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Comment: Spreading the joy at Fortnum & Mason

Retail is unfortunately currently enveloped by doom. We have the boring budget, impending changes to National Insurance Contributions, shoplifting, store closures, and job losses. Certainly what… View Article

GENERAL MERCHANDISE NEWS

Comment: Spreading the joy at Fortnum & Mason

Retail is unfortunately currently enveloped by doom. We have the boring budget, impending changes to National Insurance Contributions, shoplifting, store closures, and job losses. Certainly what has been sadly lacking post-Christmas is any good news. It’s no fun in retail right now.

Thankfully there is one place you can invariably turn to that continues to deliver on the fun factor – Fortnum & Mason. For a brand that remarkably dates way back to 1707 it could have easily been stifled long ago by historical baggage and legacy but it has continued to wear its age very lightly. Its ability to nimbly balance history with playfulness has been evident over recent weeks.

At its flagship store on London’s Piccadilly there is a major building works taking place involving the installation of a double helix staircase that will run through the centre of the whole building and allow people to more easily access the upper floors. The departments on these floors have felt a little tucked away as access issues have led most customers to typically limit their experience to the lower and ground floors.

Such an intrusion could be seen as a negative but F&M has embraced it and the hoarding in the store hiding the building work has been used as an enormous canvas. A clever cartoon artwork adorns the structure from commissioned artist Zebedee Helm that brings together the essence of F&M through cartoonish jokes, puns, wordplay and other light-hearted touches. Rather than an annoying blight on the store the hoarding is being regarded as an attraction in its own right and something to tempt shoppers into the building.

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The construction works have also impacted the famous window displays at F&M. They have taken on the theme of ‘builders tea’ with the displays built around construction-related tools and materials including ladders, hard-hats, bricks, wheelbarrows and of course tea.

The playfulness at F&M is also apparent in its products. The recent Paddington film release was celebrated through a range of goods including jars of an Emergency Marmalade and a limited edition Paddington hamper containing various bear-related goodies. This playfulness also runs through to the gloriously named Toffolossus biscuits that continue to fly off the shelves. There is even a subscription service for these delicacies that are described as a heavenly mix of salty-sweet, deliciously chewy toffee and plump dates. There is a bit of biscuit in there too – I think.

This child-like quality to F&M is a clever move because I’ve noticed that many people who frequent the store today as adults have memories of first visiting as children and recalling something of a wonderland within. Today they often visit with their own children as the store manages to keep the attraction going through the generations. This is undoubtedly the secret recipe for its longevity.

Of course it’s not exactly a secret because it is on show to everybody who crosses the threshold of the flagship store, visits its smaller outlets, and uses its website. But what is undoubtedly hard is replicating this fun factor. F&M has done an impressive job of imbuing this mind-set through the business – from senior management to the teams on the shop floor.

This has resulted in impressive financial results including a blockbuster Christmas period, with like-for-like sales in-store growing 10% over the five weeks to December 24. Online was less impressive as work is ongoing to improve the customer journey and warehouse capabilities (through automation). There are also plans afoot to add a loyalty programme as well as start using AI to improve forecasting and merchandising.

Against the backdrop of a depressing economic scenario and dark winter days, if retailers can summon up the powers to inject a bit of fun into their businesses they would undoubtedly cheer up their customers. This can help drive footfall and ultimately boost sales. Consider that when you open a jar of F&M jam or marmalade the underside of the lid says ‘spread joy’. The company knows that retail is about more than selling commodities. Those retailers that fail to recognise this are toast.

 

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