Michelle Clarke Retail Manager JUDDS YARRAWONGA
EOFY 2021
Your Direct Line to FrontLine IN THIS ISSUE: Member Insights
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Supplier Success
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Member Services
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Digital Services
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Retail Services Snapshot p.16 Frontline EOFY Wrap Ups
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Baby News! It’s a Girl!
Rachel Dobson has been on maternity leave this year as she welcomed her gorgeous baby daughter Sofia in July. All is going well for her and she’s loving being a mum. We are excited to have recently welcomed Rachel back to full time work this June.
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CEO Update In what has been an incredibly unpredictable year in retail due to Covid, we are delighted with how all of our Members and the team at Frontline have collectively navigated through the year. The Frontline team remained extremely focused on helping Members with all that has been thrown at them in the past twelve months, with many of those months spent in a challenging hard lockdown in Melbourne. The team have continued to remain positive and have done a great job to gather opportunities and value for all Members across the country. We saw great development and growth by our Members over the past year in the digital space and it was terrific to see our membership utilise our digital services as our membership continued to find ways of reaching new customers during the unpredictability of the last twelve months. With the need to cancel the three previous Frontline Buying event trade shows due to Covid, we are looking forward to regathering with everyone again
Darren Lee (L) Glen McLeod (R) FRONTLINE co-CEO’s
in Melbourne next February. It will be great to see everyone again and we know how much our Members are looking forward to seeing ranges again from our supplier partners at the MCEC. Following the August trade show, we are pleased to report that in the past year we have aligned our February trade show with the Gift and Lifestyle trade show which will be a terrific fit for our members as an alternative to Reed’s Retail Quarter Melbourne which has ceased operations. The Frontline business remains in a strong position and we look forward to meeting the challenges ahead as they are thrown our way to support you, our member, in the coming year.
Frontline Stores is truly your partner in retail! DARREN LEE | FRONTLINE co-CEO e: darren@frontlinestores.com.au
GLEN MCLEOD | FRONTLINE co-CEO e: glen@frontlinestores.com.au
FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT US! Level 1, 210 Canterbury Road, Canterbury VIC 3126 tel: 03 9888 5766 | fax: 03 9888 5522 web: www.frontlinestores.com.au
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Member Insight Judds Yarrawonga My retail journey began over 25 years ago on my 18th birthday when the Judd family offered me a full time position in their menswear store. I had deferred from an arts course and had loved design and sewing in school. Working in retail seemed like a good fit. Over my years with Judds Wangaratta I was lucky enough to work in an open and transparent environment which allowed me to learn all aspects of the business. Over the next 10 years I worked in menswear, womenswear and helped to establish their workwear, uniform and embroidery business. I really valued the opportunities to learn and my passion for business was ignited. I loved retail, from the buying phase, to merchandising and displays and serving my customers. While I thoroughly enjoyed the creative side of retail and still do, it’s my happy place, I loved the thrill of buying right and selling hard. 15 years ago my husband and I were keen to buy a business of our own. While I was the “nervous nelly” he was the one who had faith and gave me the push needed to step out and give it go. Together with Nick & Mary Ann Judd we bought into a well established, long standing Mensland business in Yarrawonga. It had really great bones and I was excited by this new challenge. Over the next 3 months I got to know the area, the customers and the demographics of my new audience. It was a good business and I was keen to understand what consumers wanted and needed. Although Yarrawonga was only 50kms from Wangaratta the demographics were very different. This was my first real lesson in business. Know your demographics and your target audience. Yarrawonga is a small rural town set on the banks of the beautiful Lake Mulwala. With a population of around 10,000 that expands to nearly 30,000 in the peak summer tourist season. The area is famous for it’s water sports, golf and relaxed environment. Being a tourist town does exclude us from many of the challenges that come with operating a business in a small country town. For 9 months of the year we have a new audience, relaxed consumers on holidays, with the time to wander and spend and a very full calendar of tourist events to keep us busy.
Michelle Clarke Retail Manager JUDDS YARRAWONGA
Over the past 15 years I have grown the business to now include womens and children’s wear, workwear, uniforms, embroidery and printing. We are the typical country style department store keen to showcase current trends, a mix of popular brands and “added margin’ product with a real focus on customer service and repeat business.
YARRAWONGA, NSW
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Member Insight
How things have changed from the “good old days” of retail, to the now noisy, crowded and challenging environment facing all small business! Consumers can buy from various platforms, from various countries and standing out in the crowd can be harder than ever before. The daily tasks and knowledge required to keep up can be overwhelming. I have learned to surround myself with people who have the expert knowledge in their field. Find a team that fits with you. I found working with an accountant was very reactive and not pro-active. Being told 6-12 months after your financials were logged was deflating and delayed any opportunity for change. I found a bookkeeper who better explained the numbers and could work more closely for change. He is now a valuable member of my team and someone I work with weekly. I have a saying on display in my offices ….. I never lose, I either win or learn. I apply this to all the challenges I face. Over a year ago I was surprised to learn that one of my biggest selling
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mature womenswear brands was no longer wholesaling. I had been selling this brand for over 10 years and had valuable repeat business. My initial reaction was panic. How was I going to fill this large substantial space? I reached out to a few suppliers covering this demographic and quickly realised there was a few retailers also in the same situation. Working together with the suppliers we were able to fill the best selling lines at increased margins and new opportunities were created. These suppliers were also willing too invest in marketing opportunities to grow their brands in our store too. In my initial panic, I went to the numbers. I utilised the data from my POS system and realised that although this brand was a consistent seller the margins were not that great. I was not making the money I thought I was. Over the next year or so we worked hard to move our customers into other product and our mature womens business continued to grow. Social media and marketing is now more important than ever. The days
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of putting an ad in the paper or radio no longer connects with my audience. Understanding your demographics and connecting with your audience is vital. I joined a local business hub, I found my business tribe. This group allows me to set goals, be accountable, to share highlights ( champagne moments ) and the road blocks. Many businesses in this group face similar challenges, it’s a trustworthy environment to share and learn. During COVID, this group was my lifeline. We shared valuable business and grant information and supported each other though the many challenges. Find your business tribe and don’t go at it alone. Our business group is lead by the talented and local Jenn Donovan from Social Media and Marketing Australia. She is an amazing leader in all things social media, marketing and small business. With a team of eight women of varied ages learning to communicate and delegate has been vital. I have worked with a leadership development coach to better understand personalities and
improve my skills of listening and communication. This has allowed me to not only work in my business but on my business. My team reflects our values and have a clear understanding of our expectations and responsibilities. Is the road always smooth,? Definitely not, life is complicated and grey but I’ve learned the value of courageous conversations and communication. It’s been valuable to learn the importance of self care and how to manage the habits of high performing people and business owners …… Let’s just say I still have a lot to learn.
