talking WILL JONES Chief Operating Officer of the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) WILL JONES
Necessity: themother of reinvention?
global tensions, Brexit and slower world growth have yet again resulted in falling orders, I’mstarting to pick up some positive feelings fromcompanies in the housewares and small domestic electricals sector. Itmay be that these tentative reports of
D r.
better economic news fromamong the BHETA membership are reflecting one of themost interesting figures in ONS [Office for National Statistics] data – that department stores saw an increase in the value of sales for the first time this year. Just 1.6% itmay be, but when you consider that this comes after six
ft
consecutivemonths of decreasing value, then there is certainly a positive story to be acknowledged.
One of the clearest features of all these small glimmers of hope is that the companies with the brightest outlooks are those that have taken themost creative approach to the economic
espite a salutary reminder fromthe PurchasingManagers’ Index (PMI) that the ongoing uncertainties caused by
challenges we have all been facing.
Whether by diversifying into alliedmarkets such as catering and foodservice, or upping the emphasis on pursuing newmarkets overseas, any rewards achieved have been down to innovation and individual effort.
In several cases I’ve come across recently, this innovationmight be better termed reinvention. Both at the [co-located London trade exhibitions] Exclusively Shows [held in June] and at Autumn Fair [held at Birmingham’s NEC in early September], there was some great evidence of companies riffling through their portfolios of once famous but latterly neglected brands and reviving themwith new product launches, newmarketing and a whole new approach.
Clearly there are some significant successes to be had tapping into consumer fondness for half-forgotten but still trusted names, with or without the retro styling which sometimes goes with them.
It will be interesting to see whether Autumn
Fair’s own reinvention of itself also paid off in terms of visitor numbers, visitor/exhibitor calibre and exhibitor feedback. Anecdotally, some of the socialmediamoans about not being able to find anything in the renamed, replanned halls were certainly offset by brisk business being done, at least by some of the companies who had taken space.
Key to it all is confidence and the willingness to try new things. Viewing challenges - whether new legislation, sustainability or changing consumer shopping habits - as opportunities is a tough call. But it can and does pay off.
I hope that the confidence to try is infectious - and that it infects retailers and, crucially, consumers, as well as the suppliers I’ve been discussing.With employment rates as high as they have ever been since comparable records began, I think we have a chance.
• Fo th
themember s rvices teamon 0121 237 1130 or vi
Formore info visit www.
formati e vi
ta
w.bheta.co.uk.
tion about BHETA k.
TA, contact
talking trade
September/October 2019
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