Tag Archives: Retailer

Online4Baby’s sales leap after rebrand

Ecommerce retailer Online4Baby has taken another big step forward on its growth journey by rebranding and refreshing its website to emphasise its credentials as a caring yet rebellious disruptor fighting on the side of parents.

Online4Baby’s brand overhaul features a new logo, a ‘Power to Parents’ strapline and a new colour palette, while improvements to the website make it more mobile friendly and give it a more premium appearance.

The overhaul is already paying dividends, with year-on-year conversion rates up 64 per cent in the first two weeks since the launch. Sales have increased by 12 per cent year-on-year and the average order value is up by seven per cent.

The project is the latest phase of a multi-million pound investment programme to effect a digital transformation for the business.

Online4Baby sells a vast array of nursery and baby items directly to consumers across the UK. Its product lines range from prams, buggies and car seats to cots, high chairs, nursery furniture, baby walkers, swings and playpens.

It sells leading brands such as Joie, Graco and Cybex and has its own brands, Puggle and 4Baby.

The website has been re-designed to provide a more premium appearance and a better user experience, with a strong mobile-first emphasis

Managing director Christy Foster said: “Most of our sales come through mobile devices, to it’s important to get the design of the website right for smaller screens.

“Research shows how important visual content is when buying online, and therefore we have overhauled how products are displayed so shoppers can always see the product from all angles.”

Other features of the new look and feel for the brand include:

  • A new strapline of ‘Power to Parents’ as part of a strategy to position Online4Baby as a caring company with a rebellious streak – the ‘revolutionary’ fighting the good fight for parents;
  • A new logo which incorporates an exclamation mark in the number 4;
  • A brighter tone of voice, with a punchy new colour palette of cookie cream, candy pink, yellow and blue;
  • New graphics such as a banner, a flag, a placard and a megaphone – which are all items associated with revolution and rebellion.

Christy said: “Our mission is to bring Power to Parents through exceptional customer service and quality products. We’re building a community where parents from all backgrounds can share their experiences and find support from other parents. Online4Baby is their trusted, one-stop destination for all things baby.

“We aim to be the number one destination for high-quality nursery goods, all sourced by a team whose decades of experience and knowledge enable us to constantly evolve our offering to keep pace with changing consumer tastes and needs.

“Our goal is to ensure that we can be counted on to give our customers a helping hand at a time of great change in their lives, giving them one less thing to worry about when they bring new life into the world.

“We are extremely pleased with our new brand identity and website. They have been well-received by customers, judging by the feedback we have had as well as the improved conversion, revenue and average order value rates we have seen.”

Christy added: “This new brand identity gives us a strong platform for further growth but without losing our human, personal qualities. Customers will always be able to find a real person at the end of the line or over live chat, with product experts on hand to help demystify the world of nursery and baby products.”

Online4Baby, which has its headquarters in Oldham, hopes its investment will also help it achieve greater penetration of target market segments such as parents-to-be and grandparents, as well as reinforcing its standing among new parents.

As part of its digital transformation, the retailer has focused on increasing its number of followers on social media such as Facebook and Instagram, and last year launched a TikTok channel which is attracting over 1.2m monthly views.

Online4Baby has seen revenues surge from £11m in 2018 to £45m in 2021, and aims to reach £100m within three years.

Online Bathroom Specialist Targets UK Market Growth With €1M Investment Round

Top-rated Amazon retailer aims for eight-fold revenue increase by 2023 across €5bn marketplace

Crocket, Europe’s first digital native bathroom fittings retailer, is targeting major growth in the design-focused UK market and across key EU nations through a significant investment round. The company is seeking to raise €1m investment to help bolster B2C sales across Europe and grow its presence within the architecture and builder market.

Since launching in 2019, Crocket has expanded its offering to now include shower enclosures, bathroom fittings, counter tops, and mirrors. It has also developed an on-demand product sourcing model with multiple suppliers providing customers with 30,000 design combinations. In 2021, Crocket was ranked as the top bathroom fittings brand in the shower trays category on Amazon Europe where the company received more than one thousand 5-star reviews from verified purchases.

With the exception of the UK, where it holds stock via Amazon warehouses, Crocket outsources all of its production enabling it to operate on minimal overheads with customers paying upfront for their purchases. By selling directly to consumers and businesses and eliminating any middlemen in the process, the company is able to sell its high-quality Spanish-manufactured products at prices that are typically 20% lower than competitors.

