Q: How important is shoe fitting to your business? A: Every customer that walks into our shop we endeavour to give them the best retail experience that they have ever had, therefore they will return to us. The importance of shoe fitting is paramount; we assist all our customers whenever possible, as all styles fit differently due to the lasts.
Q: Do you have an online shop or website, and do you use social networking for business? A: We don’t have any form of retail technology or online service; I am quite old school in many ways. I have built my business on service; I learnt early on in my career if you need to know your stock requirements, you work on the shop floor and go to the stockroom and look at your stock holding.
Q: What’s selling well right now? What are your best-selling footwear brands and why? A: As a team we select and choose the brands and styles together; currently we have four main brands doing well – Rieker, Remonte, Josef Seibel and Van Dal. Our shoe meetings are held in the shop with the applicable footwear agent, and all four of our agents are very knowledgeable indeed, and I have known them all for many years. We don’t go to shoe exhibitions as we endeavour to keep our stock holding down and I am more than content on the suppliers that we have, as their replenishment service is excellent.
Q: How do you think the Government could best help footwear retailers at this difficult time? A: The high street needs more support from the Government – it is a vital part of any community. It’s not all about online shopping or rushing to the supermarket or out-of-town retail parks, the high street is the hub of the community and it should be treated as an experience for people to leisurely shop. People want to have coffee, lunch or dinner and browse the shops at their own pace, and not have to worry about how long they have got left on their parking meter! So, what can be done? Free car parking in various parts of the town/city
would help, and also long-term cheaper car parking in central parts of the town. The Government should also address business rates and review laws on empty shop premises. And as for rents, that is a matter between the landlord and the tenant.
Q: Do you have any plans for the future? A: At present I have no plans, as this is not my only form of business, I have no wish to retire. However, I have to say it saddens me to see the number of major or independent high street retailers closing down, normally due to four main ingredients – product choice or selection, management, staff training and property leases. I believe that all of these elements normally contribute to the fall of poor management from the outset at the top within every retail industry.
Contact
Sussex Shoes, 40 North Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1NF. Tel: 01243 539911
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