One retailer is looking to take the burden out of buying gifts for Christmas and cut the cost for shoppers.

Conspec Ltd., which is run by Dennis Cherry and is based in Cemetery Road, Pembroke, requires customers just to send off their wish list or present ideas and the rest is done for them, including sourcing the product, ordering, shipping and delivery.

And they also get the benefit of sharing the import costs with other buyers with all of the goods being brought in in bulk.

"Many people think they can get things so much cheaper if they shop overseas, and that is true to some extent, but they have also got to realise the expenses that they incur, in particular in terms of labour required just to order and import items," he said.

"We bring in 30 or 40 items in one load so there is only one fee involved."

Mr. Cherry, who took over the business in 1995, when it specialised in commercial hardware products, but has since branched out into other lines, such as toys, DIY and exercise equipment, stereos and lawnmowers, by his own admission has always been a bit of a salesman and his latest push in the run up to Christmas is no exception.

He said the main selling point of the service was that it was hassle free, with customers being able to choose something they had seen on TV and did not want to go through the aggravation and expense of having to find it, arrange payment (in that some companies overseas do not accept Bermuda credit cards) and inland shipping to a port and then importing them (including consolidation of goods, clearance through customs and arranging pick up from the importer).

The costs involved in this process could add up to as much as $120 for a single package or box when ocean freight - depending on dimensions of the goods imported with minimum charges applied, a minimum charge of $30 for documentation, a fuel surcharge of $5 and upwards, a Bermuda terminal fee of approximately $10, a minimum dock handling fee of $10, and Customs clearance of $60 or above, according to Mr. Cherry.

He said that since his company brings in several orders at one time, there was only one charge applied to the different orders, giving customers peace of mind knowing everything was taken care of and helping them to save some money in their wallet.

"I care and I try to give a service that people expect and I am just trying to help them," he said.

"There is some really neat stuff out there and people are so busy these days, so I just want to alleviate the pressure for them by offering this service."

Mr. Cherry said he has even been able to source and import some of the hardest to handle products in terms of volume such as flat-pack furniture, while items such as bouncy castles and Lego have proved to be a best-seller in recent months.

He also offers an after sale service, honouring his products in the event of a product recall or manufacturing fault - which many online retailers outside Bermuda do not provide.

For more information, call 296-5775 or 505-4721or e-mail dennis@conspeclimited.bm