Christmas treats

[crystal ball]

How many of the self employed out there buy gifts for regular customers, I have a bottle of wine on my desk to give to a caretaker tomorrow who is going to open a building for me, I also buy booze for several others, but not for the wealthier customers who usually give me a bottle

 

[ericmark]

It was a tradition, however Green Shield stamps have in the main stopped it, there was a court case where the employer said his employee was buying more expensive fuel to get the gifts from Green Shield so giving Green Shield stamps was seen as a bribe. I suppose it is in a way true, so garages stopped giving Green Shield stamps and also Christmas presents were seen in the same light.

I years ago would give the bin man a tip as Christmas, however was told the Christmas crew were rarely the normal crew so stopped doing it.

 

[JohnW2]

It was a tradition, however Green Shield stamps have in the main stopped it...

I'm not so sure about the tense of that sentence - Green Shield stamps died (and turned into Argos) something like 30 years ago!

As for the OP, and maybe ironically, I still usually get a few Christmas gifts from my clients (not the converse), although far less than a decade or three ago.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

They didn't turn into Argos. They were the same group as Argos. Argos existed long before Green Shield stamps went.

 

[conny]

Do any of you realise that if you receive a gift from a customer/client/boss you are supposed to declare it to the tax man?

It's seen as 'payment in kind' and is therefore taxable even if you have received full payment for any services.

 

[crystal ball]

Never thought of that, I claim on my self assessment for gifts, all the recipients are on PAYE, not sure how it would work

 

[JohnW2]

They didn't turn into Argos. They were the same group as Argos. Argos existed long before Green Shield stamps went.

Not 'long before'. As I understand it, Argos started in November 1972. Green Shield stamps were re-branded as Argos in July 1973, 8 months later - and the stamps more-or-less died (give or take a subsequent futile attempt to re-incarnate them) in 1983.

Kind Regards, John

 

[crystal ball]

I used to get many presents via Embassy coupons but thats another story

 

[JohnW2]

Do any of you realise that if you receive a gift from a customer/client/boss you are supposed to declare it to the tax man?

I believe, but am not certain, that the same is true of gifts between custiomers and clients as from an employer to an employees, for which the situation appears to be ...

Seasonal gifts

The employer may wish to give employees a seasonal present, such as a turkey, a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates. Provided the cost of the gift is ‘trivial’ – typically less than £50 a head – the gift will usually not be taxable. If the gift exceeds this value, it will be taxable and it will need to be reported to HMRC on either a form P11D or through a PSA.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

Not 'long before'. As I understand it, Argos started in November 1972. Green Shield stamps were re-branded as Argos in July 1973, 8 months later - and the stamps more-or-less died (give or take a subsequent futile attempt to re-incarnate them) in 1983.

Kind Regards, John

I don't ever remember the stamps being re-branded as Argos. They were always Green Shield to their death.

 

[SUNRAY]

How many of the self employed out there buy gifts for regular customers, I have a bottle of wine on my desk to give to a caretaker tomorrow who is going to open a building for me, I also buy booze for several others, but not for the wealthier customers who usually give me a bottle

I have always found that bribing the caretaker is a good thing to do, sometimes access is required at some horrible times of the day to avoid getting in the way and making a peace offering the first time I meet him (or her) seems to make things go smoothly.
I've hired lots of halls for events in the past and the same thing applies.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't ever remember the stamps being re-branded as Argos. They were always Green Shield to their death.

Same here - I was merely quoting Mr Wikipedia. I suspect that it was the 'small print' that got re-branded when Argos acquired them - as far as I can remember, they remained green, with the same appearance that they'd always had, right up to their disappearance.

It's certainly true that, at least in the areas I knew, the 'Green Shield shops' all turned into Argos stores (which required exactly the same setup) back then.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Not 'long before'. As I understand it, Argos started in November 1972. Green Shield stamps were re-branded as Argos in July 1973, 8 months later - and the stamps more-or-less died (give or take a subsequent futile attempt to re-incarnate them) in 1983.

Kind Regards, John

Our Green Shield shop closed and we had to go to Argos for collections. I'd have said for several years.

Edit: Our GS shop was not in the High Street, Argos was. They coesisted for a short period of time with similar catalogues but showing different currencies.

 

[JohnW2]

I have always found that bribing the caretaker is a good thing to do, sometimes access is required at some horrible times of the day to avoid getting in the way and making a peace offering the first time I meet him (or her) seems to make things go smoothly.

The practice has now been more-or-less outlawed but, in the past 'pharmaceutical company representatives' ('drug reps') used to give Christmas pressies to the receptionists (in surgeries) or secretaries (in hospitals) as a higher priority than to the doctors themselves, since those people were crucial to them getting access to the doctors!

Kind Regards, John

 

[conny]

I believe, but am not certain, that the same is true of gifts between custiomers and clients as from an employer to an employees, for which the situation appears to be ...



Kind Regards, John

Thanks John. Times have moved on a bit then because their was never a monetary value attached when I first heard of it years ago.