Revamp a shop for a conservation organisation

This was a voluntary role for me and was fantastic fun and very rewarding. A world famous animal charity and zoo had run their onsite shop on similar lines for 40 years. It was out of date and unprofitable and a money making opportunity was falling by the wayside.

Review and suggest a new retail strategy for the shop. This took into account the physical layout, management and team, full cycle retail processes and technology.

A colleague and I spent time reviewing the activities of the shop and the product range. We developed a strategy for revamping the layout and furnishings, implementing technology (tills and ordering systems) that were low cost but high benefit. Reviewed the product range and developed ranging guidelines based on the customer demographic and footfall. We recommended a change in management skills and team training. I then interviewed and appointed a new manager and developed guidelines. I helped the manager develop a ranging plan and worked on the first order cycle.

The shop went from being loss-making to delivering a 400% increase in turnover in 6 months. Profit margins are now very healthy and provide a key source of income for the charity. The manager has set up online sales and the shop is attractive to both local residents and visitors.