Director Tom Carter describes the lockdown period for Potters of Hockley as “intense” and “relentless”- with its hardware division open for business and huge online demand for Cookshop.
Putting restrictions on entering physical sales areas, Potters of Hockley has been offering local customers a “call and collect” service as well a “store collection” function on its website, with a collection point at the back of the shop, plus free local delivery.
“The increase in website orders for Cookshop caught us off guard,” admits Tom, who describes “incredible” sales that “far exceeded Black Friday” during April. Orders continued to be high in May but were affected by gaps in stock from some suppliers.
With stock levels improving in the first week of June, Tom reports: “We’re still doing more than a normal day in June.” Potters Cookshop has been dispatching on a one to two day delivery service, picking from 6am every morning.
Reflecting the rise in home baking during lockdown, bestsellers include loaf tins and food storage containers, with JWP and OXO in particular providing “outstanding service and availability.”
With Potters Cookshop set to open its doors to consumers on June 15, floor markings are in place and shields have been built around tills. Staff members have ample supplies of face shields, facemasks and gloves. The shop has “sanitiser everywhere,” and will be disinfected three times a day.
“Make protecting staff your priority,” Tom advises fellow retailers in the run-up to reopening. “Make sure they feel safe. They’re what keeps you going.”
Tom hopes that Potters’ recent busy period will provide a “buffer” in advance of what might be “difficult times to come” if there is less consumer spending.
The retailer has also been striving to make the business more efficient during lockdown: working with a new courier, using different packaging, recycling more and creating a new trolley system. The Cookshop has also installed a “beautiful oak backing” for its window.
“We’ve been pulling the business apart to see how much better it could be,” says Tom.
This week, in the run-up to re-opening, Potters has created a rainbow window comprising housewares products to say ‘Thank you NHS.’
Top: A rainbow window at Potters Cookshop, Hockley.
