Special times for Special Day Aware of the ramifications of both the pandemic and Brexit, and the effects being felt by UK retailers dealing with EU suppliers, Special Day has put measures in place to protect its customers. Joanne McFadden explains
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ike all businesses in our industry, we have found the past 18 months a monster struggle for survival. In that period, you can throw in the new commercial regime of Brexit. It has been a huge task, and thankfully we are now beginning to see some light in the distance. But it will be a while before we can all get back to anything like, where we were before this nightmare. Much of the recovery will depend on whether the vaccines will work in the long term, but assuming they do, then we in Special Day are ready to meet the new challenges we face. Looking ahead Before Covid, we introduced a new Prom Collection, which was very well received. To kick start this project again, we showed our prom dresses
this raises serious questions. Apart from the sheer inconvenience, and cash flow implications, will these new rulings influence their buying decisions? And will suppliers from the EU who do not supply from within the UK, lose customers hand over fist? If retailers stay with these EU suppliers, they will have pay an extra 12.5% on all stock from outside the UK. We at Special Day have teamed up with Romantica of Devon, and they will distribute our dresses within the UK, and we likewise will distribute their dresses within the EU. It is a winwin for both us as suppliers and our Turning a negative to a positive customers, and effectively it is exactly Then there was Brexit, which has led to as before the Brexit decision was many problems and new challenges, made. with Duty and VAT having to be paid We have been working this new upfront at the point of entry into the UK. business model since early May, and it The situation cannot fail but to change a is proving to offer a satisfactory solution retailer’s approach to buying a label, and to all parties. at Harrogate Fashion Week in August, and we will follow up now showing at the Harrogate Bridal Show this month. We expect this to be the real start of the buying process for all of our customers in England, Scotland, and Wales. Customers in Ireland, and Northern Ireland, are still very unsure of travelling in numbers to Harrogate, due to restrictions etc. I suspect that any customers from the mainland EU will be few and far between. That said, restrictions are lifting slowly but surely, and that will pave the way to better business.
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