quarterly
Edgars operations learning centre Specialist training
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from a loyal edgars customer Awesome feedback
30 october 2017
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edgars makes a difference Our 67 minutes
Message from CE: Andrew Levermore
edgars team The tough retail trading conditions have continued as our competitors’ quarterly results, released in August/ September, clearly shows. Edgars achieved better results than most, which indicates that we have managed to halt our market-share decline, if not begun to claw some of it back. It is clear that we have certainly influenced our competitors’ increased discount and clearance activity – many of them have also come out of winter with much more stock than previously seen. While we can be a little more confident going into the next trading period, we still need to be very conscious of the current economic conditions and know that there is a lot of pressure on the availability of the consumer’s discretional spend. As we approach Christmas, the fight for customer spend will get tougher and we need to be on top of our game, offering great product at great value, exciting promotions, inspirational advertising, innovative in-store theatre and outstanding service. A big part of the reason we were able to improve our performance was how well we executed the new merchandise
strategy. It has meant that we see appropriately structured assortments now available in stores – and, judging by the recent range reviews, there are even better ranges to come. Well done to the buying and planning teams! We know that lead times are long and that changing your assortment strategy takes a season or two. Thanks for persevering. Our stores are looking better and better as merchandising standards and attention to detail are the highest levels they have ever been. Combine that with the fact that we’ve achieved our highest NPS scores so far, and it’s easy to see why we can all be proud of the quality of store leadership being demonstrated. A number of exciting new initiatives will be born in the coming months, including the launch of our very own Kelso cosmetics brand. Be ready to ‘attack’ this Christmas! Let’s satisfy our customers and win back some more market share. Thanks and best wishes,
Andrew
Made Café Edgars teamed up with food franchising giant Famous Brands to launch a fresh new café concept inside Edgars called Made Café. Launched on the 25th of July 2017, the café is located within the newly revamped Edgars store inside Eastgate shopping centre, Johannesburg. The concept of Made Café was inspired by the desire to enhance the customer shopping experience, and offer them a space to pause, connect and browse online for the latest fashion items, purchase items they love online and have them delivered straight to their homes, all while enjoying a delicious meal and great ambience. It’s the ultimate destination shopping experience – infusing fashion and food – that’s aimed at the cosmopolitan, trendy and stylish. ‘We are so excited to be entering into this collaboration with Famous Brands, who are established and respected in the food industry,’ says Edgars CE, Andrew Levermore. ‘We know that this fusion will bring an even better shopping experience into the South African retail landscape.’ Made Café’s menu will feature a selection of deli-style foods such as coffee, pastries, sandwiches, light breakfasts and lunch meals. They will also offer a selection of salads for the health-conscious as well as signature decadent milkshakes to indulge every sweet tooth. The food is made on the premises from only the freshest ingredients and presented to enhance the fashionable, aesthetically pleasing side of each and every delicious mouthful.
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Edgars Operations Learning Centre
Specialist training As part of Edgars’ drive to get the competitive edge, our specialist training initiative is already in full swing. By the end of October 2017, just under 1 500 specialist employees will have gone through our in-house training programme, learning about key areas of the Edgars business ranging from Dedicated Service and Generic Cosmetics to Cellular and Studio Quattro. With a strong focus on empowering employees by teaching them how to improve service levels and performance, the specialist training initiative focuses on equipping staff with the appropriate skills and knowledge to ensure ongoing competitiveness. Our learning content is also customised to meet each specialist department’s needs. Edgars thanks the amazing teams who made time in their busy schedules to make this training possible. A special thank you to Khanani Masingi. This initiative is an ideal example of collaboration within Operations, HR Learning and the Merchants.
Our Content includes:
FABs (Features, Advantages & Benefits)
Sharing the respective strategies
NPS refreshers
Selling skills
Roles and responsibilities
Product knowledge
Shamala Reddy - GM Ladieswear
ladieswear Edgars has lots of exciting drives planned for this summer season with a focus on key initiatives, great prices and amazing value
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More value
Kelso key initiatives
Penny C Key Initiatives
Edgars will not only be offering all the latest must-have items for the season but will also anchor this with great-value key items, stocked in sufficient volume and colourways. This is to help ensure that our customers always find what they are looking for at the best possible value. Our opening price point programmes contribute 70% to the overall range.
The Kelso brand has been going from strength to strength, with a second standalone store having been opened recently. That means that Kelso now has a store in both Tyger Valley Shopping Centre and the Bedford Centre, with more openings on the horizon. The stand-alone stores, along with a renewed focus on Kelso formalwear, is set to ensure a well-rounded, comprehensive offer across the entire Kelso range.
We are very excited about the re-launch of Penny C in October. The brand is getting a whole new look that offers the customer fashion-right merchandise that’s specially created for the fuller figure. The range will include the key trend details for the season, like cold-shoulder tops, ruffles, lace and embroideries. And a new formalwear range will also be in stores from the end of September, so watch this space!
From a loyal Edgars customer
Awesome feedback Thank you, Edgars. You have been a part of my life for 30 years. I grew up in a small town, Hibberdene on KZN’s South Coast, and was first introduced to Edgars Durban when I met my husband. And all through my life my ‘family store’ was there – through our courting years, during the birth of my first child, my second, and thereafter through their schooling years and those troublesome teenage years when branded styles became must-haves. Through matric dances and varsity, Edgars was always there. Imagine mine and my husband’s surprise when, just recently, we received an SMS voucher for 50% off our next purchase. And, I must say, we took advantage of it.
