Zoe has the vital role of liasing with the manufacturing house in the Far East, organising the critical path to ensure everything runs smoothly and on time. The company’s Technical Manager, Kevin Bingham visits the factories at least once a month so that he can be sure it is operating as it should and that quality is second to none. Besides sending samples out to the Far East the studio also has a huge printer to run off full size artwork for bedding, such is the attention to detail.
Quality and safety underpins everything the company does. Despite
growing pressure from retailers to increase margins, if it is to the detriment of either they simply won’t do it. In fact many retailers, who have sought out similar product ranges with bigger margins, have quickly discovered that where they may have gained in one area, they have lost in others. This is why Suncrest has such a loyal retail base. Tony Ryall, Managing Director explains: “The conflict we have is margin requirements. We won’t compromise on safety to make prices lower we would rather look at other markets. Retailers want better margins and we understand that. They might get that, but they soon realize at what cost,” he said. Tony adds: “We have 25 people to operate the business and expectations
are high. Everyone wants to take the risk out of their business decisions, as there is no margin for error. We have to operate smarter, be efficient and perform as our retailers expect. The market place has shrunk so we are increasingly looking at growth overseas and branching more into brands.” FunToSee, along with Koto, is part of this strategy. Bryony commented: “FunToSee is a perfect fit for Suncrest. The consolidation of these two complementary brands allows us to offer an extensive product range to the nursery and toddler sector as well as offering a creative range of whole room solutions moving forward.
“This acquisition allows us to continue to develop the very best in design, manufacture, quality, originality and customer service”.
With this in mind, I think we will be hearing the name ‘Suncrest Trading’ a lot in 2013 – watch this space!
NiRetail Spotlight Highly Commended in the Nursery Industry Awards!
What have been the major trends this year and what do you anticipate for 2013?
We talk to Victoria Page of BonnieBoo Baby When and why did you start trading?
My mother Michelle and I started trading not long after the birth of my daughter, Bonnie. Someone bought me a blanket from Spain and I wanted more; realising we could not get any in the UK of the same quality, we travelled to Spain and approached a manufacturer in order for us to supply them to the UK.
What products do you stock? We stock a range of luxury blankets in different sizes/colours, dressing gowns (to match the blankets) and maternity feeding pillows (also to match the blankets). We also sell gifts and more recently, Christmas gifts/toys.
What do you look for in brand and product? We look for quality and durability. As mothers we know that blankets need to stay in shape and remain soft for delicate skin, even after being washed regularly.
How important is display and merchandising to the
customer experience and sales? Display is very important; how products are packaged makes a massive difference to the customers as we are selling luxury items. They need to look beautiful, not just feel it.
The biggest seller this year for us has definitely been the maternity feeding pillow - the covers are not only as soft and luxurious as our blankets, but they are also removable (a must when it comes to feeding baby). We anticipate that the multi-purpose pillows will remain to be a major trend for 2013.
Describe your client base?
Our client base is made up mainly of expectant parents looking for a touch of luxury for their newborn.
How do you ensure first class customer service? We work tirelessly to make sure our customer service is at its best. We are available through email 7 days a week, and if there are any delays we are in constant contact with the customer to keep them updated.
How do you communicate with new and existing
customers? What marketing tools do you use? The quickest and most efficient way to communicate to new and existing customers is through email. Our business has only been running a year so other than social media networks, marketing is not something we have really looked into as of yet.
Our online platform is of utmost importance as it is our only point of sale,
therefore customers need to gain a good impression of what we have to offer, in terms of service and products.
What are your plans for development in 2013? In 2013 we will be aiming to extend our exclusive range of quality products.
www.nursery-industry.co.uk • NOVEMBER 2012 • NURSERY INDUSTRY • 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40