Why having your own retail store makes a world of difference, when selling to other retailers.

For more than 12 years, I have represented brands having their own unique flagship retail units. Both of which grew out of - or almost had retail as a side or core business from day one.

At Normann Copenhagen it was initially a wholesale office at street level, which gave visibility to the products presented in the office windows. The high level of traffic passing by, gave traction and grew brand awareness. 

From the early days in 2004 with 150 - 200 m2 own retail to their current and much awarded and featured unique showroom of more than 1.500 m2 at ?sterbro in Copenhagen.

Now as a single brand store with unique and ever changing displays and decor to highlight and feature their own collections. 

With Lakrids by Bülow which opened with a Bornholm based first store of 40 m2. 40 m2 with a 50/50 split between production and retails sales area to the +100 m2 flagship located in Mall of Dubai in the UAE. Today with close to 30 own units found around Denmark, the Nordics, Germany and UK.

In todays world with data driven businesses and brands born online, the concept of data and direct dialogue with the consumers, knowing their habits, their triggers, things have changed a quite a bit.

But the Omnichannel is not really a channel unless you have a physical presence and here retail comes into play. In this case your value of having had your very own space with full flexibility to test, test, test, test and continue testing.

While representing Normann Copenhagen and Lakrids by Bülow, the effect of having our own data, data from retail, such a foot traffic (where possible to measure) and actual sales numbers was overwhelming, especially when talking to other wholesale clients with a retail focus and model.

Suddenly we were not sitting across from a buyer from a major department store “trying to convince and sell to them” - we would move to the same side of the table and talk as colleagues. Being a retailer ourselves meant we would/could talk from the same premises, pains and gains.

Most importantly we could motivate and inspire from our own trial and error and the related success.

If you bring a case with prof of concept based on data and with a factor of 300% better sales per m2 than the average of the client you are about to engage with, you have a powerfull tool. The retail client would be crazy, should they not listen and learn, since you must obviously being something right. 

An online brand talking to online sales platforms, are talking the very same question of conversation rates, basket size, ratio of returns, life time earnings. They will likely have cut away the majority of feelings and base most calls on facts.

If you wish to sell to retailers, make sure you speak the same retail language or you will likely fail. If you fail to present a power tool and case, you will like have to pay a premium on credits, margins and more. 

Learn the language and win the dialogue.