Member Insight
Being a part of buying group like Frontline provides many opportunities to connect with suppliers, access to group buying rates and experts in our industry. I absolutely appreciate the challenges of time, there are never enough hours in the day, but take some time to utilise the buying group. As a business located 3.5 hours from Melbourne I find the buying fairs a much more effective use of my time. I can access many Suppliers in a short space of time. I feel the days of the fair may be numbered if we do not support the Suppliers and the Frontline Buying Group. The fairs showcase the upcoming trends and is a great opportunity to catch up with like minded business owners. Often the challenges you face are also being faced by others in our industry. Connecting with fellow retailers can offer solutions to these challenges. If I’m searching for specific products or new categories I always reach out to Frontline for advise of who to follow up. Many suppliers are now vertical operators and not only wholesale but retail in the online space and in bricks and mortar. This has created many challenges in my business. Brands I have supported and created loyalty within my business are now competitors. I believe this will continue to create challenges as many suppliers need to be successful in all channels to survive. I made a commitment in my business to be on the front foot with these brands. I subscribe to their webstore as a consumer and receive their marketing emails. If a supplier is continually discounting I look to move away from their brands and I also reach out for a discount or FREE product so I can provide a similar offer to my clients. In the retail world where consumers are trained to never pay full price while the cost of operation for small business continues to rise makes it very difficult to see a profit. Value adding or “Gift with purchase” is a real winner in my store. Especially with my workwear suppliers where the margins can be finer than in fashion. Other suppliers have offered discounts on bulk purchases or increased discounts for shorter trading terms. I also make it very clear to my suppliers that I will not support brands who continually discount on new or current seasons stock. Being aware of their
promotions makes it easier to call out the continual discounting. I now use brands as the drawcard and mix in imported, higher margin product to increase my overall margins. You can utilise much of what you see on their website for your own marketing. I find the importance of merchandising and co-ordinate ranges to increase the average spend for each sale is vital. I had a professional merchandiser walk through my store and his expertise in increasing the dollar spend and bundling was incredibly valuable. The amount of information on the web makes it easier than ever to find ideas for window and instore displays. Another winner for us is events. About 5 years ago I started with a Christmas VIP event. I purchased discounted products for giveaways and reached out to suppliers for lucky door prizes, put on some food and drinks and added plenty of Christmas cheer. This event has now grown to include over 12 local businesses in our main street area, some of these are my competitors but I found that as a combined group we could entice our community to come and shop local. It was then up to me to stand out from the crowd and ensure I captured the sales. With many of the stores having a database we could also market to a much wider audience. All these businesses donate an item to a major hamper giveaway which is a well sought after prize at Christmas. This concept has grown to now include a local Black
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Member Insight
Friday event where we introduced a VIP event the night before. I have turned this event into my annual “Suit Sale”, where once again, it’s about buying stock at a reduced rate from suppliers, throwing in a free gift of a tie and sock pack and conveniently offering a full alteration service all after hours. We have trialled other events and are always keen to try out something new. Not all of them are successful but I always learn something and the extra effort is well worth it. Covid19….I didn’t see that coming! My initial reaction of tears and fears for losing all of what I had worked for was overwhelming. Telling my long standing employees that I couldn’t keep them employed was heartbreaking for everyone. But my stubbornness for not giving in and the support of my husband and business tribe kept me going back day after day. In regional Victoria we were allowed a few more freedoms than our metro colleagues, although very aware of the impact it would have to our tourist trade. Having a mixed business allowed us to quickly shift into “Cosy & Comfy” and “Workwear Essentials”. The lockdown came just before our biggest tourist trade season of Easter. That meant for us being completely overstocked with no tourists. I quickly reached out to suppliers and
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agreed to cancel stock service product orders but accept most indents, with extended trading terms. I was keen to support my suppliers knowing that without them a recovery was going to be more difficult. Many suppliers were super accomodating while others made it more challenging. Let’s just say in a time of crisis you quickly learn who you want to be in business with. We didn’t have a website to fall back on so for me it was about being consistent, being open (when allowed) and doing what I could on social media to stay connected to our community. As a workwear supplier supporting the front line we were allowed to open. So we flipped our store to showcase workwear and leisurewear. I bought more relevant stock and we clawed our way back. Job keeper was introduced and the security of wages meant we could bring back our staff and focus on what we could do. The 25-50km travel limit also allowed us to showcase what we do well to our local community. We knew we needed to impress our community, wow new customers and ensure repeat business. This was an amazing opportunity and set us up financially for future challenges. We have been lucky enough to capture busy tourist trade outside of lockdowns as people were keen to travel locally. I truly value the regional to regional tourist
trade that has kept us going through the metro lockdowns too. My thoughts go out to the suppliers who will continue to battle as many of us retailers are overstocked and clearing lines from 2020. I choose to not focus on what I can’t do but develop any opportunity within the boundaries. My fear moving forward is continued lockdowns with no government assistance. Our town and our economy relies on tourists and with continued cancelled events and consumer confidence falling I will once again need to dig deep to hold on until our country reaches herd immunity and we all move forward to a “COVID normal” life again. Many of the changes I have made in my business during this time I will continue with. I am incredibly grateful for all I have learned and look forward to what’s next. Thank you to Frontline for the opportunity to be involved with their publication. It’s been interesting and rewarding to look back on my retail journey, consider all I have learned, reminisce on all the wonderful people I have met and worked with and the personal growth of my leadership.
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Michelle Clark | JUDDS YARRAWONGA
Sleep Doctor Fyshwick & Batemans Bay
Member Insight
The Sleep Doctor Group formed in 1989 with originally 5 independent Bedding and Furniture retailers and over time has become a Co-Operative. Frontline has been a big help to the Sleep Doctor Group since joining in 2007. Frontline provides many different services to the Sleep Doctor Group, from collecting and distributing supplier rebates, branding, marketing, even co-ordinating group meetings. It allows the group to focus on retailing. Sleep Doctor’s Chairman of the last 5 years, Roger Cheetham, began his retail career at Triffett’s Furniture in 1979. “We sold everything” Roger remembers. In 1983 Triffett’s opened mattress and bedroom store, which Roger managed for the next 7 years. In 1990 Roger was approached to work at Sleep Doctor Fyshwick and after 11 successful years there, Roger and wife, Jenny, purchased the store. In 2015 an opportunity to purchase the Sleep Doctor Batemans Bay store came up, as the owner was retiring. “We bought the store and then just last year opened another Sleep Doctor Store on the Gold Coast at Bundall, which our son Luke is running” says Roger. “It has been a challenge time through Covid-19, but our stores have fared very well. Jen and I were unable to get up to Bundall and help Luke set up the store due to the border closures, but Luke did an amazing job and was able to open on time”. Keeping ahead of retail trends is constant. While travelling to the Las Vegas Furniture Show a couple of years ago, they brought back the idea of creating a designated adjustable bed area within each store. The Sleep Doctor Group were the first group in Australia to introduce an adjustable bed gallery. “The main goal is to create a relaxed environment with great products, service and advice for our
Luke, Jenny & Roger Cheetham.
