23_25.qxp_25/27 03/09/2020 15:48 Page 1
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Inset: Shoppers are having to get used to a new normal.
A mixed start to shops re-opening in June saw sales soar for some retailers while others, mostly those in shopping malls and city centres, had a quieter start. PG&H delves deeper to discover how gift retailers across the spectrum have fared in the past few weeks, given that there’s been a sizzling heatwave, dramatic thunderstorms and confirmation that the UK is in recession.
Sales Have Soared “Blue Diamond as a whole traded very well during initial lockdown period because we launched our online website for Gardening and Plants,” says the garden centre group’s Angie Goosen, category manager - books, greeting cards, gifting & giftwrap. “However, home and gifting wasn’t included in the launch, so that took a hit for the six weeks we had to shut,” she explains. “Nevertheless, we were grateful to have been included in the shops allowed to open and trade earlier than others and saw a massive uplift in sales from day one. We’re certainly not going to recover all losses made during shut down period - mask/sanitiser sales aside! Our bathroom category manager did a brilliant - impossible - job of sourcing and securing face mask and hand sanitiser stock, while still managing to maintain the quality and fashionability we strive to achieve within the home and gifting departments. Sales have understandably sky rocketed.” On the visitor front, Angie adds: “our customers have been fantastic and we’ve had no issues at all with them adhering to all face mask, sanitiser and distancing guidelines. We’ve made it easy for them by ensuring there are hygiene stations in almost all departments within our stores, and I take my hat off to all those customers who have fervently adhered to the guidelines, even with the extreme heat we faced in August.” Left: Buyer Angie Goosen at the Blue Diamond Garden Centre in East Bridgford.
We’re Opening A New Store “It was wonderful to welcome our customers back into our stores in June and trade has been much better than expected,” enthuses Florian Kleinlercher, managing director of Between The Lines which has 15 stores in the South of England. “While we are still tracking slightly lower compared to last year, the difference is far smaller than we had anticipated and budgeted for. Our new face mask ranges are selling very well, especially adult sizes, and we are also very successfully selling the hand sanitiser we offer in-store to our customers which features naturally derived ingredients, Vitamin E and 70% organic alcohol.” He adds that customers seem happy to wear face masks while shopping in store. “We have made huge efforts to ensure our stores are 'Covid-secure' for both staff and customers and this has been well received,” continues Florian. “Rainy weather still seems to put people off, as they worry about having to potentially queue outside in the rain which does keep shoppers away, so sunny days are noticeably busier for us. Overall, we are delighted with the way trade has recovered and are still on track with the re-introduction of ecommerce and another physical store before Christmas.” Above: Between The Lines in Midhurst. A 16th store is on track to open before Christmas.
PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE
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