it, Donna.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00I love those colours. I love the name, Ash.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- It is the best name.- Absolutely, it's the best name to go with.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04It's going well
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and 19-year-old Ashley has got a big idea to seal the deal.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Our dream is to have one million customers.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14One million customers, that'd be fantastic money, really.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15- That'd be amazing.- Great.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I think, between you two guys, joined together,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I think it's great, really. So, er...
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- Let's make this dream come true. - Yeah, definitely.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29While they prepare for an online onslaught, Poundworld's very own
0:14:29 > 0:14:33private investigator is busy fighting staff crime.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38At the minute, I'm focusing more on the internal theft side
0:14:38 > 0:14:43and trying to get these members of staff who've basically had
0:14:43 > 0:14:46a free meal ticket off the company for a while.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Dubbed by staff as the Grim Reaper,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52he recently visited the High Wycombe store.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59It was a fright for store manager Kieran and his team.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03He kind of just pointed out every single thing that was wrong
0:15:03 > 0:15:05and I took it very personally.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08What he found wasn't pretty.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Within the warehouse, you had things like this.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Staff had just opened bottles of aftershave, pens...
0:15:16 > 0:15:18In the toilets,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21drinks bottles in the toilets with no proof of purchase off the staff.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26That's hundreds of pounds worth of stock which wasn't accounted for.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29He gave the staff a stay of execution,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and, today, he's back to make his final judgment.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36That's the store over there, so, obviously, I'm going to take
0:15:36 > 0:15:39a walk across there now and see what...see what's going on.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46He keeps a low profile so he can spot suspicious behaviour
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and see if staff are taking his warning seriously.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Some are prepared to risk their jobs to avoid paying a pound,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58with chocolate, batteries and body spray
0:15:58 > 0:16:00being the most commonly stolen items.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06If he spots any open products, hidden stock, or staff not scanning
0:16:06 > 0:16:09things through, it could be curtains for Kieran and his team.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24It's time to make himself known to store manager Kieran.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28What I want to do now is just have a quick look behind your till area.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33He's on the lookout for loose cash or hidden stock.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39So what's his verdict?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43On the face of things, from the first visit,
0:16:43 > 0:16:48it looks as if it's came on massive amounts.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50It's a great result for Kieran and his staff,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55who have done what they needed to do to win back the company's trust.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57You have to take everything on board,
0:16:57 > 0:17:02check, make sure the checks are done 100% correct.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04If they're done, everything else follows.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06While High Wycombe has nothing to hide,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10others across the country have been caught red-handed.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15This is one of the stores where we did suffer a huge loss.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18So what they're doing here, the store's still open,
0:17:18 > 0:17:19the two members of staff,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22she's putting through the other member of staff's shopping.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25But, then, all of a sudden, what she'll do is,
0:17:25 > 0:17:26she'll press a function on the till.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Everything now which is going into the carrier bag...
0:17:30 > 0:17:32she's not being charged for.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38So it ended up being about a £40 sale, which she got for nothing.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42The two staff involved were arrested and charged.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44When we dismissed them two members of staff,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48the trading figures went through the roof instantly,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51because everything was going through the tills at that point.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58As Chris' crime fight continues, a cyber war is brewing,
0:17:58 > 0:18:03because word has got back to HQ that his old online partner, Steve Smith,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06has gone into business with his rival, Donna.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08He's up and running, he's thrown down the gauntlet,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11and it's up to us to react accordingly.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So, don't know how long before Alan's going to get it finished,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16but I hope to get a result.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20And there's more bad news for Chris,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24because the computer servers are playing up again.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Yeah, it's getting to a kind of critical stage now.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29We've got a couple of weeks left before we launch.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Getting the servers sorted is taking the biggest amount of time
0:18:33 > 0:18:35and if that's not sorted in the next couple of days,
0:18:35 > 0:18:36it's going to be kind of, well,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39that might make the launch happen a few days later,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43so it's all very, you know, critical in these next few days.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46With more technical difficulties to deal with,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48they've got to make sure the website works,
0:18:48 > 0:18:53so who better to put it through its paces than a complete novice?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55You all right?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Alice has agreed to be their guinea pig.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Show me what I do. - OK, so you see that little...- Yes.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04..arrow there, if you move that, it's there.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08- Whoa! Where's it gone? - It's over there now.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10- Oh!- It's moved.- Never mind.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I could be at the shop by the time I've done this.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- You just need a bit of practice, that's all.- I know what I want.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Oh, now you've gone into Terms & Conditions.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22If you click back up the top here...