customers. This is what makes Sleep Doctor successful”. Roger quotes, “The biggest challenge in retail is having good and reliable staff. We are very lucky with our team at all three of our stores. One of our staff members at Fyshwick has worked with me for over 35 years and our team at our Batemans Bay store has remained unchanged for over 10 years. I am very proud of the service our staff offer our customers - that’s what keeps our customers coming back. If you work hard and look after your staff, you will have a successful business.” “The last 18 months have been difficult. Our Batemans Bay store was closed for a period with the bushfires. Whilst another business premises in our street was burnt to the ground, our store only suffered smoke damage. We decided to help the local community by giving away queen and king size mattresses to those who had lost everything, 34 in
total. We also donated $100 from every mattress sale for the month of March from our Fyshwick store sales as well as Batemans Bay”. The town has recovered quite well since then. The partnership with Frontline has been a very happy one. “The Frontline staff we deal with are fantastic and nothing is too much trouble. When Covid-19 hit us, we didn’t know if we would be open or closed but having piece of mind that Frontline was behind us, providing necessary retail information and support, gave us a level of comfort. Also knowing that our suppliers would be looked after was a great benefit”.
ROGER CHEETHAM Business Owner SLEEP DOCTOR
Fyshwick & Batemans Bay
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Member Insight
Taylors Home Centre Castlemaine VIC Long-time Frontline Member since 1987, Taylors Home Centre in Castlemaine is celebrating 40 years serving the local community. Originally starting as a drapery shop in 1856, and operated by various owners over the years, the successful local business was purchased by Robin and Nancy Taylor in 1981. Four decades later the business is now owned and operated by the couple’s daughter Julie and husband Shane Tunn. Looking for opportunities to service the community, the Taylors decided that what was really lacking in Castlemaine was a comprehensive custom curtain and blind furnishing service and renamed the business Castlemaine Furniture and Curtain Centre. Then as the drapery side of the business grew, Taylors dedicated further space to their custom window furnishings and renamed the business ‘Taylors Home Centre’. They later expanded into the neighbouring former Will Blundell Boots building, doubling their floor space and allowing them to expand their range into Manchester – towels, doonas etc and later giftware and homewares. Respectful of the building’s heritage, the couple painstakingly restored the front of the building, accentuating the existing glass
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frontage, repainting the façade in heritage cream colouring (thanks to the support of council) and replacing the former lacework on the verandah. Julie joined her parents working in the business in the late 80s/ early 90s ordering giftware for the store and when her parents were ready to retire in 2008, it was a natural progression for Julie and her husband Shane to take on the business and continue the family tradition. Today Taylors Home Centre continues to be synonymous with top quality curtains and blinds, Manchester, gifts and homewares and friendly, local service. “We have now been serving three generations of local community members.” Robin said that running a successful local business is not necessarily about being the cheapest. “What people are after is a great product and friendly, local service people that they know and trust and will go that extra mile to help them find what they are after. “Everything has become very specialist these days and there are not many businesses left where you can find different offerings under the one roof. We are unique like that,” he said. Julie is always striving to source the latest products to ensure our customers have a beautiful range to
choose from and our custom-made window covering service is still thriving today. “COVID and the various lockdowns have been extremely tough on local business but we are grateful to the local community for their ongoing support,” she said. COVID hasn’t changed how we operate, other than extra cleaning - the benefit of being regional. The store’s range has changed over the years with current trends dictated to us by our customers. The number one key in retail: “listen to the consumer”. One major change for us is how we advertise, not just on TV or radio. We now use social media as well to keep up with an ever- changing market. We have just used Frontline to help us set up our new exciting website, which is ready to launch. “I couldn’t have done it on my own. The expertise from Alex was unmeasurable!” Frontline has been a big part of our business from the beginning, providing us with vital access to a huge range of products and services and great team support. We look forward to sharing the next 40 years ahead with Frontline!
Julie & Shane Tunn Business Owner TAYLORS HOME CENTRE
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Supplier Success
THOMAS COOK BOOT & CLOTHING Co Top Supplier to Frontline Thomas Cook achieves $5 Million + through Frontline. Thomas Cook began making boots out of an inner suburb of Melbourne in 1924. Who could’ve known that nearly 100 years later, this start-up would still be going strong? Synonymous with the Australian Outback, Thomas Cook has become an iconic representation of true Australian life. A symbol of endurance, mateship and nature, it has created its identity through generations of tradition ingrained deep within the spirit of the bush. Now a 3rd generation Australian family business, it continues to go from strength to strength, and it is obvious there is an affinity between the brand and our Members. By continuing to use a national network of reps, who call on even the most remote stockists (with Murray and Sue Cook often making trips themselves), they gain valuable feedback on their ranges, product gaps and opportunities. This in turn has led to burgeoning ranges and a frequent need for more warehouse space, so that there is plenty of inseason “stock lines”. This year for the THIRD year in a row,
they are the top supplier to Frontline Stores, with sales in excess of $5 million dollars. Additionally, this year has seen an unprecedented growth of 53% - all terrific news considering the ups and downs of the last year. Murray Cook commented: “Both my Grandparents started in the footwear industry in 1924 and they would be so pleased that from their humble beginnings Thomas Cook Boot & Clothing Company is now Frontline’s Number 1 supplier for the third year in a row. I was discussing this with Mum and Dad and Dad reminded me of our first meeting back in 1985 where we sat with Ron Mills (Frontline’s Menswear Manager) where we asked if Thomas Cook could become a preferred supplier. We offered the Frontline Group moleskin jeans, wool check shirts, heavy duty rain wear and footwear - so who would have thought over the next 36 years that basic range has extended into nearly 2000 sku’s that we now stock. This has only happened by continually growing our stock line program, increasing our seasonal ranges and offering more
brands. It was truly rewarding that we would become the Number 1 supplier in 2019, and then maintain that position in 2020 but to increase our sales over the last very unpredictable year is truly rewarding. We would like to thank all the Frontline members for their continued support because you have made this happen”. Frontline co-CEO Glen, GM Deb and Menswear Manager Miro presented Murray and Sue Cook with a special award to commemorate this fantastic achievement. Congratulations! For product queries, phone 03 8872 7272.
