Nestled in amongst quaint bookstores, quirky boutiques, independent cafes and toy stores in Leed’s Chapel Allerton, Chirpy is home to a carefully curated selection of gifts, cards, jewellery and local souvenirs.
Having taken over the business just five weeks before Christmas 2016, owner Jo McBeth took a leap of faith in what she calls “the biggest impulse purchase of her whole life.” Entering the world of running a business almost entirely alone was a huge undertaking, but with the help of Square’s POS system and loyalty tools, Jo has turned her small shop into a community hub for customers that come back time and time again.
A gift for all
From hand-made cards to jewellery ranges, children’s toys, ceramics and candles, customers find themselves stepping through the doors of Chirpy when they want to purchase something special.
“It’s one-of-a-kind items that are the true selling point of the business,” says Jo. “I tend not to get a lot of the same products. For example, we’ll stock two or three candles, each at different price points. I choose items that are useful and practical – and beautiful at the same time! My motto is that I wouldn’t sell anything that I wouldn’t buy myself.”
With community at the heart of her business, Jo sources cards, exclusively from independent brands and makers. Selling almost 9,500 cards a year, she describes them as “the bread and butter of the business.”
Community at the heart
For Jo, running her business solo means she has many roles to play, from manning the till, to stock purchasing, curating the store, and running social media accounts. But it’s the relationship development that’s her favourite role.
“I take pride in knowing my customers that come into the shop; knowing their names, and what’s going on in their lives. I try to make it a priority to get to know them and understand what they’re looking for,”
It’s not just Chirpy that builds that community feeling, but the surrounding independent coffee shops, fruit stores, local bookshops and independent toy shops too. “It’s very much the kind of place where people on a Saturday will come and shop along the street to get everything they need in one go.”
It’s a pattern reflected across the country. According to Square’s recent Local Economy Report, four in five shoppers say their relationship with their favourite local business goes beyond transactional – they value being recognised, feeling a sense of belonging, and knowing the other person behind the counter.
Loyalty, in store and out
For Jo, meeting those expectations starts with keeping track of who her customers are and what keeps them coming back, and Square’s loyalty programme has helped her do exactly that.
“We started using the scheme to remember our customers’ details, which was a big factor in building relationships,” says Jo. “Then about two years ago, I discovered there were so many other parts to the feature. We now send our customers vouchers for their birthdays and give them rewards on their anniversary of loyalty to the store via email. We can even send them a reminder that they have a reward to spend, and my customers find it very simple, smooth and quick.”
Square Loyalty is also able to generate reports to summarise what has been spent each day and from which customer, as well as how many customers have entered the store – which is crucial for revealing the busiest times of the day.
The best part? It can be customised to fit every business, helping them grow in return. “I’ve witnessed a 25 per cent increase in spend from customers who have enrolled into the loyalty programme. It’s a real gamechanger!”
Smooth selling every day
Beyond loyalty, Square keeps the day-to-day running of Chirpy effortless. At a shop where 95 per cent of customers pay by card, Jo uses Square Stand – a simple tablet that puts a smarter spin on selling.
“All my customers need to do is tap the card reader, and it’s as simple as that. Everything is done on an iPad – it’s so easy and user friendly. My customers love that it’s just really unfussy, and the fact they can get receipts sent straight to their phones or emails is a real hit.
“We also have the Square app, so I could be serving someone at the same time as someone else in the shop, on different devices.”
Planning for the future
That ease of use pays off in the long run, too. From helping to plan for busy periods like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas, to tracking customers’ purchasing behaviours, Square helps Jo ensure her business runs smoothly. It allows Jo to look back at sales, discover what’s selling the most, and identify products that need restocking.
“I use Square to help track how many cards I’ve sold in the previous year, and in turn, this helps improve my stock management. It means I’m never overbuying. The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is to not carry too much stock, and Square is essential in keeping me on track.”
“If I compare the business now to when I first bought it, the growth is unmatched.”
Want to grow like Chirpy? For more information, visit Square.com.
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