Q&A
what the customer now wants to see in a store, but what we do believe in is doing what we do well and having a clear message and direction the customer understands. So, we have clear boundaries in the shop so if you just want a pair of shoes you can go to the footwear department.
Q: How do you select your products – what criteria do you use/what are your customers looking for? A: We look at many brands, both familiar and new, put our main collection together and then add existing or new to give it a little sparkle and “pizazz”! The brightly coloured shoe may bring the customer into the shop, but the black one always sells! As we do so many brands there always has to be a budget and sometimes it is hard to stick to, but we try and buy into what the brand does best. Selling so many brands does take a lot of time, juggling new and old with safe choices and calculated risks that we believe will work. This, we think, sets us apart from most other businesses and makes us relevant in today’s changing market.
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Q: What are your personal favourite footwear brands? A: This is a difficult question as I wear a number of different branded shoes! Nero Giardini and Hogl are my favourites style-wise as they’re the most fashionable; they also suit my feet – my feet are super sensitive and I have Morton’s neuroma so I have to go for comfort with fashion. I also have Waldlaufer walking shoes as well as Gabor trainers. Will’s favourite men’s brand is Waldlaufer
for trainers as they fit well and they suit his active lifestyle.
Q: Do you use an EPOS system in your shops? A: We don’t, but we are looking to invest in this in the not-too-distant future, as we want to link this with our social media and website to really get the business functioning on the online side, as well as our preferred option of in-store customer service. We appreciate that some people can’t visit us but still like what we offer product-wise.
Q: Which footwear trade shows do you attend? A: We try and visit Micam in Italy at least every couple of years to find emerging brands, but we also use the fashion shows in London to introduce the more eclectic brands that work well with the fashion side of our business. We used to attend Moda but now we find that visiting our core brands at showroom events are an easier and more pleasurable way of buying ranges!
Contact
Contact: Joanna Eeley Will & Jo’s/William R Shoes • 41-43 High St, Eccleshall, Stafford, ST21 6BW Tel: 01785 848543 • 15 Hightown, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 1AD Tel: 01270 764206
www.willandjos.co.uk email:
will.jofootwear@
hotmail.com
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