5 minute read
Business Advice
TRADE UNITE IN COVID-19 FIGHT As 10 weeks of lockdown restrictions ease as we head into June, we take the temperature of the photo trade by quizzing its leading lights on how they’ve coped with lockdown, and just as importantly, how we deal with whatever comes next…
With the news that non-essential retailers (including those dealing in electronics) in England can re-open from June 15th as long as social distancing is observed, we appear to be turning a corner in the fight against Covid-19. However, as the financial implications and effects of shuttering or mothballing the majority of our businesses for two and a half months gradually becomes clear, we’re not out of the woods yet.
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Feeling it important to chronicle these unprecedented times and our own industry’s reaction to them – who knows, some of the ideas and opinions here may benefit your own business and show that whatever concerns you have are not just yours alone – we’ve asked leading lights in the photo trade to, essentially, write this article for us. So we’ll take a step back here and hand you over to your colleagues and peers. How has lockdown been for them and what can we learn from the situation to be able to better respond to and reassess whatever this ‘next stage’ brings?
Paul Reynolds, Sigma UK General Manager
“We have been working with all those retailers who are open and supporting them where we can with free dropshipping, special offers and online activity. It all helps! Clearly a strong online presence has been crucial over the last couple of months where retail shops have been forced to close. These strange times give us all a good indication of our strengths and weaknesses and how fast we can adapt to a new way of working and what we should be putting in place to be stronger if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation again.”
Mark Baber, Sony UK Technical Marketing Manager, Photo Channel
“Since lockdown the Photo Channel sales team have supported our UK retailers, including Wex, Park, Wilkinson, LCE and Jessops, with online marketing support. The team set up their homes as working studios including setting up our modular event stand in my house. We have been and continue to create content for product videos, become virtual assistants, carry out 121 customer sessions, Q&A webinars – both live and recorded in advance – wrapped up with advocate webinars highlighting their workflow and why they switched to Sony.”
We are all at the heart of how photographers document these times. Our way of working may have changed, but we all still play a part in providing great products which shape how amateurs and professionals create images.” Jeremy Martin, Transcontinenta UK
“Despite our three shops being closed, our online presence has escalated with the help of a web development company. The first few weeks were troubling with low sales but we have grown our business to a level that we are happy with and that is manageable for the 10 of us remaining in the business. With 70% of our workforce on furlough, I’m having to work hard again!
“We have also been able to streamline
Jason Mitchell, Cameraworld Managing Director
With most of the photo retail business mothballed during the pandemic, an upbeat Derek has cleverly pivoted towards selling facemasks, hand sanitizers and even temperature detecting camera systems during the pandemic. He adds: “We’re very grateful that all our customers have stayed loyal and despite the difficulties that have arisen from this unprecedented situation
Derek Fieldhouse, PhotoXport Managing Director
our inventory and focus on what customers actually want during lockdown, which has been a mixture of macro photography products including lenses, extension tubes and continuous lighting. Binoculars have also been popular as well as entry level DSLR and mirrorless. Hiking backpacks and travel tripods have been a disaster however and we are over stocked!
“We are all seeing people ignoring the rules and rushing to the coast so I think people have had enough of being cooped up and the period of lockdown has ended. When will we open our shops? Not for the foreseeable future, especially London which I think will be the last…”
they’ve all paid their bills, so we’ve been able to pay our own. Our plan is to gradually re-open the business from June 1st and work towards having everything 100% operational in July. Our entire customer base has been loyal and supportive in that.”
Barnaby Sykes, Head of Category Marketing, Panasonic UK
“The imaging industry, like many others, has had to adapt to this unprecedented situation and find new ways to keep photographers, videographers and creators inspired at home. Many have utilised their strong online presence in order to do this, and others have taken this as an opportunity to further expand this side of their business to continue interacting with an engaged audience. I’m sure this online evolution will continue in the future to suit the needs of the customer as demand recovers and continues to grow.
“The Lumix UK team have been keeping customers inspired at home through online events with our retailers, regular ambassador Q&A sessions on our social channels, and educational tips and tricks to get the most of out of your camera.”
“We’ve stayed operational and have been supplying the UK trade throughout the Covid-19 period. Whilst its consequences have been far reaching, and this has been both a tragic and difficult time for many, the virus can’t kill our passion for photography and imaging, which is what brings news alive and tells stories of times both good and bad.
“We are all at the heart of how photographers document these times. Our way of working may have changed, but we all still play a part in providing great products which shape how amateurs and professionals create images for others to look back on and re-live these moments long into the future.”
The first few weeks were troubling with low sales but we have grown our business to a level that we are happy with. We have also been able to streamline our inventory and focus on what customers actually want during lockdown.” Jason Mitchell, Cameraworld