The company was founded by Victor de Hita, a sales and digital eco-system specialist who spent two years at Amazon Marketplace Europe as strategic account manager working within the UK market. His brother and the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Xavier de Hita, is a successful entrepreneur who spent four years as CEO of a successful travel agency which he co-founded in Colombia. The senior management team also includes three vice presidents who are highly regarded in their specialist fields of design, operations and finance.

Crocket plans to use the investment round proceeds to build its team with 21 new hires planned in the next year. It will also invest in e-commerce and website business growth and in new product development. The company is forecasting revenues to more than double to over €2.6m in this financial year and then to increase to around €9.8m by 2023.

Along with its UK customer base, Crocket is also focused on Germany, France, Spain and Italy where the combined bathrooms market is valued at €5.24bn.

Crocket founder and CEO, Victor de Hita, said: “After establishing Crocket as an EU marketplace brand leader through our shower tray product offering and then diversifying our range, we now see a major opportunity to take the company to a significantly higher level.

“The bathroom market is booming across Europe and is currently worth more than €5bn in our five core national sales markets alone. Through D2C and trade sales, there is an opportunity to grow our market share across Europe, especially in the UK where design-focused consumers are looking for a unique, high-quality offering at a competitive price.

“This investment round will help support our growth ambitions by giving the business additional resources to invest in great people and build our e-commerce channels. While growing B2C sales, we will also channel additional funds into supporting the brand’s growth across the trade market by targeting architects and builders.”

The Lone Wolf of Saville Row, Adam James, Marks His 3-Year Anniversary

This month marks three years of Adam James Bespoke and although it sounds a cliché, it really has been quite the journey for business partners Adam (James) and Martin Hurworth.

Adam James was founded to make British Saville Row tailoring more accessible and affordable to every type of professional, demographic and fashion focused individual.

A clear business objective was set from the very beginning, which was to expose Saville Row stereotypes and to give customers an opportunity to experience bespoke tailoring at ease and with confidence. Which ironically was the same sentiments of Adam’s business partner Martin Hurworth, who spent years trying to find a tailor he could have every confidence in, prior to meeting Adam

The partnership between Adam and Martin is incredibly special and together they have built Adam James Bespoke to be what it is today – one of the most exciting and honest British tailoring providers to come from this century – the proclaimed Lone Wolf Of Saville Row as hailed by the London Economic.

So as another business landmark is celebrated, Adam and Martin have looked back on their achievements and open up about the future of tailoring, and most importantly, divulge in to future plans of Adam James Bespoke.

Adam said: “It feels overwhelming even thinking about the last year and how bleak things were looking at the start of it, not just for us but for so many due to the pandemic. That being said, over the course of the last 4-5 months there’s been a transition that has been really exciting for Adam James. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved, and to hit our third year of business after all that we’ve faced is a really strong and humbling position to be in.

When the peak of Covid-19 hit and the nation were told to stay home, Adam James Bespoke was in the middle of building huge momentum. Meeting with new clients was a weekly, sometimes daily occurrence, he was receiving interest from a global clientele and his existing customers were wanting to come back for more. Refusing to let this motion stop, Adam remembered the challenges he faced in the early days of business and the reason why he does the job that he loves – everything has always been and will continue to be for his clients.

Adam reflects, When I think back to my first ever client, it was a week after I set-up and the hottest day of the year, the combination of the heat and my first fitting really did make me hot under the collar (forgive the pun), but once I got to work I’ve never looked back. My approach hasn’t changed from that first day, I still have the same personal touch, it’s who I am, and hopefully one of the things my customers take away from our meetings.

Aware of the importance of preparing for the future, Adam reflects on what’s to come in the next 12-months: “The future of Adam James is looking bright, we’ve extended the team, collaborated with new suppliers, I’m working on a womenswear collection and building my vegan and sustainable range.

Recently somebody said to me that ‘in life you should have three people with you on your professional journey – a loyal accountant, a trusting solicitor and a good tailor’ and it’s stuck with me. I want to work with clients who we can go through life with together, there’s scope for my clients to meet one another for business and I want to work with young aspiring business leaders who are looking to progress their wardrobe as much as their career.

As a brand we’re now working with the right people and people are wanting to work with us. My business partner Martin has always encouraged me to try new things, and that confidence he has shown in me is how I am with my customers. I’m looking forward to the future and thank all of our clients and suppliers who continue to support us on this journey.”

The other poignant individual in the Adam James Bespoke machine, is Adam’s business partner and mentor, Martin Hurworth.

