Retail Interview - with Theresa Gatton, head of category - kids & seasonal at The Works

Working well

Theresa Gatton, head of category - kids & seasonal at value specialist retailer The Works talks about toys, trends and trading through the pandemic with TnP

What’s your background?

I started as a store manager for Partners The Stationers (now Ryman) in 1992, then moved over to a buyer’s role in 1995 responsible for kids’ arts & crafts. I have been a buyer for several different stationery companies, and my fi rst stint at The Works was from 2003 until 2008.

I joined Poundland as a senior buyer in 2008 until 2013, covering many different categories from stationery, clothing accessories and baby to homewares. I fi nally returned to The Works in 2013 and I’ve just completed eight years of service.

Throughout my buying career, I have always been involved in kids’ arts & crafts, and then toys for the last eight years.

Tell us a bit about The Works.

Headquartered in Coleshill, near Birmingham, The Works is a leading retailer of value We pride ourselves on “

always being the fi rst to market on trends and constantly changing our ranges to ensure our stores are fun and exciting

to shop ”

gifts, arts, crafts, toys, books, and stationery. With 527 stores (typically sized 2,000sq ft) nationwide on high streets, in retail parks and shopping centres, and as concessions in various locations - and a fully functioning website - our mission is to offer customers a unique and enjoyable shopping experience, built on core principles of value, variety and quality.

How would you describe your toys and games range?

It’s an all-year round exciting product offering, suitable for children aged from 0 to 12, at affordable pricing. Our strapline is: ‘What Will You Discover’ - we are always fi rst to market with new trends.

Our key categories are kids’ books, arts & crafts, jigsaws, educational, toys & games and outdoor toys. We specialise in our own brands such as Make & Create, Corner Piece & Out 2 Play, along with licensed products such as Disney, Peppa Pig, CoComelon, Thomas, L.O.L. and many more. We also buy branded clearance lines that include many different brands. We deal with hundreds of suppliers from direct factory sourcing, clearance companies, key book publishers, licensed and specialist toy importers.

Guess what…

Only a small proportion of The Works’ product lines are permanent, with the majority changing on a regular basis to match consumer tastes and trends. Regular ‘newness’ refreshes The Works’ product offering - about 400 core SKUs with more than 10,000 new lines are introduced each year How do you fi nd products?

Trade shows, Far East travel, strong supplier relationships, and proactive trend spotting through social media [platforms] such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

What's your selection criteria?

Based on where it sits with our current product offering, quality, and affordable pricing. We have a strict auditing and safety testing process which we work to. Another major part in our selection process is working hard with our suppliers to ensure we are not creating any unnecessary waste packaging, even if it means the item is much smaller in size. Our customers are savvy shoppers and are no longer satisfi ed with boxes of fresh air and plastic. Our ‘ReWorked’ logo clearly lets our customers know where we have made a signifi cant change to minimise waste packaging.

What are your current best sellers?

latest fi dget trends such as Pop ‘N’ Flip and stress related toys. [The Pop ‘N’ Flip Bubble Popping Fidget Game is described as ‘a cool and innovative way to help you stop fi dgeting and try to destress whilst having fun: start popping and simply fl ip it over to carry on popping’.] Some strong licensed toys are also starting to come through, such as CoComelon.

How is trading for you?

Trade is very good this year and has got off to a great start since the stores came out of lockdown. Our website continues to grow from strength to strength and has opened up more opportunities to more branded and higher price point lines. What techniques do you use to target new customers and maintain the interest of existing ones?

We target new customers through social media, our ‘Together’ loyalty scheme [one of the fi rst of its kind in the value retail sector], working with affi liates, and through our shop windows, which feature strong promotional messaging and exciting products.

Where are you taking the business next?

We are working on a number of key projects, including an extended website product offering, which gives us a greater opportunity to range higher price points and larger toys that we are unable to stock in the stores.

Did you know?

The Works has four ‘zones’ of products for customers to explore:

■ The Kids zone offers a range of kids' favourites, from the latest crazes to books, toys, jigsaws, and big brand games. It also features an education range supporting children's development. ■ The Arts, Crafts and Hobbies zone comprises a wide selection of paints, brushes, art sets, paper, canvas, and craft kits that cater for the needs of beginners to experts, alongside a complementary book offer. ■ The Stationery zone includes high-quality fashion notebooks, writing sets, storage boxes and address books, all under the company’s own brand, Paper Place. These sit alongside its big brands offer such as Bic, Helix, Xerox and Pukka. Its Scribblicious range includes trendy pens, pencils, pencil cases, and storage solutions suitable for all ages. ■ The Family Gifts zone comprises a selection of books, from best-selling fi ction paperbacks to the latest in non-fi ction publishing, supported by a range of jigsaws, and fun and quirky gifts including Its own range of helium balloons, fi ll your own hampers and bespoke eco-friendly bags for life. These core zones are supplemented with seasonal offerings, with products for Mother's Day, Easter, Summer Fun, Back To School and Christmas.

so engaged and enthusiastic and really get behind the product - and this is what makes The

Works special. The biggest challenge at the moment is the same as for every other retailer - infl ated freight costs and delays that are taken out of our hands. It’s been a diffi cult trading period for us all, and we are now facing some of the biggest challenges we have ever experienced.

What do you offer that other retailers don’t?

‘What Will You Discover’ is what sets us apart. Our product offering is never stagnant and always offers ‘newness’ every week for our customers. We pride ourselves on always being the fi rst to market on trends and constantly changing our ranges to ensure our stores are fun and exciting to shop. Where do you derive the most satisfaction - most satisfaction - and face the biggest and face the biggest challenges?

The most satisfaction is seeing the product ranging in-store and selling. Our store teams are

40 years of milestones

1981 Founded as Remainders Limited, a discount bookstore 2008 Acquired by Endless LLP, setting the foundation for future growth 2011 Kevin Keaney appointed as CEO 2012 New ecommerce platform launched 2013 The ‘Together’ loyalty card scheme launched 2015 Dean Hoyle, founder of Card Factory, invests in the business and is appointed as chairman. Launched Click and Collect service 2016 Reached one million members for loyalty scheme 2017 Opened a new HQ and a national distribution centre in Sutton Coldfi eld. Opened 400th store in the UK 2018 Gavin Peck appointed as CFO. Listed on the London Stock Exchange 2019 Opened 500th store in the UK

really get behind the product - and this is what makes The

Works special.

Where do you perceive the greatest opportunities? the greatest opportunities?

There are so many opportunities for The Works and with our team members, anything is possible. The Works is a truly special retailer with some of the most passionate, engaged, caring, team spirit, that I have ever had the privilege to work for.

What’s your favourite toy or game?

This is such a diffi cult question to answer as a good buyer always loves all their products. My current favourite is our Build Your Own Den that children can build along with their parents, and then retreat into and get involved in roleplay. [The 75-piece set comprises 50 building poles for building large structures and 25 connectors for quick and easy assembly. Users simply cover with a thin sheet (not included) to create their own unique den].