TECH THIS
It was like having my very own personal sale. I went into the store and was allowed to shop at my own pace. There were no queues and – best of all – I could choose anything that I wanted. How awesome is that! Now that winter is over and there’s a new season to buy clothes, guess where I’m going to be doing all of my shopping. Thanks a million Edgars for the 50% off my last purchase. I’m looking forward to my next purchase! Mrs Govender
Top 5 new phones
These are the hottest new handsets that land in Edgars stores in October and November 2017
Samsung Galaxy J7 Neo
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
from R3 799.90
R5 299.90
For a beautifully designed phone that offers advanced features but won’t break the bank, look no further than Samsung’s J7 Neo. At this highly competitive price, it features a large 5.5-inch display that boosts immersive entertainment to a whole new level and upgraded cameras – 13MP rear and 5MP in the front – for capturing life’s most precious moments in vivid colour.
The modern consumer wants a practical and reliable device that suits their lifestyle – expectations that the J7 Pro meets and exceeds. Apart from offering specifications that are well above its class, this phone also features outstanding design and is constructed using premium metals and 2.5D glass to maximise durability and usability. Also, take better pictures than ever before – the J7 Pro now features two 13MP cameras, at the rear and in the front.
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Plus
R1 699.90 Offering real value, the Grand Prime Plus features a 5-inch (12.7cm) display and runs on Android 6. It’s powered by a quadcore 1.4 GHz processor that’s paired with 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and an 8MP rear camera. But the best part is that it comes with a free neck noodle worth R150. This is a very handy neckpiece that makes watching videos on your phone super easy. Spectacular! Includes a FREE neck Noodle valued at R150.00
Hisense F10
Boost Pulse Glide
R1 499.90
R999.90
This phone’s stunning 8MP rear camera with LED flash is aimed at helping you steal the selfie show (the phone also features an 8MP front camera). Beautifully designed, the device is powered by a quad-core 1.3 GHz processor and offers 1GB RAM and 1GB ROM, but you can up to 8GB of external memory. The F10 comes with dual SIM slots (supporting up to 128GB SIM storage) and offers a muchimproved screen size of 5 inches for your mobile enjoyment.
Celebrate the arrival of summer with the new 5-inch Boost Pulse Glide. Take clear pictures with the 5MP rear and 2MP front cameras and keep up with the latest trends with the fashionable fingerprint sensor – all running on Android 6 (Marshmallow).
Edgars makes a difference
Celebrating Women’s Day In honour and celebration of Women’s Day on 9 August, the Edgars Store Operations teams, through various in-store initiatives, donated just over R100 000 towards initiatives that support the women of various South African communities by enhancing housing facilities and providing meals. The East Rand Division made a difference in the lives of the women at a local shelter run by POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse), by painting, fixing lights, enhancing bathroom facilities and replacing linen and curtain rails. The KZN & Surrounds Division distributed breakfast packs to pensioners in commemoration of Women’s Month. The Western Cape Divisions visited two shelters for abused women and children (Saartjie Baartman Centre and Phambili Refuge) where team members
served lunch, provided mini facials to the women and supplied everyone with goodie bags and toiletries, as well as party packs for the children. The Limpopo & Surrounds Division visited the Peas in a Pot women’s and children’s shelter, where they spoilt the ladies to massages and cosmetic samples, whilst the kids were given cupcakes. The Free State Division celebrated Women’s Day by offering female customers foot massages, handing out flowers, key rings and doing mini facials. The Tshwane Central Division, together with Momentum and various beauty houses, made a difference by giving women mini makeovers in the community. Edgars expresses its thanks to all staff for their contribution in assisting the women in these communities.
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Edgars makes a difference
Our 67 minutes On 28 July 2017, as part of our 67 minutes in honour of Nelson Mandela Day, a 30-strong group of Edgars Head Office team members visited the Orlando Children’s Home in Soweto. They went armed with gifts of toiletry packs for the children and muchneeded panel heaters to help keep these precious little ones warm during the cold winter months. Added to this was a generous donation cheque of R20 000 to assist with the daily running of the home.
But, the children were pleasantly surprised to learn, there was much more to come. The Edgars team had arranged a fun-filled afternoon of activities for the children that included face painting, playing games and enjoying treats like candy floss, popcorn and slush puppies. The main attraction, however, was the jumping castle. At the end of the day, the Edgars team had had as much fun doing their 67 minutes of good as the children did while enjoying the treats.
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k Uand pr im pr og ov ra e d m m e
m o nth ly Shop with your thank U card at any of our stores* and you could stand a chance of winning R1-million in cash, as well as various other prizes such as cars, holidays, cellphones and much more, every month. Receive one entry every time you purchase for up to R100 and then get an extra entry for every additional R100 you spend on that transaction. (Staff excluded) More ways to earn points • Earn 10 points for every rand you spend, either in-store or online. • You will now also earn points when paying for goods with your thank U account card at thank U partners. • Earn 150 thank U points for every litre of fuel purchased at Engen QuickShop Service Stations when swiping your thank U card. MORE WAYS TO SPEND Thank U gives you one card to use at many stores. You can even use your thank U points towards your purchase at any of our stores*; all you need is a balance of 10 000 thank U points or more.
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ONE CARD. MANY STORES. ALL THE REWARDS. thanku.co.za
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