The 7 key issues farm shop retailers need to tackle

The event was a huge success, and there were key gems and nuggets of information just waiting to be picked up everywhere we turned.

Here are the 7 key things we took away with us from the event that will help guide and shape the sector over the coming months.

• Sustainability is at the forefront

  Many of the speakers at the event focused on sustainability – both environmental sustainability and building businesses sustainably, too. There were lots of conversations focused on improving compliance and reducing food waste, which is a huge issue globally anyway, and one we can all play a part in addressing. A key question we were left with was how businesses can grow sustainably, and part of that solution is, of course, streamlining internal processes to ensure they’re as efficient as possible.

• Keep supporting local!

  Retailers and suppliers were all committed to celebrating and supporting local small businesses, understanding that they are truly the lifeblood of the country’s economy. As a specialist provider to independent retailers, we understand only too well the challenges small businesses face every day, and other service providers were urged to take the time to deeply understand the reality of independent small retail in order to better serve the sector.

• Gaining efficiencies through technology

  A recurring discussion point among farm shop retailers was how to gain efficiencies through technology, and a general interest of how more digital touchpoints can be incorporated into businesses to enhance the customer experience. Of particular interest to many people was The EPOS Bureau’s brand-new E-Loyalty app, which helps retailers keep in touch with customers and incentivise increased spend.

• Theft increasing – are there lessons to learn from the big players?

  The number one constant for most farm shops is theft, as at present many don’t have the technology to battle shoplifters, or indeed the internal processes to reduce theft by staff. Thieves have increasingly targeted farm shops as the large supermarkets have cracked down on theft, and thieves have migrated to the ‘easier’ environments, which naturally spells trouble for the bottom line. While tackling shoplifting requires a number of tactics, strong tech platforms that manage stock can help you get to grips with the scale of the issue, and put measures in place to reduce it.

• Farms shops need to be more ‘out there’

  The general consensus across a number of talks we attended was the need for retailers to diversify their customer base by connecting with new, younger audiences – and one way to do this is through strong social media. Diversifying retail channels – for example, maximising online sales with a strong ecommerce partner – is a key part of this
  

• Ensure the business is set up to grow

  A common thread through the event was the challenges farm shop businesses face when trying to grow. On numerous occasions, we heard stories of farm shops who were successful in their early days, reaching a stage of maturity and then declining quickly. This emphasises that the tactics, systems and processes that got you here won’t necessarily serve you well into the future, so it’s essential to be innovating continually, and developing new strategies to reach new customers. An important aspect of this, of course, is having strong systems and processes – including a retail system like The EPOS Bureau – that can scale with you as your business grows, as well as having accurate, useful reports you can make strong decisions from.

• Online security more important than ever

  Small businesses, said speakers, are increasingly being targeted by malware by cyber criminals looking to steal data and hack into systems – meaning if you’re online you’ve got a major risk to contend with. Education and vigilance is vital here, as is ensuring whatever platforms your business uses are always kept up to date and prioritise security – rest assured that, at The EPOS Bureau, the security of our platform is always a top priority!