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Supplier Success
GRAEME KERR Business Owner WOOLSTAR
Graeme Kerr, Business Owner
HOW WOOLSTAR HAS PIONEERED SUSTAINABLE AUSSIE WOOL FOR 25 YEARS In the past 25 years, Woolstar has set the benchmark for sustainable Australian wool products, and it’s not gone unnoticed. The brand now exports its range of quilts, pillows, blankets and accessories globally - with every single product fully traceable back to the farm where the fibres came from. Woolstar is the brainchild of Graeme Kerr, who left his career in business consulting in his late 40s with a dream to become a major exporter of a quality Australian product. What that product was, he had no idea. Then, one day, he heard about a surplus of wool in a warehouse in Sydney. Despite having never worked with wool before, Graeme knew this was an opportunity not to be missed. “I knew that Asia loves all things Australian, as well as anything wool,” he explains. “So I made a few samples and went from there.” Today, Woolstar continues to export most of its products to Asia, but also Russia, the UK, Europe, and - most recently - a major US retailer. BECOMING A WORLD-LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE WOOL From that very first fateful moment, Woolstar has focussed on innovation, quality and sustainability. Every product is free from harmful chemicals and the brand’s Farm2Shelf concept allows consumers to trace the origins of their products. “So many competitors seem like
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they’re Aussie produced and made,” says Graeme. “But they’re actually made overseas. We wanted to make sure there was traceability. We wanted to show that our products are real.” One thing is for sure. This is about more than just marketing. The Farm2Shelf concept means that there is no room to hide across the entire lifecycle of the product. The farmers themselves endorse the product and have become integral to Woolstar’s success. It’s certainly a step-change from when farmers sold to brokers, with no idea where their product ends up. “If a farmer knows what their wool is being used for they’re super excited and want to know more,” says Graeme. “It becomes about more than just growing wool. They’re part of the story.” The Farm2Shelf concept is a milestone on what Graeme refers to as the brand’s ongoing sustainability journey. “Wool is inherently more sustainable than other fibres,” he says. “It returns to the earth in six months. But there’s more to do such as other elements of the product, packaging, recycling, and transport.” THE FUTURE IS GREEN - AT HOME AND ABROAD Whilst Graeme is proud of Woolstar’s past, his focus is solidly on the future. Sustainability remains the core focus, with increasing interest in quality, ethical wool products at home and abroad proving that Woolstar won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
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“It’s always confused me why Australian Made products are in greater demand overseas rather than at home,” observes Graeme. “But we’re now getting more orders from Australian retailers and consumers who want to buy products that are good for the environment and good for their health.” Graeme equates some of this homegrown interest to COVID, which he believes has given Australians an epiphany about buying local. To cope with this growth, Woolstar is currently investing in new machinery which will increase the company’s output by up to five times whilst also minimising waste by recycling fibres directly back into the products. But the biggest focus for the future is the farmers - and of course, their sheep - who form the backbone of everything that Woolstar does. “We want to solidify existing relationships and develop even more with Australian farmers across the country,” says Graeme. “We want them involved in our product and in our story and to grow at the same time as we do.” If the past 25 years is anything to go by, one thing is for sure. Whatever Graeme and his team put their minds to, there is no doubt that they will make it happen. For product queries, phone
GRAEME KERR | WOOLSTAR
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Member Services
Shop for Shops Shop for Shops is proud to be a long standing preferred supplier of Frontline. From full store fitouts to a few hangers – Shop for Shops has been Frontline Members’ one stop shop for shop fittings, shelving and display needs for over two decades. Starting life as the Hanger Factory and actually making clothing hangers in Collingwood over 50 years ago the business grew its offering for fashion retailers to include clothing racks, mannequins, timber and plastic hangers, steamers and more. A proud family owned business, Shop for Shops has evolved to become Australia’s leading supplier to all kinds of retailers all over Australia. With a passion for providing retailers with quality, practical solutions, Shop for Shops has carefully designed a vast range of products to help retailers sell. The MAXe system has continued to improve over the years and now offers retailers more flexibility for arranging and displaying merchandise than ever before. The Australian Good Design Award winning Peggie product range is also a hit with retailers around Australia for its good looks and practical applications. In addition to their excellent shop fitting systems, Shop for Shops also has the largest
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Member Services
range of shop supplies including clothing hangers, slat wall and accessories, tagging and pricing guns, a vast range of pre-printed retail signage and much more. In addition to sending members the shop fittings and supplies they need, the team at Shop for Shops have helped hundreds of Frontline members with installation of their shop fittings and custom products made in their own workshop. In 2021, Shop for Shops is well poised to continue to help Frontline Members into the future. The business recently opened its own National Distribution Centre in Brooklyn Victoria to allow for larger stock holdings and more efficient dispatches to all parts of the country. Also a new Retailers’ Catalogue is being developed – and will be released in late 2021 – this is a must have for all Members! In addition to an excellent range, stock holdings and service Shop for Shops always offers Frontline Members the best value – Gold Reward pricing – saving Members up to 55% off RRP prices. For more information or to place an order please contact Shop for Shops on 1300 11 SHOP, email them at sales@shopforshops.com , shop any time at www.shopforshops.com or visit them at their Melbourne, Sydney or Perth shops and look out for them at a future FAB event.
Luke Martin
Director SHOP FOR SHOPS
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Digital Services How to get customers through your website There are many ways to get customers, and increase sales through your website. In this article we will look at getting website visitors through Google, and converting visitors into customers on your website. Getting website visitors through Google Let’s say you’re interested in looking at, or buying a pair of women’s leggings. One of the first things you might do is jump onto Google, and search something like, “leggings”, or “womens leggings”. On the Google results page, you will see a bunch of results, that look something like this:
website traffic from Google, but you usually have to pay. Converting visitors into customers on your website. We have now seen that it’s possible to get traffic through Google, either by paying for it or having a website that ranks organically. What next? Assuming you have set up targeted ads on Google and you’re getting visitors to your site who are interested in your business or product, the next step is to convert those visitors into customers. Let’s look at some of the different kinds of visitors you may be getting and how you can best use your website to convert them: Customer: Local customers who want to see your catalogue, before coming in store to purchase. What you can do: Ensure you have all your most relevant products on your site, with quality images and descriptions. Ensure your contact information and store address are easily accessible on the site. Customer: Customer who is doing product research/ comparisons before buying. What you can do: Ensure your pricing is competitive so they will consider you in their buying stage. Offer incentives and sales to convince them to purchase now, quality images, and descriptions to stand out against the competition. Have a mailing list the customer can sign up to – you may convert this customer later through an email. Customer: Customer who is ready to buy and well informed about their budget and needs. What you can do: Ensure your product and offer is competitive. Research your online competition and ensure your site and offer are as good or better than theirs. You can compete with good refund policies, cheap/free shipping, sales, coupon codes, testimonials, and brand reputation.
