Barking Mad

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With independent retailers being able to re-open this month, Pramland’s John Barker is feeling both apprehensive and optimistic. Here he shares his thoughts.

Today is Sunday the 11th April and tomorrow is a pretty big day for us us retailers. Tomorrow is the 12th April 2021 and it’s a day we have all been waiting for. I feel like a little kid the night before Christmas. Patiently waiting for the big day to arrive, full of excitement and anticipation. Will there be a Millennium Falcon under the tree? Have Mum & Dad managed to get me that Commodore Amiga Batman Pack I NEED?

Tomorrow at 9:30 we’ll be opening our doors to the public for the first time since we entered Lockdown back in January. Despite every moan I have made about being closed and how trade has declined since the date of our re-opening was announced, now we are actually here, poised and ready to go, I feel apprehensive and a little gutted. It’s the oddest thing, it’s almost like I resent customers coming in to the store to shop. I can’t seem to understand why I feel this way but I do. I’m dreading the inevitable issues that will arise from re-opening, stock problems, arguments with people that have not booked an appointment for the first weekend and don’t understand why they can’t come in, having to control and stop people from walking around the store touching and licking everything in sight. I guess it boils down to the fact that I haven’t missed any of these things and now they will be back again I’m a little put off. I’m sure after the first couple of days we’ll all be back in to the swing of things, but the adjustment from a clean, organised and quiet store to a full one will be so strange.

There’s also a level of anticipation for how well we’ll do. To hear the till ringing throughout the day, and to see the order book slowly (not too slowly hopefully) filling back up again will no doubt aid in my mental recovery. It’s just that we can’t guarantee what level of success we’ll see. Trying to forecast the next couple of months has been like a combination of pin the tail on the donkey and a countdown numbers round. We can look at Trying to forecast the next couple of months has been like a combination of pin the tail on the donkey and a countdown numbers round. We can look at what we’d take on an average week or month, but this is no average week. I’ve assumed that we hit our average and anything over that is a huge and very welcome bonus.

what we’d take on an average week or month, but this is no average week. I’ve assumed that we hit our average and anything over that is a huge and very welcome bonus. In preparation for tomorrow I for every brand over the past few weeks (ok, so a chap with a boat decided to attempt a u-turn and messed that up a bit) but I’m just hoping that stock levels will be able to cope with the demand. I am To hear the till ringing throughout the day, and to see the order book slowly (not too slowly hopefully) filling back up again will no doubt aid in my mental recovery. thought it wise to have the team having a startling number of back in for the day. We’ve had lots of conversation with parents to be new products in the store during that are close to their due dates lockdown and we need to hit the and have not ordered their items. stock levels are looking fairly good week they are due to call you ground running with them come Almost a week ago I spoke with a but this could change if demand is complaining the items are late. tomorrow. Many of the ranges have lady that was due in 33 days and higher than anticipated and We’ve seen it too many times and seen colour changes and most her appointment wasn’t until two especially if we all have “urgent” we won’t be falling in to that trap importantly a huge amount of the weeks before her due date! I customers. Something tells me again. It’s very tempting to risk stores items have seen price understand we’ve been in that the NSG could bring the taking a big £1800 order you know increases over the past month or lockdown and we’ve all been internet down from all the posts may be later than required, the end two. It was lovely to have the team closed but ladies are pregnant for and stock that’s about to get result will be an £1800 refund and back in store but it felt so odd nine months! They do have a finite swapped. I have made it very clear negative reviews on your Facebook having other people there! At one period of time to consider their to my entire team that if a page, and that is the last thing you point I came through our options. It’s not like we haven’t customer visits and they want need after the last 12 months. warehouse door back in to the been offering virtual appointments something we cannot get, don’t So, despite all my concerns I showroom and it was so strange to to help them out. Yes, I understand take the order. Politely tell them would like to wish each and hear people talking and to be that people want to try items out that we cannot take their order as everyone of you the very best of confronted with people busy going and most people want to visit a we will be unable to complete it in luck for the coming weeks. You’ve about getting the store ready. store, but needs must and given the time they require. It makes all worked so hard to keep things

I touched on it above, but I am the circumstances you’d have thought zero sense to take an order going and now your hard work can growing more concerned by the day they would have taken some steps to knowing you cannot complete it finally reap you some rewards. GO that we are going to see a huge getting themselves sorted? in time. The customer will tell you GET ‘EM! Oh and don’t go blowing influx of very expectant mothers. Having spoken with the majority they are happy to wait and insist that HUGE re-start grant in one go! Stock has been slowly getting better of our brands I am confident that on placing the order, only for the