GOOD BUSINESS September 1998

RESIN TO BE CHEERFUL (PARTS 1 & 2)

THANKS to everyone who visited us at Harrogate Home & Gift 98. We had a rewarding time and you will be seeing us again at selected trade shows around the country.

ONE successes was the large range of Resin Figurines flown in from Thailand especially for the show. We are anticipating very good business for these excellent value items.

COMPLIMENTS were also paid for the new design block-print fabrics, featuring a wider colour palate than our earlier block print ranges and on the way from India right now.

COMPLAINTS, however, have been received from customers who couldn't make it to Harrogate and therefore missed out on the promised Bag of Delights. Well calm down and stop looking so grumpy. We still have some left. Order soon and we will pop one into your box.

HEART OF THE TOWN

THIS MONTH another huge shopping mall opened on the outskirts of Manchester.   The impact of developments like the Trafford Centre, Meadowhall, the Metro Centre and even the smaller White Rose Centre in Leeds on the surrounding traditional town centres is well documented. Our contacts in Manchester have already noted the downturn in trade in relatively affluent locations such as Altrincham.

Meadowhall

APOLOGIES to those few of you who do trade in sprawling hangers on the cusp of a motor way slip roads (you do what you have to do) but we see the principle of out-of-town shopping as out of order. The future well being of our towns and our natural environment depends on minimising use of the motor vehicle while reclaiming traditional town centres as the social, cultural and economic heart of our communities.

TOWN Councils & local Chambers of Commerce are being forced to vigorously, systematically & imaginatively market & promote their town centres. We are noticing how some of our successful customers are get actively involved in their local town centre promotion.

DISTINCTIVE independent retailers often provide a focus for the local counter culture.  Their voice is especially valued as town centre groups consider strategies for competing with out of town retailers. In many ways you can provide the crucial pivot between local small business interests and social activists which enables a balanced, effective alliance to emerge.

GET INVOLVED now to influence and be identified with the regeneration of your town centre. Your business will benefit from the right decisions being made. It will benefit from
the tons of free publicity which town centre activists attract. You will be able to network powerfully in the local business community. Lastly, but not least, you get invited on some tasty junkets, too.

CHOCKS AWAY

OUR winter programme of travel to create new lines for 1999 begins soon. If you have any ideas which you would like us to take up - please let us know. If you have any specific questions about our products or producers – ditto. Do you have any designs which you would like 7 Wonders to manufacture?

OLD GREY BEARD

Fill another beaker from the gushing spring of retailing wisdom which is our colleague - Dave Hogg.

Research by major retailers has shown that a customer coming into a retail environment “works” in areas of approximately 20 square feet.. This is the space in which they can comfortably contact & compare items. 20 square feet should be the basis of your merchandising display. Anything more and the customer may not even see the range of comparable items on offer & the detail of your merchandising scheme will not communicate.