As a person searching, you may not care very much what you click on next; you might just click on the product or the search result that seems most interesting or relevant to you. As an online store owner, it’s important to understand what these results are, explained below: A. These are called Google Product/Shopping Ads. If you have an online store, you can link your products to Google, and advertise them for relevant searches using Google Ads. These are paid. B. This is called a Search Ad. If you have a website or web page, you can create search ads using Google Ads. These are paid. C. These are Organic Search results. If your site shows here, you are in a great position, because you don’t need to pay when people click on these results. However, showing up here is not as easy as running paid ads. Showing here is the result of good Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). The point we’re trying to illustrate here, is that you can get
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To summarise, if you can set up Google Ads (and/or achieve good organic rankings) you will get traffic to your site through Google. If you can set your site up to convert that traffic into sales and customers, you will have an online strategy with endless potential for growth. The strategies above can be implemented by yourself or someone in-house, and there is plenty of information on the web to help you get better at improving your online efforts. These strategies can also be managed by third parties (agencies, marketing companies etc). FrontLine now offers a digital marketing service for $499* per month. This service includes setup and management of Google Ads and reporting, email marketing setup and consultation to help you improve conversions on your site. For more information, please email Alex Girgis
webhelp@frontlinestores.com.au and we will get in touch to discuss. *excludes additional marketing, third party costs and GST. Service is subject to FrontLine’s eCommerce Terms and Conditions.
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FrontLine Digital now offers digital marketing. Available for all members with a Shopify Online Store.
WHAT YOU GET for $499* per month: We’ll set up email marketing and automations using This will help with gathering data Klaviyo. on your website performance Klaviyo (paid service) works and marketing efforts. beautifully with Shopify to We’ll link your eCommerce capture and communicate with store to Google Shopping. your audience via email. This will allow us to run product We’ll send 1 email campaign to ads on the Google search your audience each week. network. If you provide us the information, We’ll add your site to Google we can send an email campaign Search console. to your audience each week. You This will help us assess your can also send as many as you keyword ranking and search/site like yourself with our help. performance. We’ll set up relevant email We’ll set up a custom automations for you. dashboard and monthly These may include welcome reporting. emails, upsell emails, product This easy-to-read dashboard refill reminders and more. will show you sales data, We’ll set up and manage your demographic data, marketing Google Ads according to your performance and more, budget. We’ll set up Google Analytics.
Paid Google ads are one of the best ways to generate sales. We will setup and optimise your campaigns, improving them over time to try and get you the best possible ROI. We’ll make frequent suggestions and updates to your site to improve performance. This may include additional app suggestions, resolving small issues or helping with theme updates, site speed suggestions and more. We’ll have screensharing sessions with you to keep you updated and help with your ongoing website improvement. Our assistance will come with regular touch points to help you understand your site better and to work with you to continue to improve your online performance.
If you’re interested, please call Frontline or email
webhelp@frontlinestores.com.au with your store information and contact details and we will get in touch to discuss. *excludes additional marketing, third party costs and GST. Service is subject to FrontLine’s eCommerce Terms and Conditions.
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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SNAP SHOT OF SOME OF THE RETAIL SERVICES AVAILABLE
Selection of taggers, tagger tails, label guns & labels.
Large variety of bags & wrapping.
Buy now, pay later solution for your customers.
Commercial pricing for online purchasing via B2B portal.
Discounted stationery & office products.
In store globes, fluorescents & lighting systems.
Fixtures, fittings, store fit outs & signage.
Point of sale software & hardware.
There are plenty more Retail Services available. For a full list, contact Kylie on:
kylie@frontlinestores.com.au or 03
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www.frontlinecentral.com.au
9888 5766
Opportunities & Achievement from FY20. FrontLine Team Reports MERCHANDISE Menswear Pg 18 Womens, Intimates & Kids Pg 19 Bedding & Furniture Pg 20 Footwear Pg 21 Corporate Workwear Pg 22 Home Living Pg 23 Sport & Leisure Pg 24 Outdoor Pg 25
SERVICES Business Development Pg 26 Member Services
Pg 27
Marketing
Pg 27
We love
Independent Retail my.frontlinestores.com.au
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Menswear
Miro Kroon
Menswear Manager mirok@frontlinestores.com.au
What a year. After very soft figures for the first 7 months, things really took off in mid-February, and haven’t looked back since. The start of the financial year did see a bit of a bump with extra flannelette stocks boosting the sales for Contare, Gloweave & Koala Clothing. With summer indents, we saw RM Williams and Thomas Cook start to surge, but this was tempered with very slow sales in suiting and accessories. Now, more than a year after the pandemic started, the weekly/monthly invoicing for suiting, trousers and accessories is back to previous levels, as weddings/formals etc bounce back. The coming spring should be a bumper period! Traditional menswear can be very steady in terms of trends, and so we fared better than other divisions with cancellation of orders. Like other categories though, we have suffered from shipping delays and product shortages. This will continue from some time. Many suppliers are returning to the indent model, in order to sure-up production, and lessen risk. In analysing the successes over the last year, it is clear that good old country clothing and basics
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“Nothing beats seeing product and stores in person. We hope that in the coming months this can be rectified with more travel.” Miro
(flannelette and fleecy apparel) is what has boomed this year – and shows the commonality in our Group. It is great to see some fantastic results for our major mainstays, and also very much a welcome back to Richard James, after 9 years. Suppliers with Australian-made product fared VERY well. There also seems to be some consolidation occurring, with a few smaller “generic” suppliers starting to drop in turnover. A lack of trade shows and in some instances agent/rep visitation has meant that orders have had to be done without seeing samples - not ideal at all. Those who have been out and calling on Members have been met with open arms and order books. We all can’t wait to be able to get together again in person and see/touch ranges. On the Membership side, we have been very fortunate to see very few doors close. In fact, we have had many stores sold successfully in the last 6 months, which will rejuvenate turnover even further. The last year has seen further diversification, as stores look to keep as much business as possible in their own regions. The closure of many Target Country stores is just one opportunity – and
affects over 50 of our Members. Keeping business and jobs locally is a big priority! Our group is all about relationships, and it has been difficult and frustrating in not being able to get out as much as wanted in the last year. Nothing beats seeing product and stores in person. We hope that in the coming months this can be rectified with more travel. Sharon Rodrigues and I appreciate your support and as always, are more than happy to help you with any queries. Together, we wish you all the best for the new financial year.
