During the research for my retail books, I visited Harrods.

I have heard a lot about Harrods, but had not actually visited it.

When my sister visited me from the United States, Harrods was on her list of places to visit, however, by the time we arrived at the store, it was already closed.

You can imagine my anticipation and apprehension at visiting one of the most famous retail stores where royalties, Hollywood A-list stars and the "who is who" from around the world go to shopping.

In my mind, everything in Harrods was made of gold. I even bought a special outfit for the occasion to ensure I was in sync with the royalties and A-list stars.

I was hoping I could catch a glimpse of Roman Abramovich and some of his billionaire friends or some Saudi prince.

However, instead of some Russian oligarch or Middle Eastern Sheikh, what caught my attention was a bus.

I had bought the identical bus for my son from ASDA. It was the same bus in the same packaging.

An odd question popped into my mind when I noticed the bus: why is it that the same bus, in the same packaging, probably made in the same factory in China, by the same people, being sold in Harrods for almost three times the price it was sold for in ASDA?

At first it was a mystery to me. But as I walked around Harrods the answer came to me.

ASDA sells toy bus. Harrods sells classy toy bus even if it is made in the same factory in China.

There is a difference, that difference is this:

• The billionaires, royalties, A-list Hollywood stars who shop at are not paying for the crappy plastic that was probably bought in China for fifty cent, they are paying for the experience of buying in Harrods.
• They are paying for the experience of a good store design
• The experience of an attractive visual merchandise display
• The experience of the exceptional customer service they enjoy from the store assistants