Welcome


Editorial Editor


Georgie Whitworth


georgie@opusbm.co.uk Advertising


Account Director Clare Gapp


clare@opusbm.co.uk Production


Production Director Hannah Wilkinson


hannah@opusbm.co.uk


Designer Nigel Rice


nigel@opusbm.co.uk Designer


Daniel Etheridge


daniel@opusbm.co.uk CEO


Mark Hanson mark@opusbm.co.uk


Welcome to the March/April issue of Tomorrow’s Retail Floors.


I’m sure I won’t be the only one who feels a little lost for words right now. I debated whether to just carry on as normal in this note, talking about the latest trends and doing what I can to avoid all mention of that ‘C’ word. But I came to the conclusion that that would be very odd.


Within the space of just a few weeks, the UK situation on COVID-19 has rapidly changed, inevitably bringing with it rising levels of uncertainty. Whilst it’s carnage in the supermarkets as desperate shoppers scrabble for the last pack of toilet roll, other areas of the retail sector have voiced their concerns for a drop in sales and many have now sadly announced the temporary closure of their physical stores.


One thing that has been very apparent in these unprecedented times, however, is society’s ability to adapt quickly. My local brewery, for example, has set up its own drive-thru and delivery service and the monthly artisan market now has an online shop instead. My WhatsApp group chats have also now increased tenfold, and I’ve been particularly enjoying the voice notes from my 80-year-old neighbour.


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The power of the internet is more apparent than ever right now and so, as a flooring retailer, it’s important to know how to utilise the tools available to you as effectively as possible. You may think that it’s an impossible task to compete with the likes of flooring giants such as Carpetright, but digital marketing expert Salience has carried out an extensive analysis and compiled a handy guide to help you do just that. Check out the full feature on page 10, to see Salience’s top tips on improving your digital strategy.


In the meantime, I hope this edition will serve as a welcome distraction from the chaos. From all of us here at TRF, please stay safe and we hope you enjoy the issue!


Georgie Whitworth, Editor FOLLOW US ON TWITTER OR TWEET US @TRETAILFLOORS https://twitter.com/TRetailFloors twitter.com/TRetailFloors Tomorrow’s Retail Floors | 03


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