#32: The challenges home and garden retailers face post-pandemic with J.Parkers

Listen here:

In this episode, we discuss the home and garden sector. The last two years have seen exponential change for online retailers due to the pandemic. With this new ‘norm’ comes challenges; we cover what this looks like going forward and discuss some potential solutions for brands. We’re joined by Jonathan Bracewell, Head of Digital at J.Parkers, a household name gardening brand that sells plants and bulbs online. Jonathan gives us an insight into the challenges the business faced through the pandemic and how they overcame them. If you’re a home and garden retailer looking for some tips on what you should include in your ecommerce strategy, this episode is for you.

Topics:

• J.Parkers: the shift from offline to online
• How the pandemic changed J.Parker’s business
• Turning marketing and sales off to protect the customer experience
• Changing the tech infrastructure to get to the next level of growth
• Challenges retailers have faced in fulfilling consumer demand
• The need for a digital roadmap
• The need for talent and increased costs
• Keeping a competitive edge and focusing on customer experience
• Investing in your customer data
• Retention is more important than ever
• Buy now, pay later payment options
• Investing in Product Management (PIM)
• Merchandising solutions
• Experimentation, engagement, and experience
• Whatever you do, has to benefit your customer
• Understanding the ‘considered commerce’ customer journey

Guests

• Jonathan Bracewell, Head of Digital at J.Parkers
• Holli Barrett, Head of Customer Experience, Space 48
• Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

Hosted by:
Paul Casey, Head of Account Management, Space 48