This letter from the editor initially appeared in our email newsletter (which you can sign up for at the bottom of this page), but we wanted to share it with all of our readers here.
From the get-go, the Strategist UK’s mission has been to help our readers shop the internet smartly. And now, though our worlds have all been pretty much turned upside down, our job remains the same, if slightly more tilted toward our weird new reality. We’re a small (and six-month-old) team here, so we’ve been coordinating with our sister site in the US to investigate stories like how to travel and commute amid the outbreak, and prepare for a quarantine, but we’re also working on stories about how to support local businesses here, and UK-specific concerns.
Now that so many of us have hunkered down for the foreseeable future, we’re also thinking about ways to ease some of the boredom and loneliness we’re feeling — rounding up the best origami kits, 1,000-piece puzzles, and bread-making gear. Those with young children are … actively losing their minds, so we’re determined to find stuff that will keep the kids occupied (without frying their brains). For others who are used to working out regularly, we want to surface the at-home equipment that’s actually worth it. And how can you cut your own hair without looking like Peggy Olson (during the short-short period)? As always — but now more than ever — affordability will be top of mind. And while we are committed to featuring products that are, above all, useful, we also won’t lose sight of those that are just plain delightful, too.
So we want to hear from you, our most loyal readers — how can we be helpful? Not only to those navigating new, socially distant existences but also to those who may still be required to commute and work and interact with people during this truly strange and often scary time. Feel free to email us at edit@thestrategist.co.uk with your questions, suggestions, and requests. We hope you are all taking care of your loved ones and yourselves. — Ailbhe Malone and the Strategist UK team
The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.