the big interview
Aside from the fact that we are ‘own brand’, one of the biggest things that sets ProCook aside from other retailers is the customer experience in-store. Our retail teams are trained on product knowledge and customer service to an extremely high level, so every customer that walks into the store has all the support they need to make the right choice. High quality kitchenware can be a big
purchase and customers want to understand exactly what they are buying - our store experience really honours that. ProCook’s strength is that it’s selling direct to the consumer so there is no price erosion. That doesn’t protect us from the business rates issue though, and that has definitely affected us. I would say though that I don’t think retailing of homewares products is at risk, it’s just going to look different. So my advice to someone starting out in housewares retailing would be to design your own products, preferably in a niche area - and sell them direct to the consumer.
Challenges Coronavirus is definitely going to be challenging for retailers this year and we’re managing that daily just like everyone else. Beyond that, I think more and more brand owners are going to go direct to consumers - whether that’s through their own websites or own retail - and that’s changing things. It’s become so blurred between wholesalers
and retailers. Most brands are selling through Amazon, which in my opinion is completely destroying retail prices. Retail sales are dropping, so brands are being forced to go to Amazon - and that means all of a sudden, it’s not worth a traditional bricks-and-mortar retailer stocking them. It’s a vicious circle.
This is all made worse by the issue with business rates. The government needs to reform business rates quickly before it’s too late for the high street.
The demise of some of the traditional
department stores as homeware destinations is an opportunity for others to fill that space. I suspect we are growing at ProCook because of the way people shop - they are not going to big department stores as much and they are going direct to brands. Dunelm has grown, we’ve grown… it’s a shift.
The one change I would like to see in the housewares industry is a less dominant Amazon. I think at the moment the way
ProCook’s branch on Bridge Street in Chester, Cheshire
Amazon is heading is a bit scary, as it’s a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer and a search engine.
Opportunities We’re expanding our warehousing and improving logistics. Sustainability is also high on the agenda and, in particular, removing plastic packaging where we can. We’re looking at a number of environmental
initiatives and have recently formed a team to ensure we keep on track with our goals. Hopefully there will be more to come on that later in the year. My favourite part of the job is product design, which I love. But another thing that’s really getting enjoyable (maybe because I’m getting older) is watching people ‘grow’. We’ve got some people working at head office that have worked their way up through the ranks from the shop floor and are in senior management positions now. I believe our default position when we are
ProCook’s branch at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Bridgend, South Wales March/April 2020 •
HousewaresLive.net
recruiting should always be to look to our existing team. It can be sad when people that have grown with the business leave though, so I’d say that’s the best thing and the worst thing about the job! What’s my working week like? I’m very hands on and in the office a lot, so it follows a pretty regular schedule most weeks. Monday is our trading meeting and when we focus for the week. Tuesday it’s product or promo activity, and then towards the end of the week I’m out and about in stores. I travel a bit with the buying team and I’m always in touch with the office so life never gets boring. Outside work hours, I love cycling and get out as often as I can - and I enjoy going to France every summer. It’s nice that the systems are in place at the company so that I don’t have to be in the office all the time.
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