comment On the move
David Parkes retired on March 31 as merchandise controller for housewares and giſt food at AIS, following 24 years with the buying group. He recalls the highs and lows of his career in “this fabulous housewares trade”.
national sales manager for a private china and glass company. I learned a great deal about how multiples, department stores and other retailers worked. But a family business was just not for me. Then, 24 years ago, I joined AIS [Associated
Independent Stores: the largest independent non-food buying group of its kind in the UK and Ireland] which proved to be the most interesting and stimulating job that I ever had. I joined as housewares selector.
“Housewares is a vibrant, David Parkes
What’s your background? After leaving grammar school, I joined a prestigious department store, Cavendish House of Cheltenham (part of the House of Fraser group), on an apprenticeship scheme. The training was thorough and included college day release, plus many training day visits to suppliers - all of which whetted my appetite even more for retailing as a career. At the end of three years, we were advised to
leave to gain more experience. One of my customers owned a catering glass, china and kitchen equipment business, and gave me a position as a representative - which I took, before joining a specialist furniture group where I became a relief store manager, mostly around the Home Counties. After that, together with a friend, we tried
our hands at several different businesses - the final one being a Danish gift shop (years ahead of its time, as we soon found out). I left there broke but with a wife, who I married in 1968 with no job. Cavendish House then offered me a position
as the outside furnishing representative. After a couple of years, I became their youngest buyer for silverware, cutlery, clocks and lighting. China and glassware was also added. After about five years, House of Fraser
consolidated from one buyer per store to a full national buying operation based in London, where I worked for many years. I was then tempted away to work as a
fashionable and growing product sector and there are still
opportunities for new solus independent cookshops”
What’s been the biggest change since you became involved in the housewares industry? The internet has been one of the biggest challenges, as well as the growth in shops like Argos, and the proliferation of discounters: mostly trading from secondary sites and price- cutting any branded goods they can get their hands on! Our quality key suppliers did eventually
catch on by trying to stop their brands being sold at cut-price, as this totally undermined their own brand strategy. These days most of our quality suppliers have
seen the light and now have internet policies for bona fide retailers. It’s also clear that customers like to use the
internet but prefer [to buy from the websites of ] those retailers with high street stores, to give them a safety net for their purchases.
Biggest achievement of your career? There are two that stand out. The first was to take AIS Housewares into the top ten, according the now defunct Housewares Business Centre's (HBC) Datapack. AIS started from a very low base, so this was a major achievement. The second was winning the Excellence in
Housewares Awards’ Honorary Achievement Award at the Royal Lancaster London hotel in October 2004 - an amazing night for me, which I will not forget.
High point of your career? Being made merchandise controller at AIS, reporting directly to managing director Sheila Cooper. The ethos that Sheila has instigated
throughout AIS empowers all colleagues with tremendous freedom to explore initiatives, new ideas and new concepts in our respective departments - always with positive encouragement and support from our directors and our longstanding CENPAC key suppliers. [CENPAC – or Central Payment of Accounts
– is a fundamental part of AIS’ administration, which allows an AIS member to settle all invoices from preferred AIS suppliers with one direct debit payment.] We tried many initiatives. Some worked, some didn’t. But more did - which meant I kept my job!
And the low point? Working with a small family supplier business, although I did learn a great deal about good and bad retailers… but hey-ho! You cannot win them all.
During your time in the housewares industry, what products have impressed you most and why? First of all, the most exciting area has to be small electricals. Each year we got something to sell in volume, from slow cookers and juicers, to spiralisers and steam cleaners, and now cordless stick vacs. This sector never lacks innovation. On housewares, I’ve been delighted with
what Rayware has done on its Kilner ranges and with Le Creuset for its many gifting and colour introductions. Finally, new ideas are always needed. Here
Joseph Joseph excels - and is globally moving from strength to strength.
Which housewares retailers do you most admire and why? Number one has to be John Lewis Partnership which continues to evolve, yet still reflects good old-fashioned customer service in a
Monday February 5 2018 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM
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May 2017
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