What is your favourite men’s footwear brand/manufacturer – ditto ladies/children’s brand – and why? Men’s - Loake, I enjoy being able to tell my customers about shoes made in the UK. There’s definitely a surge of young of men looking for quality handmade shoes and I’m perfectly placed to supply them. Women’s - Skechers, if there’s ever a brand that just sells itself. I mean, who hasn’t heard about GoWalk!?
How do you select your products – which criteria do you use / what are your customers looking for? I have an open minded approach to shopping/fashion generally and this is reflected in my buying decisions. Brand awareness, quality and individuality do, of course, help. This year I went a little ‘off piste’ with some unknown brands, but the quality and unique style was enough to intrigue me and it ended up being a great decision. It’s so much easier to sell a product that you believe in, so I buy the footwear that I like above most!
How are you finding the footwear market currently? I’ve made some fantastic achievements over the last year and I’m proud to say that I’m experiencing a period of exceptional growth. It’s still early days, so I’m reluctant to say more than ‘I’m enjoying myself and am planning on being here for a long time to come.’
What’s selling well? Any particular trends? Which are your best selling footwear brands – and why? Over time my selling strategy has evolved and I’ve moved away from the more dressy lines to a smart/casual approach. Quality and individuality has always been at the centre of my offering and this hasn’t changed. My customers expect to see something different. I have great consistency at the moment and I’m happy with most of my brands, but I’ve had a particularly good response to Loake, Lotus and my Spanish collection of boots this season.
How important is shoe fitting to your business? Are you or any of your staff members of the Society Of Shoe Fitters? I have an ethos to make sure that all my customers leave the shop, completely satisfied with their purchase. I encourage my customers to take their time and to try on as many shoes as they like and offer advice when appropriate. I am not currently a member of the Society of Shoe Fitters, but am always looking at ways to improve my offering.
Does your shop sell other items besides footwear, bags, gloves, tights, socks, below the ankle products? Umbrellas! It always pays to keep an eye open at the trade shows and I found some gorgeous brollies by Galleria. Funky, unusual designs make for a great fit for my shop.
Do you use an EPOS (retail technology) system in your shop? I use a system called iZettle. It was ridiculously easy to set up and most importantly, there are no contractual fees. Being app based it’s modern, sleek and offers great features including reports for best sellers, daily sales and monthly sales. This can all be easily exported to your accounting package too. It’s great for away days, as you can keep abreast of sales advisor and/or shop performance, as long as you have a smart phone.
Any difficulties/problems? Website compatibility. I’d love for it to be able to update the website in real time. I know there are till systems out there that can do this, but I’ve found them to be cost prohibitive and bulky.
Any tips on stock offers, novel ideas for clearing lines or advice for independent shoe retailers who might be feeling the pinch? Certain major retailers are now operating sale cycles every 6 weeks, which puts independents under a lot of strain. I’d encourage everyone not to bow to this pressure. Our offering is much more special and I know for certain that my customers appreciate the consistency. No silver bullet for clearing lines here, but I make sure to give sales lines as much visibility as possible using a number of sales channels.
FEBRUARY 2016 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • 23
Which footwear/fashion shows do you attend, how do you rate them? I attend MODA and I love it. I visited before I opened and I’d be reluctant to go anywhere else. It’s great for inspiration and visualising developing trends within the industry. I can usually find everything that I want during Sunday and Monday and if have enough time, I’ll go for a wander to see if anything else jumps out at me. This has often proved worthwhile and I’ve opened accounts for belts, wallets and brollies as a result!
Do you have a favourite footwear agent you can tell us about? That’s a secret! I’m fond of quite a few of the people I deal with. I like to enjoy myself when I’m in their company, so quite often get distracted with chit chat. People often think I’m quiet on the first couple of visits!
Have you always had a passion for footwear? How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you have a favourite pair? My passion and dedication for shoes has developed into the business that you see today. I still think about my ‘croc eye’ wellies that I had as a child! Do they still make them? Anatomic Nova vs. Loake Mitchum (Suede). I show them both as much love as the other.
And, the next step? Any plans for the future, new lines, retail systems/new technology, etc.? I’m still in the early stages of my business and currently investing a lot of my time and resources into marketing my shop and online business. I’ll be refreshing the website over the next couple of months to make it cleaner and more efficient. Looking to the future, I’d like to open more outlets across North Wales and the North West.
Contact: elevate your sole 108 High Street Prestatyn LL19 9BH
hal@elevateyoursole.co.uk www.elevateyoursole.co.uk
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