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“Mothercare’s actions means it can weather High Street storm”
International expansion is key to the retailer’s growth and survival, retail expert explains to ToyNews… by Samantha Loveday
A LEADING retail advisor has told ToyNews that Mothercare’s early investment in international expansion has left it in a stronger position than many UK retailers to weather troubles on the High Street. Tristan Rogers (pictured), CEO of Concrete Platform and an expert in advising retailers on international expansion, said that by trading in more markets – 50+ in Mothercare’s case – a brand de-risks its reliance on a single market’s peaks and troughs. “Like its early mover stance on a store closure programme in the UK,
COUNTER INSURGENT
Dispatches from the retail front line...
Recently we had one of our regular, slightly odd customers come in – Son of Mr Railwayman I
call him (Mr Railwayman is still alive, but hasn’t enough money to feed his hobby now). Son of Mr Railwayman isn’t old enough to remember the days of steam, but unfortunately for whichever member of staff he sees first, old enough to remember the diesel engine era.
I was checking some stock when I could sense a presence; he stood quietly waiting for me to look up and after a few seconds I turned, said good morning, and he took his cue. Son of Mr Railwayman was almost frothing at the mouth pointing out a mistake that had been made in the catalogue and that a particular train number didn’t run on that line, along with several other things about the train’s history. 20 minutes he went on about it. All
MAY 2012
this time, I knew all the staff would be watching the CCTV to laugh at me getting caught. He had his rant and calmed
down, but then he rustled his bag and out came his pride and joy of the moment; a Steiff teddy and train twin pack (I don’t know what you would
box, but I knew he wasn’t interested in that or sitting on the side, he just wanted to enjoy his train. After taking out of the box nearly every piece of rolling stock, he chose the first one and left a happy man. His wife came in with him
once – a lovely lady who made
The toy industry would be a far worse place without stores run by people with a passion for bringing pleasure to customers.
normally expect with a Steiff teddy, but a train isn’t top of my list). Another ten minutes passed as he explained about the set, and I managed to get a word in before he gave me the history of Steiff. He needed some rolling stock big enough to put the bear into and be pulled by the train itself. I did point out that the item would keep its value better left in the
it quite clear she encourages his hobby as he gets so much enjoyment from it. Probably not the only reason but… He would spend hours
converting that bit of rolling stock into a suitable seating platform for Ted, and I knew that when it was all finished, he would come in with his plastic bag and I would have to look and admire his handiwork.
But as any of us who care about this industry know, and as I explained to the staff who thought it was funny that nearly 45 minutes of my precious time was spent with this guy, these are the customers who make you think it is all worthwhile. People who have as much passion for a toy as you do. When he walks back in with the finished article I will happily
look at it and hear of all the problems he had making it. The passion some of us have
for toys isn’t always shared by some people in this industry, on both sides on the fence. The toy industry would be a far worse place without bricks and mortar stores, run by people with a true passion for bringing pleasure to customers young and old.
growth right now,” Rogers said. “In time, the UK market will swing from trough to peak, and those businesses whose reserves were depleted by reliance on a single market may well go to the wall, vacating potentially prime retail space.
Mothercare was also an early mover in international expansion, and that is key to the company’s survival and
“But the brands with robust balance sheets, who invested in multi-market strategy, will be able to cherry pick the prime sites for retailing. Of course, online will also continue to play its part, and Mothercare, like many other brands, has already invested in this area. “As the market continues to evolve, the trick will be to gauge the
need for customers to touch and feel product in the baby and maternity category, versus a lack of desire to traipse down the High Street when eight months pregnant.”
Rogers – who has advised clients including Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Mamas & Papas among others – concluded: “All in all, Mothercare’s actions speak louder than words. The negative press it received about its store closure programme is more to do with timing than anything else.” Mothercare confirmed last month it will now close 111 stores – 36 Mothercare and 75 ELC – over the next three years to March 2015.
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