Small Stuff named as one of Best Small Shops Innovators
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
In the thir
d instalment of our ‘Meet the Innovators' series, we spoke to Hellen from Small Stuff, an eco-conscious children's lifestyle shop in Sheffield about how the forced closure of her bricks and mortar shop led to her thinking of new and innovative ways to connect with customers.
"I already had a basic online store, but spent the first week making sure products were up to date, giving options such as free local hand-delivery to our local community, free gift wrapping and hand written card services for lockdown birthdays and gift purchases and free national delivery to not only really to drive custom to our website, but to support my customers," Hellen explains.
"I offered local safe social distanced hand deliveries, personalised recommendations (via email and video chat) and made sure the deliveries were as efficient and personal as possible. I also made sure that I was as transparent as I could be; by utilising social media "stories" and "lives".
Hellen adds: "I could constantly show the safety measures I had in place working from home (I took all my shop stock home during the lockdown in order to quickly be able to wrap/answer queries) in order to make sure customers understood and trusted their purchases. There were a number of different delivery choices available for customers too."
Speaking about new initiatives developed during lockdown that she will continue to harness, Hellen says: "There are a few really positive trials that I started during the closure of the store that I am going to continue; the free gift wrapping and hand written card service - it makes such a difference to the customers to be able to purchase something with a lovely added surprise for the recipient.
"There are lots of interesting ways to link the website and the shop together is something I'm continuing to work on too, with ideas for new product videos, email and video consultations and also working on an app which should integrate scan, pay and go options for in store purchases.
"Of course running an independent business definitely has stressful and hard days, but being able to be so adaptable during a time that was never imaginable has been so liberating. I've never thought of myself particularly as a problem solver, but I think like most independent business owners - this has been one of the most testing times to adapt, pivot and change and think of new and innovative ways to connect with customers and keep the business going."
Enter your shop for the Best Small Shops Competition ‘Most Innovative Business During COVID-19' category here!
Small Stuff image credited to - ©G&AMedia