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support a growing number of more artisan traders.
How do you find products? Reps regularly visit - and [London trade show] Exclusively Housewares in June was our first: and a great way to meet current suppliers and get some new ones too. We also have fantastic staff who spot trends, including things on Facebook and Instagram. We follow the trade press too.
What are your best sellers? Kitchen gadgets galore: probably the most in single item terms, including silicon egg poachers, kitchen timers and kitchen scales; mugs and glasses at a range of prices, from more basic to very special gifts; cafetières and teapots; reusable drinks bottles; frying pans and chef pans; storage tins and cake tins of all sizes; and kitchen textiles.
“We want to sustain Salamander’s strengths and find new ones in years ahead”
What’s been selling well recently? Eco products such as Smidge biodegradable items including plates, bowls and mugs; beeswax reusable food wraps from Dexam and Eddingtons; vegan reusable food wraps from Dexam; stainless straw straws; reusable storage such as Stasher bags from PHA KitchEssentials; enhanced Le Creuset ranges including ‘Our Cook’s Special’ chef’s pans and ceramics; and Sage coffee machines.
What products are ‘going up’? Chilly’s bottles and other reusable drinkware, steel straws, reusable and plastic-free storage and versatile pans.
What products are ‘going down’? Spice racks, steamers and pressure cookers.
How many direct competitors do you have in your area? None really within 10 miles - apart from supermarkets and discount shops and some competitors for product types. But further afield, John Lewis & Partners and other chains and shops are in Poole and Bournemouth. We have a very wide range of products at all price points, so we are competitive on price and unbeatable on advice and a place to see, feel and touch products before you buy.
Who is your typical customer? We don’t have a “typical” customer. People who like cooking or want to cook something different are from all age groups. We do have customers who travel from up to 30 miles away because their local independents have
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shut, and we can offer the service and range they want. As we are centrally placed, we get a good footfall from tourists and visitors, many of whom come every year to take favourite items or new lines back with them. Recent visitors have been from South Africa, New Zealand and Canada.
How do you market and promote your business?
This is one of the areas we are developing. We have Facebook and Instagram pages which we use to show new lines, advertise promotions and so on. We started a monthly newsletter in May (which currently has over 170 subscribers) that allows us to showcase new products and share ideas and recipes from readers. Making our website more like a ‘window to the shop’ is the next project. We also support and appreciate the work of our local BID [Business Improvement District] and community activities. We place adverts in local print media as well, such as our parish magazine.
What services do you offer? We have gift vouchers and are planning occasional demos from the autumn onwards including a focus on coffee, sourdough bread- making and more. Again, this is something we will develop further over the next few years.
Where are you taking the business next? We will be extending the offer to include product and cooking demonstrations. We are keen to promote eco-friendly products. As keen cooks, we would love to be able to share our enthusiasm and encourage more young people to cook good food from scratch.
Where do you derive the most satisfaction? We get the most satisfaction from seeing a customer leaving the shop with something they were looking for and a smile on their face - whether that’s because they have fallen in love with a pepper mill, roasting dish, special teapot, mug or pan. We love it when customers share ideas or the
ways in which they use products. We also appreciate the very positive comments from customers and the fact that many come simply looking for inspiration.
And where do you face the biggest challenges? The inevitable uncertainty around Brexit/High Street challenges and so on. Learning what we don’t know yet, but learning was our trade! We really appreciate the in-depth mentoring from our previous owner Michael. Most challenges are also opportunities too.
We’re pleased that most suppliers deliver quickly and seem very supportive of independent retailers like us.
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