Supplier support in the form of strong promotions must be part of Independents’ Day next year
Thousands of independent retailers were encouraged by their wholesalers to get involved in the first Independents’ Day on June 1, to highlight the service they provide for their communities.
Depots put on special promotions for their customers and provided point of sale material and retailers staged special events to mark the occasion and got in touch with the media to get their message across to the public.
After some notable success, such as coverage on BBC Radio 5, the organisers now want it to become an ongoing campaign and are already planning for the next Independents’ Day.
To find out how retailers have reacted to the campaign, The Grocer visited Blakemore’s depot at Lye in the West Midlands and asked retailers there for their views.
Diane Stote, who runs New Street News in Quarry Bank, put up the poster provided by the depot but says she did not receive much feedback from customers. “One or two older customers noticed it and asked about it, but none of the public seemed to know about it, just the retailers,” she says.
Nevertheless she says it was a good idea and she will support it next year. However, her customers are mainly driven by price. “They will say they will support you, but if they can find things a few pence cheaper somewhere else they will buy it there,” she says. “What is needed for the next Independents’ Day is strong promotions from the manufacturers. It would be brilliant if Camelot could knock 10p off a lottery ticket just for the day.”
Rob Lee, who runs Nooze ‘n’ Booze in Brierley Hill, remains to be convinced about the need for the campaign. He says his customers are already extremely loyal, as was proved when he moved to larger premises. “The magistrates transferred the licence before I was ready to open,” he says. “The new shop was just round the corner, but the stock and equipment had to be moved. One customer asked what the problem was and when I explained everyone pitched in to help.
“There were guys carrying fridges down the street and by the end of the afternoon we were running the off-licence.”
He also feels he gets plenty of support from his wholesaler. He says his business went through a rough patch and adds: “To be honest Blakemore saved my business.”
Ian and Kerrie Phillips run Enville Street Stores. Ian believes Independents’ Day needs to offer customers more of an incentive. “Most understand we work hard to help them.But it would be good if we were able to offer them some really strong promotions on Independents’ Day,”
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Thousands of independent retailers were encouraged by their wholesalers to get involved in the first Independents’ Day on June 1, to highlight the service they provide for their communities.
Depots put on special promotions for their customers and provided point of sale material and retailers staged special events to mark the occasion and got in touch with the media to get their message across to the public.
After some notable success, such as coverage on BBC Radio 5, the organisers now want it to become an ongoing campaign and are already planning for the next Independents’ Day.
To find out how retailers have reacted to the campaign, The Grocer visited Blakemore’s depot at Lye in the West Midlands and asked retailers there for their views.
Diane Stote, who runs New Street News in Quarry Bank, put up the poster provided by the depot but says she did not receive much feedback from customers. “One or two older customers noticed it and asked about it, but none of the public seemed to know about it, just the retailers,” she says.
Nevertheless she says it was a good idea and she will support it next year. However, her customers are mainly driven by price. “They will say they will support you, but if they can find things a few pence cheaper somewhere else they will buy it there,” she says. “What is needed for the next Independents’ Day is strong promotions from the manufacturers. It would be brilliant if Camelot could knock 10p off a lottery ticket just for the day.”
Rob Lee, who runs Nooze ‘n’ Booze in Brierley Hill, remains to be convinced about the need for the campaign. He says his customers are already extremely loyal, as was proved when he moved to larger premises. “The magistrates transferred the licence before I was ready to open,” he says. “The new shop was just round the corner, but the stock and equipment had to be moved. One customer asked what the problem was and when I explained everyone pitched in to help.
“There were guys carrying fridges down the street and by the end of the afternoon we were running the off-licence.”
He also feels he gets plenty of support from his wholesaler. He says his business went through a rough patch and adds: “To be honest Blakemore saved my business.”
Ian and Kerrie Phillips run Enville Street Stores. Ian believes Independents’ Day needs to offer customers more of an incentive. “Most understand we work hard to help them.But it would be good if we were able to offer them some really strong promotions on Independents’ Day,”
99%
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