www.frontlinecentral.com.au
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Thomas Cook RM Williams Gloweave J & T Knitting Swanndri Contare Koala Clothing Workland Sojo Humphrey Law
Womens & Kids
“This area has shown exceptional growth as the more relaxed dressing has resulted in demand for loungewear and leisurewear, being the more popular choice for comfort with so many people working from home.” Sam In these challenging times, we need to keep up with changes to ensure that our Members and Suppliers are receiving the best opportunities available to them. Although we all look forward to attending physical events when we are able to, we needed to create an option that would assist in streamlining offers from our Suppliers and making it easy for our members to place orders. Our Womenswear division – both Apparel and Intimates have been well supported by Suppliers and Members in August/ September 2020 and February 2021 with our e-FAB events (online trade show). We also have made available to Members “Preferred Supplier Directories” for Womens Intimates and Apparel – which contain an easy find product summary, all contact details and website info. Links to these directories can be found under the resources tab on Frontline Central – alternatively, if you would like a printed copy, please let us know and we will print and forward to you. This is a useful tool to easily locate Suppliers by product type you are looking for. The majority of our Suppliers have experienced good sales over the past twelve months, with the “better end” suppliers being affected by slower sales due to more relaxed dressing with people working from home etc. New supplier Two T’s has also had a very successful launch of their range
Sam Glass
Womens, Intimates & Kids Manager sam@frontlinestores.com.au
this winter, with good sell through at retail. As consumers are continuing to buy local – Suppliers like Caroline K Morgan, Cherrylane, QQ Fashions/ So In Style with regular shipments arriving, are great Suppliers to contact to keep ranges looking new and fresh – and they also re-stock best sellers for retailers to take advantage of what is selling well. In the Womens Intimates division, this area has shown exceptional growth as the more relaxed dressing has resulted in demand for loungewear and leisurewear, being the more popular choice for comfort with so many people working from home. Brands such as Berlei, Bonds, Panache Lingerie and Triumph are clearly enjoying the additional sales. Sleepwear has also been in high demand with substantial increases from Essence Lingerie, Slimform and Young Spirit. The main problem experienced within this division has been keeping up with the demand for product. Many of our Members are increasing their brands within the Frontline list of Preferred Suppliers – and with Panache now having a rep in Australia, we are now receiving regular info and special offers which are being taken up by our Members. Childrenswear is looking to grow over the next twelve months, mainly due to the closures of Target stores within regional areas. Suppliers like Cherrylane, MeMaster Kid and
Thomas Cook are expanding their ranges to include more childrenswear product. CherryLane have this winter included a kids range of winter basics covering track pants and various tops – all at great prices. MeMaster Kid has expanded their range to include flannelette pyjamas, which have been difficult to find for several years. Although it is still difficult to source wholesalers of Childrenswear in Australia, with a price range which is relevant for our membership base, we continue to look for Suppliers with varying ranges to meet our Members needs. We are always on the look out for new brands to add to our list of Preferred Suppliers, so if there are any Suppliers you would like us to contact, please let us know, and we will follow up. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the Members for their feedback and ongoing support, and look forward to seeing you all again soon!
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Caroline K Morgan Cherrylane Equinox Clothing Orientique Fashions Sportswave/Ross Christie Givoni Transanz
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Bedding & Furniture “The Sleep Doctor group has broken through their previous sales records.” Deb
Deb Caldwell General Manager Operations deb@frontlinestores.com.au
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In a difficult and challenging retail year, the Sleep Doctor Group has broken through their previous sales records. Many challenges have faced the group this financial year with lockdowns affecting the group and in particular the Victorian stores. Border closures also proved to be a challenge when most of the mattress & base products are manufactured and/or distributed out of Melbourne. An opportunity for a new store at Bundall on the Gold Coast presented itself and Luke Cheetham took it with both hands. With the initial stock & delivery challenges facing Luke, he sourced local suppliers to fill the void in time for the opening in December. We wish Luke the best for a full year of turnover ahead. The Group is steady, currently with nine Members. All have had fantastic growth this year, with Fyshwick taking the number one turnover slot, putting more than $1M through Frontline this financial year. It is also very pleasing to note that Fyshwick, Pambula & Campbelltown
stores all feature in the overall Frontline top 10 stores for 2021. Once again, the top suppliers for the sleep doctor group in order are; Slumbercare, Comfort Sleep Bedding, MLily Australia, Linksea & RZ Design. Slumbercare & Comfort Sleep Bedding sold well over $1M each to the Sleep Doctor Group. Thank you to all of the Sleep Doctor Suppliers for your support through this difficult retail period.
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SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Slumbercare Comfort Sleep Bedding MLily Australia Linksea RZ Design
Footwear & Lifestyle
Footwear RESILIENT, ADAPTABLE & GROWING The last 12 months have seen the footwear category go through one of the most extraordinary years on record but more than ever, it has established just how resilient and adaptable our Frontline Members are. With the incredible environmental challenges experienced by most of our Members last financial year, the Covid outbreak and subsequent lockdowns meant that once again, the resiliency of our network would be tested not just once, but for some stores (Victoria) 4 times. But as has always been the case, our Members adapted to the new way of reaching their customers and not only that, grew their local footprint by capturing those local consumers that could not or did not want to travel to the next large town to shop and decided to stay local. With more and more people working from home, the love of Ugg boots and slippers saw our Members cash in on this new work from home enforced trend. We also saw a consolidation within our Preferred Supplier
network with our Members focusing on the Suppliers they could trust to deliver styles they could sell that would be delivered in time and in full. This saw Suppliers like Brand Co (Clarks, Grosby, Hush Puppies), Fujian, Bata, Binder (Koalabi), Sfida, and Slatters all overachieved on both budget and last year full-year sales results. These Suppliers have become the backbone of our footwear division, whilst some of our new Suppliers have been slowly developing with our network, these suppliers have gone from strength to strength. It has also been great to see that +68% of our member network has had a positive result versus last year’s footwear purchases from our Preferred Supplier network. This has seen great results for stores like Attwoods, Maynard’s, Sorell Dept Store, LEAD ÉM Footwear, and Hanna’s, the Frontline Footwear group has had a phenomenal year.
Travis McKenzie Footwear Manager travis@frontlinestores.com.au
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Brand Collective Fujian Bata Binder Enterprises Sfida Slatters UNIT True Alliance
Lifestyle A change in Lifestyle, brings great times for Lifestyle. The new work from home status for many Australians has seen a boom in the Lifestyle category for Frontline. At the start of the year, the loss of LSKD and Blu Galaxy looked ominous, but the last 12 months have proved just how strong our stores are and how important this category has been for all our regional customers stuck at home or locked in the covid bubble. The relaxed working conditions for most Australians through 2021 have meant that Suppliers like SASS and Stage II have seen incredible growth and far outperformed our expectations. The real standout supplier has been UNIT, their sales increased by more than 300%, which covered any loss of LSKD and Blu Galaxy but has made UNIT our best performing brand for sales uplift.
It has also been great to see the improved sales of True Alliance with their Lee and Wrangler brands for our network - a staple for many of our Lifestyle stores, having them in stock and with new ranges, has seen sales increase significantly with strong sell through. We have seen positive sales for Members like Lords, Streaky Surf, Sport 2 Street, Trims, and Shaw Street. These Members, along with most of our Lifestyle Members, saw significant growth in this category. With Members adding more “casual” ranges to their store offer, this should see even more growth in this category. Overall, the change in lifestyle for most Australians, due to the Covid outbreak, has seen so many of our stores find new younger shoppers and develop their eCommerce platforms to entice their more progressive local shoppers to buy local.
These changes to our world have seen the Lifestyle category grow significantly and with the expectation that workplaces will be more relaxed with both in-office attire and remote working, the positive Lifestyle growth looks to continue for some time to come.
