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Column: Retail A look back on 2021
The year that was
With 2021 drawing to a close, retailer and regular columnist Michele Trzuskowski looks back on the year – but is it fondly?
As we begin to make plans for a new year, you can’t help but look back on the year that’s coming to an end. As a retailer, I’m glad to wrap up this second year of Covidinfluenced buying and selling, and replace it with a hopefully more even keeled future. I’m not saying that the minute the clock flips to the new year we won’t still be struggling with supply issues or other flu and Covid variants, but I do feel with the changes we’ve made adapting to Covid, there are many promising opportunities ahead.
Just like in our homes, this past year has offered us time to clean up our unproductive ways, procedures, and product. It has also forced us to be better planners in how we modify our buying strategies and in-stock positioning. It’s virtually, and literally, forced us into the digital marketplace.
Customer engagement
First, the most obvious pattern we saw was how customers shopped. Many went strictly online, while for others, we became a very important piece of their experience. Although our online business took a significant jump over previous years, we also became concierge experts with more one-on-one interaction with individual customers looking to shop. We used social media platforms such as Facetime, or video conferencing through Instagram or Zoom to literally walk them through the store to identify items they were looking for that weren’t as easily found online. It was a different way of romancing the product versus the very onedimensional process of going to a website. Additionally, we continued curbside pickup and provided free delivery within a 30-mile radius.
I think as opposed to the bigger box retailers and mega online companies, it’s made the customer relationship that much more personal, and they quickly realised that shopping “small” or “locally” was important. It brought home to many consumers that if they wanted a small boutique around the corner, they had to do their part to support it. The much more online through eblasts or posting on social media platforms. What worked is establishing a pattern of posts our patrons would look forward to seeing. For example, every Tuesday we would post a “Tuesday Trend” featuring a new tablescape idea identifying all the components it took to create it. Then on every Friday we would post our “Friday Faves” which highlighted a particular vendor or product category. These were simple posts that allowed customers to click on and be sent right to our website for
challenge for us as a tabletop store was how to stay relevant since buyers weren’t throwing parties or entertaining – especially since we were classified as non-essential. The aforementioned customer engagement really helped – but the challenge will be maintaining that in the future.
Technology
We utilised, and will continue to use, technology to strengthen our presence in the marketplace. This last year brought a definite shift towards the digital world. As a smaller business, we looked at the effectiveness of our website – what worked, what didn’t. The challenge here is not all our products are on our website since they are either impulse buys or unique product trends that we want to be in and out of within a particular buying season. For us that meant engaging
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Michele says she and her team faced three major changes this past year; customer engagement, technology, adaptability.
purchase if so desired.
Another avenue that worked was holding virtual trunk shows. A key selling technique for small businesses like mine is holding trunk shows and featuring product segments or an artist. We couldn’t do that with Covid, so we did the next best thing. We offered virtual trunk-shows. It generated excitement and purchases, for the first time, customers were in the artist’s personal space or a vendor’s in-house showroom. It made them feel special since it was so personal.
Michael Wainwright, for example, demonstrated to customers how he made an actual bowl taking questions from the online audience. With Vietri, customers were allowed a preview of the upcoming fall/winter collection in April, even before retailers would have seen it at the gift shows. All these avenues through the digital space helped us to remain relevant to our customer base while adding new customers who wanted to participate. As a note, after almost two years, we are finally hosting my first in-house trunk show next week!
About T is for Table
T is for Table is a luxury independent boutique, with a focus on tabletop, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Open more than 20 years, it offers an experiential and inspirational space dedicated to helping customers tell stories, create traditions and celebrate life. The boutique offers everything from fine pottery, china, glass, serveware and table accessories, to home décor, jewellery and body products, and delivers a custom service with its custom engraving, home visits and gift registries. www.tisfortable.com
Adaptability
The key to all the changes Covid presented and the ongoing change for the future is the ability to adapt. Technology moves at lightning speed which forces all other avenues within retailing to change just as quickly. In addition, we’ve learned that crises like Covid can lead to unexpected events almost two years later. I’m speaking to the supply chain issues we are all facing as we approach the busiest time of the year and the most profitable.
