Christmas shopping has been transformed by the likes of Amazon, but it's still fun to enjoy the festive decorations and pick up your presents in person.

For two weeks only, you can do exactly that, but with Amazon, because the online retailer is staging a bricks and mortar pop-up with 4,000 quality returned, refurbished and unboxed items on sale for up to 50 per cent off the usual prices.

Apparently Amazon has seen a boom this year in sales of 'Second Chance' items, and there are strong environmental reasons to recycle perfectly decent unwanted goods.

Besides, the Second Chance Store in Bloomsbury's Brunswick Centre, near Russell Square tube station, is not swelling the coffers of the retail giant - all profits are donated to children's charity Barnardo's.

Eager to try it for myself, I visited the shop on the opening day to see if I could bag a bargain

Ham & High: Goods are laid out in lit up shelving at the shop in BloomsburyGoods are laid out in lit up shelving at the shop in Bloomsbury (Image: Amazon)

Inside, the layout is pretty functional, with walls lined with lit-up shelving.

I had initially gone with the idea of spending £30 on a few cheaper items, but it wasn't that kind of shop. There were some toys, books, and cookware items but the majority of products were big and small ticket electrical goods; gaming consoles and accessories, electric toothbrushes, hair curlers, Fitbits, headphones, and kitchen appliances.

While some of the boxing was battered, some - for iPhones, Nintendo Switches, and PS5 consoles - were pristine, with up to £100 off the retail price.

One bargain I spotted was a KitchenAid stand mixer (made famous by Bake Off) for £300 - they can retail for nearly £500. I already have one, and a NutriBullet, which was on offer for around half the usual price.

It always pays to go into a shop knowing what you want, and I spotted my prize bargain in a corner. It had arrived in bubble wrap, with no box at all, but no matter: the Dualit classic kettle in stainless steel shone out to me from across the room and is now busily boiling water for tea in my kitchen.

At £70 it was less than half the usual £149.99 price tag, and even though Amazon are currently selling it for £130, it was still a steal. I couldn't resist coupling it up with a Breville Sandwich and Panini press for £25.

Second Chance Store by Amazon for Barnardo’s is open until December 12 at The Brunswick Centre, Unit 52, Bernard St, London WC1N.