0:19:22 > 0:19:24It's not familiar ground for Chris' mum,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26but she soon gets the hang of it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30And now you're in the storage department,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- so you can see all of our different...- Oh, that's good.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35With a bit more tuition, Helen, I might...
0:19:35 > 0:19:38No problem, you might be our best customer.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42I won't be, cos I'll be pressing all the wrong things!
0:19:42 > 0:19:44With an 87-year-old won over,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47there could be legs in the online market for Poundworld,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50but whilst they're still waiting to launch,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53their main rivals are planning to expand....
0:19:53 > 0:19:55- Oh, wow.- This is it.- Look at this.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58..by taking on a bigger warehouse.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- You can just see it, can't you? - It's got so much potential, which we need.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- Could build our empire here. - Definitely.- Definitely.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07They're expanding their range, too,
0:20:07 > 0:20:12with new stock that Ashley hopes will wipe the competition clean.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15Nine-pack of white...
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Nine-pack of toilet roll for a pound,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19which no other pound shop's doing at the moment.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21We were the first to do it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24So far, going into partnership with Ashley and his dad
0:20:24 > 0:20:26is paying off for Donna.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Sales have tripled, you know, lines have increased.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33We've more than doubled the amount of products that are available
0:20:33 > 0:20:35to customers, so there has been a big impact,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39and it's growing month on month, you know, which is great news.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41With their business growing,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44they could already be too far ahead for Poundworld to catch up.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52But at least Chris is winning his clamp-down on crime
0:20:52 > 0:20:55because his man in black is getting results.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56One particular store here,
0:20:56 > 0:21:01which stands out like a sore thumb here, six-year prison sentence.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04That is shocking, six years.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08But the success has come at a cost,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12with all stores given a big book of procedures to follow.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Feel the weight of that. Crazy.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Got a cart sheet, a safe-check sheet, back door logs,
0:21:17 > 0:21:22staff searches, open and close log, stock declaration, cash declaration,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25stock used for store, grazing sheet, last employee out form,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27and that's just security alone.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's crazy the amount of paperwork that's in here now.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32But I understand, you know, why.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35One rule asks store managers to document proof of staff purchases,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39so Geoff has got his camera out.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44Basically, the receipt is supposed to be signed and Sellotaped on.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48It doesn't end there - Geoff's even got to frisk Ian!
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- Empty your pockets!- Oh, right, OK.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Random spot-checks are helping to put off potential pinching.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57I've got a mobile phone.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Oh, that's from taking the dog out this morning, a roll of poo bags!
0:22:02 > 0:22:04HE LAUGHS
0:22:04 > 0:22:06You obviously understand why we do the random ones.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Oh, yeah, I've nothing to hide, mate.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10You can random search me whenever you want, pal.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Oh, I forgot. Oh, yeah, and a winning scratchcard, £5.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15I need to collect that afterwards.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18It's just another company rule to add to the long list
0:22:18 > 0:22:23that everyone has to follow, and it's pushed some staff too far.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25"HMP Poundworld".
0:22:25 > 0:22:28That's what she put on it. I couldn't believe it.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I mean, I know we're not really a Butlins holiday camp here, but look!
0:22:31 > 0:22:33"I resign." That was it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Tracy worked at Poundland in Burnley for two years, but last month,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41she handed in her notice.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42It was like prison.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47The rules, the regulations... One minute late, you got told off.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49No, I couldn't handle it no more.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I mean, I've been a manager, I've been a supervisor,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I've been a key holder, I've banked wages and money, and yet this kind
0:22:56 > 0:23:01of pettiness does make me feel a bit bad, cos I'm a trusted person.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05But being treated like this doesn't make me feel very trusted at all.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09While some staff are unhappy,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14Chris' hard line on crime is helping to increase his profit margin.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20But something has happened in the world of pound shops
0:23:20 > 0:23:23that could change everything.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26The low-cost retailer Poundland has always had an eye for a bargain.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31Now it's buying up its high street rival, the 99p chain.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34With their main opponent planning high street domination,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Chris has got a big problem.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Yes, I am anxious to see how this is going to play out.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42When the merger goes ahead,
0:23:42 > 0:23:48Poundland will immediately have 800 stores, three times more than Chris.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51When your major competitor takes over the other one,
0:23:51 > 0:23:56so it's two against one, it could leave us with a difficult situation.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01The Competition And Markets Authority has approved the takeover.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03But Chris won't go down without a fight.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07If they could possibly put us out of business,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10I'm sure they would choose to do that.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13They're powerful and they think they can walk over everybody
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and, you know, I'm just the person to try and say,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18"Well, you're not going to walk over us."
