UK. Historically, souvenirs and destination merchandise have been the poor relations in duty free. The likes of fragrance, fashion, wines and spirits have tended to hog most of the headlines, the kudos – and the passenger spend. But times have changed, and Alpha Retail is among those leading the charge. Its Glorious Britain concept is the embodiment of new-generation souvenir retailing – and, according to senior buyer Catherine Quarm, the best is yet to come.
That’s not to say that the present isn’t impressive. Despite the knock-on effects of SARS and the Iraq war, 2003 has proved to be Glorious Britain’s best year yet. Its turnover is now in excess of US$10 million – which translates into a year-on-year sales increase of +32%. And its average passenger spend has risen by +45%. So what is the secret of its success?
As ever, the answer lies in modernisation and innovation. Late last year Alpha rebranded its Glorious Britain concept with a comprehensive new shop-fit, logo and image. The relaunched versions – in London Heathrow T3 and T4 airside, T3 landside and London Stansted – have generated significant sales increases. More recently, Glorious Britain made its debut in Heathrow T2, via a 702sq ft (65sq m) stand-alone (The Moodie Report.com, 26 July).
“The refits are generating a fabulous performance all round,” confirms Quarm. “The rebranding has been very coherent. All our new initiatives are working well and now we are just fine-tuning the concept.”
A fresh look at product has paid major dividends. Alpha’s aim is for Glorious Britain to be a “˜one-stop souvenirs shop’ – consequently the range is wide and varied, with price points to suit all pockets.
Key lines/brands include Underground, London Icons, Flag (which did particularly well during last year’s Golden Jubilee celebrations), die-cast models, Walkers, the Prince of Wales “˜Duchy’ range and Pick and Mix (any four items for £10).
“Pick and Mix has proved very popular with children,” comments Quarm. “It’s an ideal “˜pocket money’ spend. We’ve made sure that the items on offer are very tactile and interactive. And the gondolas they are merchandised on are the right height for children to access.”
ON THE RECORD: “THE REFITS ARE GENERATING A FABULOUS PERFORMANCE ALL ROUND. THE REBRANDING HAS BEEN VERY COHERENT. ALL OUR NEW INITIATIVES ARE WORKING WELL AND NOW WE ARE JUST FINE-TUNING THE CONCEPT.”
As many souvenirs are purchased for gifting, Alpha has increased its emphasis on multi-packs and value, to accommodate those customer segments who are looking for small, spontaneous items at a low unit price. At the other end of the scale, it also offers high-value, high-status collectibles, from brands such as Wedgwood, James Sadler and Lilliput lane.
Alpha’s own-label product is also performing well, and the retailer has commissioned a variety of exclusive and/or limited-edition merchandise, in a bid to offer consumers more original and unusual items.
In addition, Alpha has signed an exclusive agreement with Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) Enterprises. HRP is the charitable trust responsible for the care, conservation and preservation to the public of Britain’s five unoccupied royal palaces, including Kensington Palace, The Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. The agreement allows Alpha to sell the HRP range (including high-ticket items such as china dolls and Crown Jewel replicas), which is available exclusively at these palaces. The profits from sales of all HRP products are gift-aided back to the charity in order to help conserve these important heritage properties for future generations.
Alpha’s relationship with HRP has generated other benefits, too. For example, a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) from the Tower of London visited the Glorious Britain shops earlier this year, a rare event which brought both the products and the whole shopping experience to life.
Staff training has been another key focus for Alpha. “We’ve invested a lot in our staff, who do need to very knowledgeable,” says Quarm. “They are not just there to take the money at the till. They get asked for advice all the time and do a lot of active selling.
“We’ve tried to involve them in the Glorious Britain concept, and make training as much fun as possible,” she continues. “All our staff have visited the Tower of London, for example, and they know all about its history, as well as the related merchandise we carry.”
ON THE RECORD: “WE’VE INVESTED A LOT IN OUR STAFF, WHO DO NEED TO BE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. THEY ARE NOT JUST THERE TO TAKE THE MONEY AT THE TILL. THEY GET ASKED FOR ADVICE ALL THE TIME AND DO A LOT OF ACTIVE SELLING.”
History and heritage are obviously key to the success of Glorious Britain, but Alpha acknowledges that, increasingly, there is a place for more contemporary product – complemented by a more modern environment. Glorious Britain’s redesigned livery, therefore, has created an identity that is less “˜Victorian’, with shops that are light, bright and airy, with clear signage and fresh-looking fittings and fixtures.
In short, Glorious Britain is about as far from tacky tea-towels as it is possible to get. In ten years, the concept has evolved into a distinctive, high-quality operation which offers travellers a wide range of merchandise that is original, authentic and worthy of its role as a keepsake/memorabilia reflecting the best of Britain’s heritage. So forget poor relation – Glorious Britain has proved that souvenirs have become a fully paid-up member of the travel retail family.
