Monday February 4 2019 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM


award winners special DAVID CONDUITPurchasing Manager of Harts of Stur at Sturminster Newton in Dorset Buyer’s eye


David Conduit, winner of the best housewares retail buyer category of The Housewares Innovation Awards 2018, shares his views


What’s your background? I finished college and was working in a local supermarket. I was looking for more hours, and knew Philip Hart (managing director of Harts of Stur) socially, so asked him for a job. I started the following week. I can't say I ever planned to stay this long, or even work in retail, but it sort of panned out that way. I started my buying role at Harts of Stur in July 1990.


Tell us a bit about Harts of Stur. When I joined, it was a successful, local, family- run hardware shop and farm equipment manufacturer. As a company, we’ve always been quick to see which way the wind is blowing, and the move towards housewares - and in particular kitchen and cooking - was a natural evolution for our store, coinciding with a downturn in UK manufacturing in general. The shop was growing rapidly, and again it was a natural, if courageous, step, to venture into online trading. We were one of the very first to do so, and have not looked back since. We’ve made it successful, where many others have failed, by continuous investment in infrastructure and staffing - and by never resting on our laurels. We also place massive importance in treating our online customers to the same levels of service that we made our name with back when we were ironmongers and manufacturers. As we speak, there is a transition of the next generation of the Hart family running the business. This transition is being marked with a large, seven figure redevelopment of the retail store, and a new website built from the ground up - both of which will keep us at the forefront of the industry.


Describe your housewares range. At the moment, brand-led kitchen and housewares, offering comprehensive ranging with our supplier partners.


How do you select products? I attend Spring Fair, Exclusively Housewares and Ambiente, and make regular trips to our key suppliers’ offices.


What criteria do you use? Is there a market for the product? Does the product fit within our retail strategy? Can it be marketed, stocked and sold profitably? Can the supplier support us with online, marketing and POS assets? Does the product have a USP?


What’s your working week like? Hectic: looking after the store purchasing; reordering from a stocklist of over 70,000 products; HR (yes, I do that as well); organising the shop floor staff; appointments with suppliers; and price monitoring to keep us competitive and profitable. There is always more to do, and more that could be done, so I'm happy to be kept busy.


What’s keeping you busy at the moment? Aside from the usual stock management, at this time of year we’re rationalising existing ranges and introducing new ones. This involves plenty of hard negotiation, market appraisal, and coordination with our IT and marketing teams to ensure we optimise the sales opportunities with all our products.


What’s on your agenda? I’m always looking at new suppliers, and


L-R: Awards co-presenter Jeremy Pang, Pauline Hinkley of sponsor Villeroy & Boch, David Conduit, co-presenter Joe Fattorini


stocktaking is coming up - plus we’re dealing with the upheaval of building works starting in-store.


Most rewarding aspect of your job? The happy customers.


Most challenging aspect of your job? The unhappy customers.


What, in your view, are the qualities needed to be a good housewares buyer? Perseverance, temperament, diligence and a head for figures. If you can spot a diamond in a bucket of broken glass, then that’s very helpful as well.


What advice would you give to someone starting out in housewares buying? Love the products, and you'll love the job.


What’s the ‘next big thing’? If anyone knows for certain, please email me.


Discover more at www.melitta.co.uk or call 01952 671077


The most DliciOs coffE, maD with yOr smAt phone!


5565


® Reg. trademark of a company of the Melitta Group


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40