Martin knew from the very first meeting with Adam that he had something special, so in true form to his nature, Martin has encouraged and transformed Adam’s mindset ‘to give Adam the confidence to be Adam’.

Martin said; “I met Adam a few years ago when I needed a suit, he was working at a popular retailer in central London and was booked for my fitting. At the time I was MD in a business that was rapidly growing and I wanted to reward myself with a suit that would fit my larger thighs and small waist – not as easy as it sounds.

Adam was an intriguing character, I found him fascinating, but most of all he was incredibly talented. We had very little in common, yet in true Adam style we forged a friendship and at my next appointment he had remembered all there was about me, everything that was discussed at our first meet, and offered the most incredible customer service that made me feel special. The total opposite to the previous bespoke suit I had made in the far East. That process felt incredibly impersonal and detached to say the least.

Martin, who is a scale-up leader & business mentor, knows the importance of self-belief, determination and the process of bringing someone or something to triumph. He said, “Adam moved to a new employer and I followed him to create me another suit, however, it was obvious that Adam had outgrown the roles he was in and mentioned how he was looking to set-up on his own. After a couple of conversations I realised he was wrestling with both business and the client aspect, and it became apparent that a partnership was the perfect and most organic thing for us to do.

Being at the time, Adam’s target audience, and having experience of bespoke tailoring, we formatted a strategy that allowed me to guide Adam through the business elements, as well as encourage him to shine at what he does best.

With the modern marketplace being customer driven, and most industries feeling saturated in choices, Adam and Martin set clear objectives to stop the need to fight for customers’ business. After all, it’s not only product and price that companies must compete on, but excellent customer service too.

Martin said, “From the very beginning of our partnership the emphasis has been on our customers, exploring what’s special about Adam and the brand. Time being the key word as it took time to get ourselves in a good place, but we never adjusted our mindset and the results over the last year, even under the most unique circumstances, have come out on top.

Looking in to the future Adam James Bespoke want to keep their relationships with current clients, whilst building and growing their network and the education around British tailoring. Adam James Bespoke don’t want to, and never will, lose the personal approach, it’s very specialsaid Martin.

Martin continued, “Adam and I have designed the business to guide customers through their wardrobe. It is an organic and warm partnership and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us. Thank you to everybody who is with us on this journey.

The Ultimate Kilt Style Guide

Suit and kilt experts Slater Menswear have created a style guide for grooms and wedding guests who want to nail the Scottish style and growing trend.  Here’s their advice for kilt weddings:

How To Choose Your Look

When choosing your Tartan look, there are a couple of things to take into consideration. If you follow these simple steps, you’re sure to find your perfect outfit:

Choosing your tartan

The colour and pattern of your tartan are entirely up to you — and there are thousands of patterns to choose from. If you’re in need of inspiration why not consider any previous traditions in your family or the colour scheme of the wedding or event you are attending?

Selecting your jacket

When choosing a jacket, think about the colours in your kilt or trews. Make sure to pick out a colour from your tartan to compliment your jacket and waistcoat. Tweed cloths are a popular choice that is always in style but you can also consider a range of Barathea cloths as well.

Choose Fabric and Mill

The style of your fabric plays a huge part in picking the right kilt, but it isn’t the only factor you need to think about. The fabric’s weight is worth considering too, as it can often differ. We offer a vast range of medium and heavy weight cloth options; 13 or 16 oz weight. Our staff will be able to show you the options available, so you feel comfortable and confident when the time comes to wear it, which can make a big difference to you on the day.

Pick Button and Cuff Detail

Who knew that buttons could completely transform your outfit? When piecing together your look, the smaller details make a huge impact. If you are experimenting with colour and pattern, a more subtle button style could suit you better. However, if you have chosen a neutral style, try a more intricate design such as a square shape with an embossed badge.

Add Accessories

Add the finishing touches with traditional kilt accessories. Ghillie brogues and kilt pins compliment your kilt perfectly, while sgian dubhs and flashes are sure to catch compliments. To complete the look, choose a sporran that not only brings out your personality but finishes off the kilt.
To get your kilt fitted and made to measure, you can visit a Slater Menswear store near you or go to the website for more information.

Stuart Graham, Slater Menswear have said:

“Picking the right kilt for an occasion should be a fun and exciting process. At Slater Menswear, we love helping our customers find the right style for them. The advice we can give to anyone thinking of choosing a made to measure kilt for their wedding or special occasion, is to pick what they love and feel most comfortable in – it is yours at the end of the day.”