Best new retailer - Drapers Independents Awards
If your store has been trading for between one and four years, this is the category for you. The judges will be looking for a strong business plan, a compelling unique selling proposition and an impressive financial performance, which demonstrates year on year growth (can include projected figures). The look of the shop, your brand mix, your commitment to customer service, your marketing initiatives and your communication to customers will all be taken into account, as will an appropriate approach to multichannel retailing. Open to independent multi-brand retailers.
What to include:
- A brief explanation of when (month and year) and why you launched the business.
- A brief outline of your business strategy, including location(s), number of staff, target customer, competition and plan for growth.
- Details of your buying strategy, including how new brands are sourced, which shows and showrooms you visit, when buying takes place, the split between forward-order and in-season buying and mix of own-buy and concessions.
- Your turnover and profit figures for each year since you began trading. (This is strictly confidential, and is a requirement of entry)
- A list of your five top brands by sales, indicating any that are own-label.
- A brief outline of the customer experience/your customer service strategy.
- A summary of what you have achieved in the past 12 months and why you deserve to win.
- At least four images of the store, including the shop front taken from the street, a general shot of the interior, the changing rooms and a close-up to demonstrate the VM.
Criteria against which you will be judged:
- Has this business provided clear evidence of its financial success?
- Does it offer a brand mix appropriate to its consumer?
- Is the shop environment and website (if there is one) appropriate to this part of the market?
- Does it have a market-leading business strategy and good potential for future growth?
- Does this indie stand out from its competitors?
- Is this a business that other retailers will want to watch?