Local shopkeepers share solutions that helped their businesses thrive despite Covid

Local shopkeepers who have made their high street shop a success with the online platform Down Your High Street including facing Covid challenges and the importance of your brand

Reading the business stories of successful entrepreneurs can be very motivating, and they might spur you on to have a successful business yourself.

We spoke to a group of independent high street shopkeepers who’ve made a success of their independent retail shops. We asked them questions such as what challenges they’ve faced, how they got through it, and what advice they’d give to others.

All of the independent shopkeepers are already signed up to Down Your High Street and say it has helped them make their business a success.

Down Your High Street is an online platform that supports local high street shops. You have to be a brick and mortar (real life and not only online) shop to join. They help independent retailers sell products to customers via their online platform.

If you already have an independent high street shop or are starting one up, then sign up for Down Your High Street. Shops signed up to the platform typically earn up to £500 on their first month of joining. What’s more, some have made sales as high as £450,000 over a 12-month period. Impressive, right? If you sign up now you could also win an amazing prize for your shop.

We’ve teamed up with Down Your High Street to offer a great prize to the nation’s independent shopkeepers. All you need to do is sign up here before 31st October 2021. Out of those signed up, 10 lucky winners will be selected at random to win a two-part prize:

• A year’s selling on the platform, subscription and commission-free for Down Your High Street. This means you can make those fantastic sales through the platform at absolutely no cost for a whole 12 months.
• A fantastic local media Christmas campaign worth £5,000, provided by the company that publishes The Mirror.

If you want to make sure you like it first, you can also sign up using a 14-day free trial. To qualify, you simply need to fulfil Down Your High Street’s independent retailer criteria. See end for terms and conditions.

We asked three independent retail business owners about their experiences during the pandemic, and of working with Down Your High Street.

Meet Dominic Crowe

Dominic is the owner of The Lark, an independent lifestyle store with 6 chains in South London.

What challenges has Covid posed to you and your business, and how have you got through it so far?

We had to temporarily close all our six shops because of Covid. Our turnover went to almost zero overnight, and we still had bills to pay. To generate an income we decided to expand our product range, which has helped.

What has it been like being on Down Your High Street?

The turnover we made with Down Your High Street has increased steadily, and Christmas 2020 was so busy we could hardly keep up with the orders. The platform is easy to use, and we get visibility and orders that we would not have otherwise received.

What would be your number one piece of advice for other independent retailers?

If you have been thinking about setting up an online shop, now is the time! You will not regret it, and with shop rents rising, online selling on Down Your High Street could become a very important part of your business model.

Meet Isabelle Stead

Isabelle is the owner of Jezabel Boutique, an independent clothing shop in Boston Spa, Lincolnshire.

What challenges has Covid posed to you and your business and how have you got through it so far?

I didn’t have a website before Covid. The pandemic forced me to create a presence online and get my website up and running. Then joining Down Your High Street, which has enabled us to reach a much larger customer base.

What has it been like being on Down Your High Street?

Selling on Down Your High Street has been brilliant. From being part of this larger network, we have doubled our online sales. The team is also very helpful. They talk and work with the retailers while putting the customers’ needs at the forefront.

What would your number one piece of advice for other independent retailers be?

Fly your brand. It’s important that your brand comes across in the online world. Your posts, website, and communication should match the experience shoppers receive in person.

Meet Claire Letton

Claire is the owner of Wigwam Toys, an independent toy shop in Brighton

What challenges has Covid posed to you and your business and how have you got through it so far?

The pandemic threw everything in the air. Suddenly the shop was closed and all my staff were at home, but everyone was wanting to buy online. That first month, we went from sending a bag or so a week to the post office, to 12 bags every few days. We’ve learnt a lot as a team. The key has been adaptability, creative thinking (and lots of coffee, or wine, depending on the time of day).

What has it been like being on DYHS?

Our experience of being on DYHS has been overwhelmingly positive. When our own website is quiet, the orders that come in from DYHS are there to fill the gaps. I’m always pleased and amazed when the payouts come through.

What would be your number one piece of advice for other independent retailers?

Independent businesses offer so much more than just a place to buy something. We’re passionate, knowledgeable and invested in our communities. My advice to other independent retailers would be to put yourself out there, shout about what you do well, keep going – you can do it!

Competition applicants must fulfil the independent retailer criteria outlined by Down Your High Street. To qualify, you must sign up to Down Your High Street by 31st October 2021 and pay for a year’s subscription, which will be refunded to winning subscribers within 21 days of the competition closing. Your account will qualify for zero commission for the 12 months after joining, with any paid after 31st October 2021 refunded within 21 days of the competition closing. Each of the 10 winners will receive a multi-channel local media campaign to promote their business pre-Christmas 2021, to the value of £5,000 (at published rate card rate). The details of the campaign will be confirmed to the winners by 30th November 2021. The media campaign prize excludes design and ad production.