0:24:18 > 0:24:22With the stakes raised, Chris could be set for his biggest battle yet.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Becky, these have just come in.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27If you can quickly add those to the site.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31At HQ, the online team is finally ready to launch.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Today's launch day.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Blood, sweat and tears have gone into this.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39We're all on the edge, ready to press the button.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41After the disaster last time,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44they can't afford for anything to go wrong.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Five, four...
0:24:47 > 0:24:50ALL: Three, two, one.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52THEY CHEER AND CLAP
0:24:52 > 0:24:56But this time, it's a smooth takeoff.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01- Oh, my God. There's 40 people on the site already.- Already?- Yeah.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05It's a promising start, with customers already taking a look.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12But 150 miles away, their competitors have already got their knives out.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I think Poundworld Plus, erm...
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Do you think it confuses the issue, that it's not just Pound...?
0:25:18 > 0:25:21It'd be better if it was just Poundworld.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24I like that we keep things simple, it's a pound. Everything is a pound.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28They think they've found some holes in what Poundworld is offering.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- £20 minimum to spend.- Mm.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35- We're a lot cheaper delivery and a lot cheaper next-day delivery.- Yeah.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38But experienced Steve is not concerned.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40For me, competition is really healthy.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I used to thrive on it, because...
0:25:43 > 0:25:46And I used to not worry about what competition's doing.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- Worry about what you're doing. - Exactly.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- So, Ash, bring it on. - Yeah.- We're ready.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56The cyber war has kicked off, but at Poundworld's warehouse,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58it's a slow start.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02After an hour of going live, punters are still just browsing
0:26:02 > 0:26:04and there's not been a single sale.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08It's quite hard to predict, you know,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10what the public are going to do,
0:26:10 > 0:26:15so...fingers crossed, hopefully it really kicks off.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17The future of online may be in the balance,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20but with Poundworld's two high street rivals
0:26:20 > 0:26:22on the brink of a major merger,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Chris has now come up with a way he can compete.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34And it's brought him back to where it all began.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- Do you remember what's round the corner here?- Yes. Our shop.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44There.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- We had this for a long time, didn't we?- We did.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- That's our old sign. - Yeah, I know it is, yeah.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54It brings back a lot of memories, this.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59I remember borrowing £2,500 to put a new shop front in.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01And I thought I'd borrowed the earth,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I thought I was going to be in debt for the rest of my life.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06We've just realised how far we've come.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09- It makes you think, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12You wonder where all the years go, though.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19Chris and his family have built their retail empire over 45 years,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21but now they've had an offer from investors
0:27:21 > 0:27:24to buy a majority stake in the business.
0:27:24 > 0:27:31It's a deal that values the company at £150 million.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33This deal's come along just at the right time,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36and if we're going to keep pace with all our competitors,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I think we just need to do this deal.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41The investment will help Chris open more new shops.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Cos at the end of the day, don't forget,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46we're responsible for 6,000 people's wages.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48This just secures the future.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Chris will carry on running the company,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55but for the first time in his life, he'll have partners to answer to.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Can you get sacked?
0:27:57 > 0:27:59You know something, I've never really thought about it.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Hey, I might get the sack! Will I get redundancy money?
0:28:01 > 0:28:03They'll say, "Can you get shot of your mother?
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- "She's a bloody nuisance." - They will, they will.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07So I'll have to pay you off.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I'll tell you, do you know how much it would have cost for redundancy?
0:28:11 > 0:28:12She's only done 63 years!
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Yeah, 63 years in a family business, you'll get about four million quid!
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Whatever the future holds,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24having built a major high street chain from a single market stall
0:28:24 > 0:28:28in Wakefield, Chris and Alice are unlikely to be
0:28:28 > 0:28:30taking it easy any time soon.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- Look at that frozen range there, look at the mess.- Where is it?
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Who's in charge? This is a disgrace, this.