Panel one Balancing tobacco and vaping
The Panel
Nick Geens head of reduced-risk products, JTI
Andrew Newton Nisa Local, Cradley
Arjan Mehr Londis Great Holland’s, Bracknell
Harj Gill Select & Save, Birmingham
Vince Malone Premier Tenby Stores & Post Office, Tenby
Chaired by
Jack Courtez editor of news, Newtrade
Three great ideas
1 Become a vaping destination
Providing customers with an unrivalled range of e-liquids and devices attracts shoppers from beyond a store’s normal catchment area. Longer opening hours and a wider offer gives stores that adopt this strategy a competitive edge, says Andrew Newton.
2 Visit a vape shop
Vince Malone has been going undercover in vape stores to find out more about their products, customer service, promotions and prices. He says staff may think he’s their oddest customer with the questions he asks, but the information he gains used in his own store turns “vapour into paper”.
3 Train your staff
The panellists agreed there is a knowledge gap in many convenience stores. JTI’s Nick Geens said the company can provide training to staff and stores, but accepted that more support is needed. Panellists suggested recruiting an avid vaper to manage the section or to use a supplier.
Panel two Driving your business forward with digital
The Panel
Steve Denham associate editor, Better Retailing
Mo Razzaq Family Shopper, Blantyre
Sam Coldbeck Wharfedale Premier Convenience, Hull
Aman Uppal One Stop Mount Nod, Coventry
Chaired by:
Kate Daw circulation manager, Newtrade
Three great ideas
1 Get on Google Maps
While some areas of digital marketing might seem intimidating, others are simple and extremely effective. Steve Denham revealed that 80% of stores present at the Local Shop Summit are not signed up to Google Maps, which means customers cannot find their business when making a search of local companies.
2 Use polls on Facebook
Collecting data on your customers’ tastes and behaviours has been made more difficult by the GDPR legislation, which arrived earlier in the year. Sam Coldbeck suggested that Facebook polls where no personal data is involved is a great way to get around any potential problems.
3 Be open to new ideas
The overall message of the discussion was that retailers who succeed with a digital strategy are those who try and fail and try again with new apps and websites that come along. “Don’t turn down an opportunity because you don’t understand it,” Sam Coldbeck told the audience.
Maximising the premium spirits opportunity
The Panel
Mark Herbert field sales controller, Pernod Ricard UK
Harj Dhasee Nisa Village Store, Mickleton
Bruce Morgan Brownlie’s Best-one, Biggar
Pratik Patel Jay’s Budgens, London
Chaired by:
Martyn Fisher editor, Better Wholesaling
Three great ideas
1 Make the most of gin
While whisky has had a massive resurgence in the past year, gin is still topping the charts when it comes to growth in spirits, with shoppers still gravitating toward craft and premium varieties. Bruce Morgan says he stocks a local variety and has already sold over 100 bottles of it in recent weeks.
2 Inspire shoppers with cocktail culture
Getting your display right attracts additional sales. Last Christmas, Harj Dhasee sold £6,000-worth of premium spirits by bringing them out from behind the counter to a more prominent position. Accessories are equally as important and Harj has sold more than 300 gin glasses this year.
3 Talk to your customers
Visiting bars to find out what the most popular spirits are can help drive incremental sales, especially when it comes to discovering new brands and trends, says Pernod Ricard UK’s Mark Herbert. Last year, 40% of value sales in the premium spirits category in the off-trade was driven by new products.
Panel four Working towards a sustainable retail future
The Panel
Nick Brown head of sustainability, Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP)
Bart Dalla Mura Greenhill Stores Costcutter, Warwickshire
Trudy Davies Woosnam & Davies News, Wales
Kate Mills Heath Stores, Horsmonden
Dennis Williams Premier Broadway, Edinburgh
Chaired by:
Megan Humphrey news editor, Newtrade
Three great ideas
1 Demand suppliers take responsibility
CCEP’s Nick Brown urged suppliers to interact and educate retailers ahead of the deposit return scheme. However, more than half of the panel feel like they are currently not receiving the right level of support.
2 Inspire one another
Community efforts are growing surrounding sustainability and you need to shout about them. They don’t have to be big changes. For example, Kate Mills sends a monthly newsletter to her community updating them on their sustainability efforts, and Trudy Davies is taking part in a local clear-up. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
3 Invest in LED lighting
Kate introduced LED lighting into her store a few months ago, and has reaped the rewards. She received an EU grant to pay for the installation, with an 18-month payback period. Once this has been paid off, it’s money straight in your pockets.
Panel five Keeping ahead of changing consumer habits
The Panel
Martin Swadling Londis brand director, Booker Wholesale
Julian Taylor-Green Taylor-Green’s Spar, Linford
Sue Nithayandan Costcutter Epsom, Surrey
Curty Patel Londis Ferme Park Road, London
Faraz Iqbal Premier Linktown Local, Fife
Three great ideas
1 Make space for trends
All four retailers on the panel had made space for food trends. Sue Nithyanandan has introduced gluten-free displays while Faraz Iqbal’s protein range brings in shoppers from a nearby gym: “You don’t need five brands of things like ketchup, that space can be much better used,” Faraz says.
2 Stay ahead by changing habits
Booker’s Martin Swadling said that a great way to stay ahead is to shape consumer habits, whether that’s emphasising using reusable bags or encouraging charity donations. “Everyone has a role in this. Donating to food banks and charities is great for business,” he said.
3 Know where to spot trends
Trade shows, social media and press were mentioned as great ways to keep informed of trends. “We recently started stocking Flyte, a premium soft drink that sells for £2.50, and vegan ice cream because we spotted them at a trade show. Both brands are flying off the shelves,” Sue says.
Panel six Building profitable shopper journeys
The Panel
Ian Clarke national account controller, Mars Wrigley Confectionery
Terry Mulkern Eurospar, Newry
Vip Measuria One Stop The Prior Way, Derbyshire
Philip Constantine Nisa Orpington, South London
Meten Lakhani St Mary’s Supermarket (Premier), Southampton
Chaired by:
Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski features editor, Newtrade
Three great ideas
1 Seasonal gets staff motivated
Retailers on the conference floor discussed the difficulties of motivating staff who earn their near-£10-an-hour salaries. Meten Lakhani said that seasonal events were something his staff loved to get involved with – from being part of the planning to putting on festive T-shirts.
2 Give festive food a go
Terry Mulkern’s store in Northern Ireland employs three chefs to provide “restaurant-quality food” in store. Last year, one chef suggested that they try Christmas puddings as an on-the-go snack. It was one of the season’s biggest hits.
3 Plan your in-store theatre now
Mars Wrigley’s Ian Clarke emphasised the importance of bringing seasonal opportunities to life and planning displays ahead. A poll of the audience showed a third of businesses had plans for the big seasonal events – that leaves two-thirds who have an opportunity to plan and profit.
Comments
This article doesn't have any comments yet, be the first!