WHAT'S THE STORY
Funky Staff’s local online partners close the deal: The proprietary Swipe & Find platform identifies the retailer closest to the customer.
Funky Staff has gained the trust of many retailers by catering towards trends, acting swiftly and thoughtfully, and offering a service package that strengthens local businesses.
FUNKY STAFF
“THIS IS GRADE A” Funky Staff handles several things quite differently than others. The brand’s dedicated Local Online partner programme constitutes pure retailer empowerment. Funky Staff has become the darling of its retail partners by maintaining efficient logistics, modern collection rhythms, and the necessary marketing power to quickly turn around delivered merchandise. Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Funky Staff
“Uwe’s day must have more than 24 hours,” laughs Peggy Reepschläger of Sixdays. “The energy he invests in the brand and in supporting us retailers is unparalleled. Who else provides partners with a free online store that they can use at will?” Together with her colleague Maria Wolf, she runs a boutique in Schweinfurt, which has also amassed a loyal digital clientele. “Funky Staff’s service is super-fast – every problem is solved immediately, every delivery is on time,” the passion174
style in progress
ate retailer raves. “But the most important aspect is that the products are well-received, the fashion is on point, and our customers love the pieces.”
pact on frequency and turnover when new pictures are posted or new delivery dates are advertised,” says the fourth-generation owner of Modehaus Wörmann.
MADE IN ITALY
OUTGROWING ONESELF
“Funky Staff is on an unbelievably good trajectory,” says Axel Keisinger of Modehaus Wörmann in Bielefeld and Gütersloh. “Every single piece is manufactured exclusively in Italy. I consider the short delivery routes and the fact that only ordered products are actually manufactured to be highly sustainable. That aspect continues to gain relevance among customers.” He himself particularly appreciates Funky Staff’s retail-only approach: “The brand does not cooperate with large e-commerce platforms. On the contrary, it redirects turnover to smaller, owner-managed stores and their affiliated web shops. That is a powerful selling point, for sure. You can actually notice an im-
“Given that we are located on an island in the North Sea, the lockdown had an even more devastating effect on us,” says Silke Ennen of Moderaum Norderney. The store may have been cut off from tourist crowds, but – thanks to Swipe & Find – it was not cut off completely in terms of sales. “Preparing parcels has become daily routine. In some cases, we sell Funky Staff pieces before they even arrive at our store,” the dedicated fashion retailer reveals. “Funky Staff could have easily absorbed the online sales itself, but that is not how this brand operates. Uwe always insists that his label thrives when his retail partner thrive. Others could learn a thing or two from his mindset.”
