Blog

***UPDATE – 24th March 2020***

Given the ongoing and ever changing nature of the current situation, our offers may be subject to change. We remain happy to provide free telephone support so do call us if you need us and we will update you on how we can help.

The Charity Retail Association has set up a discussion group on LinkedIn and is hosting live discussions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 1pm and 2pm. We encourage you to join the group and the discussions.

Stay safe.

Vicki & Jayne

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At The Charity Retail Consultancy, we are devastated to see the impact of COVID-19 on society and specifically on our beloved charity retail sector. We have spent the last two days putting together a toolkit to support charity retailers and are happy to share it with you here.

We can offer up to 1 hour free telephone consultation with any charity who would like our input. We can’t promise to fix all your troubles but we are charity retail experts and willing to provide ideas and suggestions to help your particular situation.

We have also developed a number of paid for services. We understand the financial pressures that charities and individuals (including ourselves at The Consultancy) are all facing right now, so have endeavoured to keep costs as low as possible to make our services accessible to all.

We can offer:
1. Online training.
We have developed a range of half day courses for up to 6 people, covering a range of topics. The courses mean your teams can spend their time away from the shops constructively, growing their skills ready for reopening when things settle. Currently these are:
• Online sales
• Volunteer recruitment planning
• Making the most of your sales area and building a stock generation plan
• Backroom organisation: making your “engine room” as effective as possible
• Implementing and maximising Gift Aid on donated sales
• Customer service training

2. Help setting up an online selling platform
Whilst your shops are closed, selling online is the obvious way to turn. If you need support and assistance setting up an ebay shop, putting processes in place, understanding what drives sales and creating then recruiting to volunteer roles, we can help. We have a one day session and can provide a how-to guide and templates to get you up and running as quickly as possible.

3. Retail Mentoring
A bespoke 6 x 1 hour package of mentoring for your senior team to help guide them through these turbulent times and plan for the future. This provides expert input and frees up CEOs or Directors of Income to focus on other pressing issues, knowing their Head of Retail is on track and supported.

4. Volunteer and Customer engagement
Help and guidance on how to keep your supporters – be that volunteers, customers, donors or your local community – on board and informed whilst you are closed or have limited opening hours. Beginning with a 2 hour telephone session, we will help guide and support you through this vital piece of work to ensure you have everyone on board when business is back to normal.

5. Building your social media platforms and profile
Now more than ever, social media is vital to keep your profile high and your friends on board. We can provide advice and support in establishing a shop by shop or all-charity presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

6. Online interactive support
For a deeper dive into your shops, be that improving sales floor layouts or revising back room layouts and processes, we can offer video calls on site to talk you through what will help to make the most positive impact when your shops are back in full business.

7. Retail strategy development
In order to have the right direction of travel ready to go when the crisis is over, we can support and guide you through developing a new retail strategy. Working within the strategic objectives of your organisation we will help you ensure that your retail offer brings exactly what you need, when you need it.

8. Retail feasibility studies
If you don’t already have shops but need to consider a retail presence to shore up future income, we can help. We are experts at conducting feasibility studies, finding the right shop locations and offer for your charity.

There is no doubt that we all have some challenging times ahead. We are 100% committed to standing alongside and supporting the sector where we have spent our working lives however we can. If we can help or support you with any of the items we have listed above, or anything else you think you may need, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Follow us on social media as we will be keeping up to date with developments and changes as they happen, sharing best practice, good ideas and words of comfort.

Join the Charity Retail Association if you aren’t already members – now more than ever we need a strong sector body – and they need all of us to be able to carry on working on our behalf.

Stay safe, stay well – and remember we are #StrongerTogether

Get in touch:

Email: hello@thecharityretailconsultancy.co.uk
Phone: Jayne on 07598243210 or Vicki on 07985574904