Row.co.uk Blog

Half of the UK’s Online Shopping will take place on Black Friday by 2020

Posted on November 9, 2016

British retailers took £114bn in the whole of 2015, up 11% on the year before. A whopping 21% (£24bn) of that spend took place over Christmas, with £4.3bn spent on Black Friday weekend.

An American phenomenon, Black Friday was virtually non-existent in the United Kingdom in 2012. It’s the first Friday after November’s Thanksgiving and unofficially marks the start of the Christmas shopping season.

Since 2013 Black Friday sales revenue has grown at least 20% year on year. In comparison the UK’s online shopping spend has been growing at a steady 11% for several years and looks to match that trend this year.

With the current growth trends in mind, gadget insurance company Row.co.uk estimates that UK Black Friday sales will represent 47% of annual online sales by 2020. In pounds, that’s an eye-watering £81.1bn to be spent on one day alone. Annual online sales at the same point in time could be as high as £172.9bn.

Online retail giant Amazon said in 2015 that it sold more than 7.4 million items at a rate of around 86 items per second. The vast majority of purchases are for electronics and gadgets, mainly TVs, tablets, laptops and mobile phones.

With the British Black Friday spend now in the billions, it is officially the UK’s biggest shopping day and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. Experts predict that £733 million was spent on Manic Monday in 2015, the first Monday in December, followed by £728 million on Christmas Day, £856 million on Boxing Day and £638 million on New Year’s Day.

“Several million mobile phones were purchased last year on Black Friday, with Carphone Warehouse alone claiming a 182% increase in handset sales”, a spokesperson for Row.co.uk said.

“There’s no signs that these sales will slow down. If you do take advantage of the great holiday savings to get your hands on the new iPhone 7, Galaxy S7 or Xperia XZ, do consider getting mobile phone insurance from the smaller niche insurers like Row.co.uk, rather than accepting the network’s cover which can cost up to 80% more.”

Some experts now believe that the popularity of the Black Friday shopping weekend will phase out the traditional Boxing Day sales events.


Featured in: Business Match

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.

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How to Prevent Burst Pipes

Row.co.uk Blog

How to Prevent Burst Pipes

Posted on June 24, 2019
No matter what the time of year, it’s a good time to maintain your home. Even if there’s no sign of snow, preparing your home plumbing for a cold snap could pay dividends if the weather unexpectedly turns.

Burst pipes are one of the biggest risks in winter. Not only do they cause loss of supply, and inconvenience for the family, but the water damage that results from a burst pipe could cost thousands of pounds to repair. That’s before you get into the emotional distress of having a water leak decimate your home and your belongings.

What Causes Burst Pipes?


A burst pipe is generally the result of a weak point in the plumbing which is made worse due to pressure. This could be the pressure of water building up, or the pressure of ice forming. As water turns to ice, it expands, which is why bare pipes containing cold water can be dangerous around the home.

Before you start to explore preventative measures, familiarise yourself with the location of the stopcock -- the main tap in the pipe that comes into your house from the street. If you have a leak from a burst pipe, being able to quickly turn off the stopcock could save you huge amounts of time and money, since it could prevent a small flood from becoming a disaster. In the middle of the night, or the dead of winter, you might find it difficult to locate the stopcock if you’re not sure where to look.

How to Prevent Burst Pipes in Your Home


Cladding is the number one preventative measure that can be employed around the home to keep pipes warm. If you prevent pipes from freezing, you are well on your way to avoiding the pressure of an ice buildup inside.

Running pipes through rooms, open to the warm air of the home, is also a good way to prevent ice buildup. It keeps the ambient temperature above freezing so that the pipes don’t burst when the water inside cools too far.

If you have an outside tap, it’ll be vulnerable to freezing. So it’s a good idea to shut off the supply to the tap in winter, but ensure that the tap itself is left open. That way, any residual water or dampness will be able to drip away of its own accord, rather than being allowed to build up.

If you leave your home unattended, never turn the heating completely off. Some central heating systems have a setting to maintain a certain amount of warmth. If yours doesn’t, setting it on the lowest possible heat is a good idea to prevent freezing. You may wish to leave all of the doors open, including the doors to your attic space, so that the air can circulate and prevent cold pockets from forming.

Final Thoughts


If you’ve never reviewed the quality of the plumbing around your home, it’s a good idea to invest time over the warmer months. Check the depth of any pipes underground, ensure that lagging is present and of a good quality, and inspect the pipes for any signs of loose joints or weakness.

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.

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