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Workwear
David Woods Workwear Manager
david@frontlinestores.com.au
The Workwear Division at Frontline has experienced a 12-month period that no one could have predicted. As COVID-19 spread throughout the country, resulting in several extended lockdowns, retail entered a period of unpredictability such as never experienced before. It is tremendous news that despite enormous challenges the division has maintained its retail footprint through the implementation of competitive price-points and by executing targeted marketing campaigns. This in turn has resulted in protected retail margin and maintenance of strong consumer support, allowing the division to storm through the setbacks with the biggest year we have seen in over a decade. It is hoped that the throughput we have seen within the division will continue in the upcoming 12 months, with greater focus on further recruitment of both generic and branded stores in order to continue to extend the turnover of the division. Through the specific targeting of both retailers and Suppliers that support the Frontline business model, we will ensure the relevance of our Suppliers to our Members will remain our highest priorities. In terms of our marketing strategies, particularly for the Workwear First
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“...despite enormous challenges, the division has maintained its retail footprint ...” David
Members, we will continue to refine the programs to make them as relevant and cost-effective as possible – regardless of geographical location. Through greater understanding of all Members’ stores, we have developed increased awareness of what is required in terms of specific marketing strategies, campaign themes and local relevance. I would like to express my thanks to all Members who have provided us with specific information about their businesses. By using this information, we can further refine our strategies and develop programs even more relevant to your business needs. We have continued to work closely with our Preferred Suppliers who provide our Members with relevant product and programs while protecting retail margin. I trust that this approach from the Suppliers will continue to support our business model and that of our Members as we enter into the next financial year. The continued success of the division will depend largely on the recruitment of relevant members in strategic locations – particularly through the Workwear First chain of branded stores. By combining the buying power and marketing strategies of the Group, we will ensure that
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our financial footprint will remain important to our Preferred Suppliers. This will extend into exclusive buys and programs for the Members that support the program. Through this association with our suppliers, the development of the division (PostCOVID) in the forthcoming year looks to be very promising. The Corporate Workwear team is really excited about what lies ahead in the next 12 months. While the retail environment will continue to challenge us all, the business model we have implemented will continue to support generic and branded members in a way that ensures all members and suppliers will experience another successful year ahead.
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Ritemate Bisley JB’s Wear Fashion Biz King Gee Hard Yakka
Home Living Sharon Hall & Rachel Dobson Business Managers
sharonh@frontlinestores.com.au rachel@frontlinestores.com.au
“...we have recently seen a growing trend of customers prioritising quality over price and are requesting products made in Australia and with Australian content.” Rachel Home Living categories continue to provide a valuable service to Members across a wide range of categories including Manchester, Homewares, Window Furnishings, Dress Fabrics/ Haberdashery, Furniture and Bedding. While COVID has created challenges for some retail categories, Home Living has boomed! With consumers unable to travel and forced to spend more time at home, many are using their increased disposable income on updating their homes and developing new hobbies, handcrafts, and culinary skills. The global pandemic forced immediate changes to everyday life, people connected with their homes in ways their pre-pandemic lives could never allow. Living spaces became home offices, home schools, entertainment venues and even indoor gyms. Over the last year Sharon, Rachel & Deb in the Home Living Team have been working to support existing Home Living Members, as well as working with Members who saw this opportunity, and were looking to diversify their businesses into Home Living categories. Frontline have seen significant growth from our Suppliers in the homewares category, in particular: Donaldson – 19% up, IS Albi – 550% up, DKSH – 25% up, Fackelmann – 60% up,
Splosh - 207% up, Meyer -56% up. As a result of negotiations over several years, Rachel is very excited to have welcomed IS Albi on board as a Frontline Preferred Supplier (merge of 2 homewares giants Independence Studios and Albi). IS Albi is a leading industry supplier of homewares, kitchenware, gifting, specialty toys and artificial plants. Their brands include Amalfi Homewares, Davis & Waddell, Master Pro, Rogue and Woll. Manchester is an established category, offering most key Suppliers. A major focus for Sharon has been to maintain strong relationships with top suppliers including Bambury, Kingtex, Ladelle, Legend, Linen House, Sheridan, Sheertex and Tontine. The top priority is to ensure our Members stay competitive by maximising sales and margins. Recently this has included securing an ongoing 15% discount from Legend for Frontline Members, which is unavailable to all other customers. In Manchester we have recently seen a growing trend of customers prioritising quality over price and are requesting products Made in Australia and with Australian content.
(230% up), Minijumbuk (700% up), Wool Products Aust (280% up) All off these companies source local wool and manufacture on site. We are also excited to also recently welcome new Supplier, Aust Wool Comfort, who source and manufacture beautiful wool products in South Gippsland, Victoria. Being unable to hold our traditional FABE events this year, it was exciting to get continued support from Suppliers & Members for the e-FAB event version of the Wall of Opportunity which provides Members a ‘smorgasbord’ of great offers in a time-efficient format. We have really enjoyed working with our valued Members throughout the year and look forward to great things ahead!
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Donaldson
Meyer
IS Albi
Aust Wool Comfort
DKSH
Bambi
Fackelmann
Minijumbuk
Splosh
As such, we have seen huge growth in Preferred Suppliers such as: Bambi
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Sports & Leisure
“Our new store shopfit has seen great growth with apparel (women and kids’ categories), Sports & Leisure Manager equipment, along with key designated jenny@frontlinestores.com.au category areas.” Jen
Jenny Aldridge
The last year has seen the Sport division have a bumper year. Whilst we have had challenges across the country with COVID lockdowns, stock delays, distribution issues, no buy days (all virtual), and continued for some states along seeing ranges and samples have become difficult, overall Sport has been very lucky to be a very popular growth category. However, with all the lockdowns and challenges stores have had, all owners and staff working on the floor and behind the scenes have worked very hard to continue making their business successful and all should be very proud of the last 12 months. We have continued our growth of SPORTFIRST stores, opening another 4 stores - with many more booked in for new shopfits, and new locations to grow the Group within the next 6
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months. We have also had some existing stores reach out to update their stores into the new SPORTFIRST look. Our new store shopfit has seen great growth with apparel (women and kids’ categories), equipment, along with key designated category areas. SPORTFIRST stores continue to follow the plan for product buying with our major brand partners, marketing of our key lines as well as marketing increases through LAM and social growth. We continue to work with our brand partners on product and marketing strategies. Our growth with key brand partners continues our aligned strategies and growth, with brands and SPORTFIRST in the same direction. We have had great success and growth
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with such Suppliers as Asics, Adidas, New Balance, Puma, Nick Auditore, Converse, and Hanes Brands. We look forward to sustained and continual growth in the next financial year. SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Asics Adidas New Balance Puma Nick Auditore Converse Hanes Brands
Outdoor
outdoor experts
“We will focus on Suppliers who support the independent retailer, and who can provide Members with price-pointed products that will ensure a competitive edge.” David Well, what an amazing/unpredictable/ concerning 12 months the Outdoor Division at Frontline has experienced!! In what could be best described as trying retail conditions as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on Australian retail, the division defied the expected downturn in business to return one of the most successful 12-month periods on record. By restricting the state and overseas borders, COVID-19 proved to be beneficial for the division by encouraging consumers to holiday and shop locally and in the ‘great outdoors’. Despite the unusual nature of the last 12 months, the business direction moving forward for the Outdoor Division will continue to be driven by growth in numbers. Growth in outdoor Members across all states, and growth in the support from key Preferred Suppliers. This two-sided growth will ensure that the division remains relevant to all Members and Suppliers, and in turn – increase the Frontline throughput. Through this strategic two-tiered approach, some exciting times lie ahead for the Outdoor Division. We will also continue to refine the marketing of the division so that it is relevant,
David Woods Outdoor Manager
david@frontlinestores.com.au
cost effective and profitable for all members. The immediate future will also focus on working with relevant Suppliers that focus on independent outdoor retailers throughout Australia. This focus will extend into making the Group even more relevant to these Suppliers who request growth in sales in regional areas. We will focus on Suppliers who support the independent retailer and who can provide members with pricepointed products that will ensure a competitive edge. Unfortunately, for the second year running, we were unable to attend the ORA trade show that traditionally brings Blue Sky Members together, to source new product throughout the trade. International pandemics don’t leave space for outdoor trade shows, but we will continue to provide Blue Sky Members with as much assistance as possible. Traditionally, the Blue Sky Group use the event as a vehicle to get together and discuss marketing and group strategies for the forthcoming year. While the four days are focussed on new product, there is always enough time for the Members to socialise at the end of the day and share ideas.
