In difficult economic landscapes the brands that connect with customers on a deeper level are the ones that succeed and build strong brand affinity.
How do retailers manage to achieve this with their customers increasingly looking at more factors than ever when choosing where to shop?
Listen now
Joining the Retail Gazette Retail Inside Out Podcast to discuss the topic and share there unique perspectives are Christina Downend, head of climate change, Dunelm and Marcus Henley, senior account executive, enterprise, Yext.
Dunelm is the recent winner of the Best Retailer Over £500m award at the Retail Gazette Awards 2023, and have put sustainability at the heart of their business success.
Yext is a leader in the world of digital experience, and have a broad view of what brands can do to connect with their customers and achieve success.
Both provide excellent insight into the steps retailers can take to build their customer proposition and deepen their relationships with their audience.
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Focusing on sustainability and circularity
At the heart of Dunelm’s business is a focus on sustainability and circularity, and this played a big role in the judges decision to award it the Best Retailer Over £500m award.
Christina Downend, head of climate change at Dunelm, explains why sustainability is so important to their brand purpose.
“We’ve been really focusing on ensuring that our sustainability strategy is fit for purpose and also fit for the future because we absolutely recognise that we will need to and want to exist within a circular economy that is going to be the future economy,” she says.
“So in doing so, over the last few years, we’ve really solidified our environmental sustainability strategy.
“We already had a good foundation on our ethical sourcing but we’ve really upped it by focusing on circularity and the role that plays and looking at each lifecycle stage of the product, because more than 90% of our carbon emissions actually come from the products that we sell.”
Marcus Henley, senior account executive, enterprise at Yext, elaborates on why brand purpose is so important for customers.
“If you are a retailer, it’s highly likely there are other retailers offering the same products and services you do, right? If not at the same price point, a similar price point.
“So how do you differentiate? A lot of the time that can be around simply wrapping a top class service around your offering that the competition might not offer.”
Listen to the full, fascinating conversation on the Retail Inside Out podcast on Spotify now.
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