Reply No. 205
their research into what is new on the market and what could potentially be of value to stock. But they also get a great insight into what customers want by running their own shows at Bury St Edmunds and attending regional shows at Spalding and Cressingham Barns. This is mainly focused on amateur woodworking and metalworking enthusiasts who come in their droves to try out new machinery and buy tools.
Independent experts in woodturning and other trades demonstrate the tools and their own skills to the visitors, creating enthusiasm and supplying knowledge – and increasing sales. These shows are done with the support of manufacturers like Record Power and Sealey and show the importance of support to retailers like D J Evans.
More regularly, DJ Evans also provides a venue for the local
Woodturning Club in a large dedicated space in the Bury store. This expert audience can try out machines and even buy them if they want to, but it is by no means a captive audience. Although D J Evans has been in Bury for a long time, Roger still knows that there are many potential customers who have yet to find this Aladdin's cave . Accordingly the company tries to reach out to the local population by advertising in the local press and sending out mailshots of special offers for example. But still customers turn up at the trade counter saying things like “I have lived just around the corner for years and I didn’t know about you”. It just underlines the importance of advertising and spreading your net as wide as possible. New directions at THS are welcomed by the managers at DJ Evans.
Particular things singled out for praise are the new online special offers sheets and support for corporate bidding for contracts. Roger says that the online method of doing the special offers from THS is really user friendly. Printing through THS HQ works well and means that offers can be regular and tailored to customers.
By allowing THS to do the things that it is good at like marketing, websites and development, companies can get on with their core business of selling goods. As the THS offers are flexible, companies can also choose from a range of services on offer and use what they need. Roger is also in favour developing a range of THS branded products as long as they reach a certain quality threshold and have a strong brand identity. He has found that it is necessary to have a range of tools in order to sell effectively.
Roger also outlined some of the unique things that help D J Evans to be successful. Their position on a lane not far from the centre of Bury means that there is enough parking even for vans and lorries. There is limited parking in the centre of Bury itself, and this has contributed to the demise of other retailers there.
By stocking a good range of specialized components for the building industry – in this case lintels and metalwork – D J Evans is the first port of call, both online and in the real world, for many customers. Roger says it is better to stock good levels of particular items rather than smaller levels of too wide a range . Finally, D J Evans has the advantage of a huge retail premises to stock a wide range of fixings, handtools, machines and power tools. It is the biggest specialist toolshop in East Anglia. Across the road there is another big yard and warehouse to hold all the building related lintels, beams etc – and from there it is just a ten- minute trip to the A14 and the rest of East Anglia!
He gave me the example that when D J Evans stocked a very limited range of hammers, they sold very few, but when the range was increased in terms of “good, better, best” customers often looked at the range and then chose the best quality item for them, often at a higher price point. The THS AGM is also considered to be a very valuable networking
opportunity. A chance to meet and discuss in an informal way and compare notes is considered by Roger to be very valuable. Since each business is unique, every piece of knowledge gleaned or idea gained can be a very useful pointer in improving one’s own business in some way. “Real” business however is done in the roadshow meetings and annual Trade Show, and these are also very useful to D J Evans’ managers.
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ToolBUSINESS+HIRE 13
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