Fingers are crossed that ORA will return next year in Melbourne 2022 and we can get the group back together again. The Outdoor Division’s team is really looking forward to the next 12 months. Hopefully with COVID-19 behind us, but the international borders still closed, our Members may reap the benefits of localised holidaying and purchasing from the outdoor stores. With the addition of several new Members combined with some key suppliers targeting our Group and working closer with us, we can all look forward to a really exciting, yet challenging, 12 months ahead!
SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Oztrail & Companion Dometic Electus Jarvis Walker Sea to Summit Supex Darche
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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Business Development
David Sharp
“Those retailers who have embraced change have Business Development Manager prospered, and continue to go from strength to david.sharp@frontlinestores.com.au strength as the new retail landscape emerges.” David As we are all aware, this last year in retail has been one like no other!! The disruption to the retail status quo, particularly in the state of Victoria, has been unprecedented in living memory. We have had to learn new ways of doing business while all the time having to be adaptable and able to “pivot” our stores to embrace new ideas and processes. Those retailers who have embraced change have prospered, and continue to go from strength to strength as the new retail landscape emerges. Frontline has continued to work with our Members, in a constructive and collaborative way to improve and build, not only the individual Member businesses, but to help prepare both retail members and suppliers for the changing conditions ahead. Recruitment of new Members has been strong in the last financial year, not only in numbers but in the dollars
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gained to Frontline. We have targeted and succeeded in attracting bigger turnover Members which has helped to improve the trading position of Frontline and with greater throughput for our preferred suppliers. Given that a number of stores across the country have closed, and so ceased to be Frontline members we have managed to recruit a good number of excellent new and existing stores to the network. This has resulted in a projected net dollar turnover to Frontline of approximately $5.8 million, which is a great result!!! We have seen in the past year new Members join from every state in Australia, which is a fabulous compliment to our efforts to not only stay in touch with our current Members but to reach out to potential Members with meaningful and informative communication to help them make an informed decision
about Frontline membership. A sizeable number of current Member stores changed hands during the year, with all of the new owners electing to maintain their Frontline membership. This is an outstanding result for Frontline and shows the value that Frontline membership has brought to these stores and the trust that the previous owners have gained in Frontline. With a continuous string of lockdowns and border closures travel for recruitment has been very challenging indeed. Compounded by the need for Frontline to cancel three FAB events in a row, the ability to get face to face with potential members as well as existing Members has greatly compromised the recruitment and retention process. Let’s hope that 2021/22 year brings not only a “COVID normal” but a return to a pre COVID environment.
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“Improving profitability can also be achieved with
Retail Services
better buying, and our ongoing FAB Events & more recently the e-FAB Events.” Kylie Whether saving on day to day expenses or invigorating the business with something new, Members have been thinking outside of the box to save money in the current climate. They have also taken advantage of the resources available to them in the last 12 months. Sales from Suppliers such as Bee Dee Bags, Solemate Software & Shop For Shops are also on an upward trend, on the back of store’s willingness to reinvest into their businesses. Improving profitability can also be achieved with better buying, and our ongoing FAB Events & more recently the e-FAB Events, has supported Members in being more strategic with their stock orders.
E-FABE WRAP UP Over the past 12 months we had to look at other product buying options for Members, as we weren’t able to run our traditional trade shows. So, we introduced an alternative buying event, e-FAB Event, which allowed Members to still purchase stock. It was well received by Suppliers and Members who embraced the change. SUPPLIERS ON THE UP Bee Dee Bags Solemate Software
Kylie Smith
JB Hi-Fi
Member Services & Events Manager
Shop for Shops Officeworks
kylie@frontlinestores.com.au
Marketing 2020/2021 was a year filled with lots of opportunity for retailers to embrace the digital change. We have seen a huge growth in the online presence of our Members, which has allowed them to keep their tills open when their doors couldn’t.
Caitlin Ryan
Marketing Manager caitlin@frontlinestores.com.au
In the marketing department, we have been working closely with digital to help the transition of our Members to online stores and to create social media pages and content. With travel cancelled, we have heard about the success for stores with everyone shopping local. This prompted us to help out stores, and send out regular content for them to use. This included POS such as store posters, social media content and notices for all COVID-19 regulations and sales.
in marketing that we have seen most this year has been the importance of communication with the customer which is why these free templates were important. For the next year we are looking at introducing new digital tools such as QR codes and more online posts for Members to use. This can be done when requested. If anyone requires marketing support, advice and content, then please reach out to me and we can set up a phone call to talk through how to best advertise your store.
Many Members downloaded these posters to use, which has helped them to keep the customer informed of any new opening times or rules. One rule
FrontLine UPFRONT | EOFY 2021
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FAB Event
You would have received notice that we had to make the difficult decision to cancel the August 2021 FAB Event. With the ongoing effects of the pandemic resulting in multiple border closures and uncertainty around interstate travel, we felt this was the best action. As an alternative option, we will again be running an e-FAB Event, which will be sent out on August 23. Further details will be sent in the next few weeks. The next physical event is planned for February 6th & 7th 2022, which will be co-located with the Melbourne Gift & Lifestyle Show. The Frontline Team appreciate your support of the event and look forward to seeing you in February 2022.
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