evolution and transformation
February/March 2022 business edge
Green people’s evolution from etail to retail A move from etail to retail is helping Horsham’s high street. Charlotte VØhtz Founder, The Green People Company Ltd
It’s no secret that the pandemic hit the high street hard and when Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of the organic skin care brand Green People, saw empty retail spaces emerging in her local Horsham high street, she was determined that her first bricks and motor store would give back to the town that she and many of her HQ team call home. Having operated in etail for almost 25 years, Vøhtz acknowledges that it was a brave move to invest in a physical store at a time when many high streets were struggling but any doubts were soon set aside when the store officially opened its doors in October 2021. “As a business we evolve around our customer and their initial reaction to the store was fantastic”, says Vøhtz. “Having an established online brand meant that we could merge our etail and retail words from the outset and publicise the store to existing shoppers. Localised maildrops and targeted PR and email campaigns helped us to create a local customer base in an instant.” Within weeks of opening, the store has already established itself as a core part of the Green People brand journey and, to Vøhtz, opening the store is not only an example of brand evolution but also a tale of happy revelation. “We discovered that around 60% of our store customers have shopped with us online before and on opening day, we had customers in store telling us they had supported us since the ‘90s and that they were so pleased that we had chosen to open a store on their doorstep. “It is so rewarding to know that after 25 years of business, our local community still supports our mission to make organic skin care mainstream.”
A masterclass in merging etail and retail Evolving the Green People brand into a high street name has long been an ambition of Vøhtz, who had dreamed of opening her first store for over 20 years.
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With her first store, she has demonstrated a masterclass in merging the etail and retail worlds.
new whilst also helping Green People to reach a new customer base that’s seeking out personalised skin care.
The brand’s flagship store retains the organic expertise that Green People is known through Store Manager, Lily Beard, who previously worked on the customer care team of the brand’s etail arm and provides a bridge of consistency between the two domains.
“Some customers have shopped with us before and come into store knowing exactly what they need. They may come in for an old favourite but soon they’re testing out new products and embracing the chance to experience new customisable additions.
To ensure that shopping in-store is just as rewarding as shopping online, store shoppers can earn loyalty points from their purchases if they are, or if they become, members of Green People’s Beauty Club. This gives etail and retail customers the chance to attain Green Points which can then be converted to shopping vouchers and redeemed either online or instore. The store’s online social channels are also playing a part in the new store’s success. To attract customers to the store for their Christmas shopping, Green People worked with neighbouring stores to create an instagrammable community archway.
“For others, the store is a brand-new concept and we’ve noticed that customers are really keen to get to know our brand values before they buy. The scent of our Alexandra Kay Pure Essential Oil blends welcomes our customers in store and helps to create a calming shopping environment where there’s plenty of time to browse and ask questions before you buy.” Keen to offer all their customers a bespoke shopping experience, Lily and her team are committed to offering experience, care and community.
It is clear that brand consistency and community have been key to the latest stage of Green People’s evolution.
In December, Green People sponsored the Piries Place Giving Tree, a community charity initiative to gift to those in need at Christmas. The store is also exploring opportunities to work with initiatives that reward Horsham residents for shopping on their local high street.
Its loyal customer base has proved pivotal for integrating the new store into Horsham’s high street but as Store Manager Lily explains, the new venture has given these customers the confidence to try something
Green People’s retail store is located at 32 Carfax, Piries Place, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1EE and open Wednesday – Sunday. Visit: greenpeople.co.uk/horsham for more information online.
Creating community
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