For us, there are pros and cons to this change. In some cases, like inventory, we can change on a dime. For technology changes, however, which require more financial investment and understanding, it takes longer. As smaller footprints, we are closer to our customers in terms of seeing what trends they are following as we are talking to them personally. We can consolidate and make alterations quicker based on those trends that we can get in and out of, testing and evaluating inventory for growth opportunities. I think we all agree that the retail landscape is forever changed, and although more shoppers are going online – including seniors – there are still consumers who rely on the brick-and-mortar experience.
If we continue to engage our customer while investing in the digital platform, we all stand a chance for a bright future in 2022.
Luxury living
High-end Russian retailer Dom Farfora is a leader when it comes to teaming its well-heeled clientele with the most desirable tabletop brands. Having recently opened its sixth store in Moscow, they are a retail force to be reckoned with, commercial director Elena Sokolova tells us more…
Tell us about Dom Farfora?
Dom Farfora is a chain of six stores in Moscow and its environs that specialises in giftware, dinnerware, stemware, barware, cutlery and textile sales. The range of products occupies various price segments with a special accent on premium and luxury brands. The chain positions itself as an expert in the culture of table decoration and the art of gifting.
How did the business come about?
The history of the store began in 1965 in Moscow, at 36 Leninsky Prospects, when Dom Farfora opened its doors to its first customers. The store was known throughout the Soviet Union, since it was selling a scarce porcelain and crystal in the largest assortment.
Dom Farfora specialises in luxury homeware and home accessories, why do you concentrate on this part of the overall market?
We have chosen this segment because the chain specialises in selling brands with a great history. And any collection that has historical value and cultural heritage cannot be represented in the economy segment. By purchasing cult brands, their owner receives not only a material object in the form of a porcelain service — the owner receives a sophisticated product with a centuries-old history, which makes the customer’s life really better.
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How do you define luxury homeware?
These are items of historical and cultural value. Items made of high quality and noble materials, with participation of the best ceramists and designers.
Who are your main customers?
Age 25+, middle and high income, top managers, businessmen, entrepreneurs, collectors, celebrities, professional architects and designers. You carefully curate the ranges you carry, what are some of your popular brands and collections?
We love all of the brands we stock, because each one has been carefully selected by us. The most popular brands are the ones that have been with us for a long time and are known as cult world manufactories: Moser, Meissen, Herend, Rosenthal, Rosenthal Versace, Fuerstenberg, Sieger by Fuerstenberg, Michael Aram, Noritake, Dibbern.
What have been some of the bestselling pieces/ ranges this season?
We are seeing a trend for the growth of the service category among brands such as Noritake, Dibbern, Rosenthal.
Brands Dom Farfora loves!
How do you choose what ranges and brands to carry?
We focus on brands that can provide us with permanent delivery of goods in a convenient time for us, that can annually provide us with new products and satisfy the interest and needs of our customers, as well as those who strive for innovations in design.
What makes beautiful tableware in your opinion?
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” which means beauty doesn’t exist on its own but is created by observers. Tableware becomes beautiful due to the overall look of your table serving.
What trends are you predicting will be popular in 2022?
A combination of classic collections and modern, round shapes with square ones, glass and porcelain. In a word, mix & match is a trend that is only increasing its popularity.
What do you believe sets Dom Farfora apart from other retailers? How do you stand out in the marketplace?
Of course, we differ from other retailers thanks to our long-term history and, a huge credit of trust from the clients. We also have the largest warehouse of porcelain and crystal collections in Russia.
How has 2021 been compared to previous years given the world is still dealing with Covid-19?
The year 2021 has become more productive in terms of sales compared to 2020. Customers have been missing the offline shopping format, and therefore we place special emphasis on the comfort of the customers in the store and on their shopping experience.
How did Dom Farfora adapt to any changes in the retail habits of consumers during the pandemic?
We have adapted to the new trends by strengthening our digital presence: we have placed a greater emphasis on the website and launched popular messengers and social networks. In the near future, we will launch Tik Tok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Telegram. Has your in-store trading returned to normal, or are the numbers of customers down compared to prepandemic levels?
Sales returned to normal and increased, as did the number of visitors.
Do you have any big plans for 2022?
We focus on trends in the growth of the décor and interior categories, increasing attention in the search for designer products, as well as expanding the assortment for generations Y and Z.
