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It’s Easy Being Green
Listed under: One Voice
Published: Thursday, September 17, 2009
As the media, Government and fashion industry continue to highlight the importance of being environmentally-friendly, Craft Business speaks to Nigel Berman, founder of online store, nigelsecostore.com, to find out whether there's more to the trend than meets the eye
Why should craft retailers stock eco-friendly products in their stores?
Quite simply because the demand for them is there. Over the past few years, we've seen interest in these materials grow steadily year-on-year and this is something we expect to see continue over the next few months. People are generally far more concerned about green issues than they used to be and offering your customers a wide and diverse selection of products – that will not only enhance their crafting projects, but also help the environment too – is guaranteed to attract attention.
What's more, stocking these items will convey a really positive message about your store, giving you a real edge over your competitors and providing an excellent talking point for your customers. Of course, many of these goods will also demand far higher price points, giving retailers the opportunity to maximise the takings from each transaction they make.
Have you noticed a rise in the demand for green supplies?
Absolutely! We originally launched the business in 2005, supplying somewhere in the region of 20 to 30 different eco-friendly products and now have more than 600! The market has grown enormously over the past few years and the number of products to choose from these days is just extraordinary. As a business, we have seen sales grow 20% in the last 12 months alone, and the traffic to our site has been rising steadily year-on-year since our launch.
What do you think is driving interest in this area?
There is generally far more awareness about the environment than there used to be and people want to know they are doing their part to make the world a better place. The media, TV programmes, Government, radio stations and press are constantly highlighting the importance of eco-friendly living and this is inevitably influencing the types of products and materials consumers are gravitating towards.
Do you think the recession has impacted, or is likely to affect the demand?
It would be naïve to think people's shopping habits haven't changed and I'd be lying if I said consumers weren't spending more cautiously than they might have done in the past. Over the past year or so, many businesses have seen their sales fall and, while we have fortunately continued to experience growth, our progress has been far slower than we would have liked.
However, I do think people are still willing to pay that little bit more for high-quality products they know they can trust. Furthermore, many ethically sourced materials are generally of a much higher standard than their conventional counterparts, meaning they will not only be better made and longer-lasting, but also offer customers better value for their money too.
Moreover, many of the products are quite quirky-looking too, making them the ideal option for customers looking for something slightly different to the norm.
How have consumers perceptions of these products changed?
Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest misconceptions about environmentally-friendly materials is the price point they demand. Most people automatically assume they are simply a licence for retailers to charge higher rates for their goods, but that is simply not the case, and I think people are becoming far more aware of this. The rapidly increasing number of products entering the market is also exacerbating interest in the area and making people rethink some of their previous shopping choices, and re-evaluate their everyday lifestyles.
How can retailers ensure they receive the maximum exposure possible?
Don't just assume your customers will know the products are eco-friendly, spell it out for them as clearly, efficiently and evidently as you, ensuring you use your website, POS materials and in-store leaflets to generate as much excitement about them as possible.
Quite simply because the demand for them is there. Over the past few years, we've seen interest in these materials grow steadily year-on-year and this is something we expect to see continue over the next few months. People are generally far more concerned about green issues than they used to be and offering your customers a wide and diverse selection of products – that will not only enhance their crafting projects, but also help the environment too – is guaranteed to attract attention.
What's more, stocking these items will convey a really positive message about your store, giving you a real edge over your competitors and providing an excellent talking point for your customers. Of course, many of these goods will also demand far higher price points, giving retailers the opportunity to maximise the takings from each transaction they make.
Have you noticed a rise in the demand for green supplies?
Absolutely! We originally launched the business in 2005, supplying somewhere in the region of 20 to 30 different eco-friendly products and now have more than 600! The market has grown enormously over the past few years and the number of products to choose from these days is just extraordinary. As a business, we have seen sales grow 20% in the last 12 months alone, and the traffic to our site has been rising steadily year-on-year since our launch.
What do you think is driving interest in this area?
There is generally far more awareness about the environment than there used to be and people want to know they are doing their part to make the world a better place. The media, TV programmes, Government, radio stations and press are constantly highlighting the importance of eco-friendly living and this is inevitably influencing the types of products and materials consumers are gravitating towards.
Do you think the recession has impacted, or is likely to affect the demand?
It would be naïve to think people's shopping habits haven't changed and I'd be lying if I said consumers weren't spending more cautiously than they might have done in the past. Over the past year or so, many businesses have seen their sales fall and, while we have fortunately continued to experience growth, our progress has been far slower than we would have liked.
However, I do think people are still willing to pay that little bit more for high-quality products they know they can trust. Furthermore, many ethically sourced materials are generally of a much higher standard than their conventional counterparts, meaning they will not only be better made and longer-lasting, but also offer customers better value for their money too.
Moreover, many of the products are quite quirky-looking too, making them the ideal option for customers looking for something slightly different to the norm.
How have consumers perceptions of these products changed?
Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest misconceptions about environmentally-friendly materials is the price point they demand. Most people automatically assume they are simply a licence for retailers to charge higher rates for their goods, but that is simply not the case, and I think people are becoming far more aware of this. The rapidly increasing number of products entering the market is also exacerbating interest in the area and making people rethink some of their previous shopping choices, and re-evaluate their everyday lifestyles.
How can retailers ensure they receive the maximum exposure possible?
Don't just assume your customers will know the products are eco-friendly, spell it out for them as clearly, efficiently and evidently as you, ensuring you use your website, POS materials and in-store leaflets to generate as much excitement about them as possible.
