Incremental sales & turnover boost with online sales
Anish Panchmatia has significantly increased his business’ turnover with One Stop’s award-winning offering.
One Stop is leading a revolution in the convenience store sector, enabling franchisees to harness the power of digital sales and reach unprecedented levels of success. With 90% of its stores now offering an online delivery service, One Stop franchisees are not only expanding their customer reach – online and in store – but also achieving a significant turnover boost.
Anish Panchmatia, who recently picked up a ‘Thirty Under 30’ award in recognition for his success as a young entrepreneur in convenience retailing, has added an astonishing £500k to his turnover in under a year.
The trailblazing franchisee runs a 3,000 sq ft One Stop store in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham with a dedicated team of 30 colleagues.
“The shift to developing our online sales has allowed us to reach thousands of new customers beyond our traditional trading area, some up to five miles away,” Anish explains. “This has not only helped us keep pace with evolving shopping habits but also significantly increased our turnover.”
John Miller, Head of One Stop Franchise, shares his insights into the online delivery journey for the retail franchise,
“Back in November 2020 we decided to tap into the q-commerce space, initially partnering with Deliveroo, before venturing onto the other emerging platforms such as Uber Eats, and we were the first grocery brand on Just Eat. We’ve now pioneered a multi-aggregator approach with 75% of our stores providing home delivery on more than one platform. Our retailers are demonstrating that online delivery is not a complex or expensive way to grow, and they have our full support behind them in this thriving sector.
Anish Panchmatia outside his Wylde Green store.
Trading online day and night
How shopping outside normal trading hours can be capitalised on with online delivery.
Anish’s online success is a brilliant example of what can be accomplished and highlights how popular shopping outside of normal trading hours continues to be. At One Stop we listen to our franchise partners and regularly evolve our business model to make sure we are the forefront of new initiatives. Even through the cost-of-living crisis we remain focused on helping drive sales and empowering our franchisees to reach more customers”.
Anish’s 24-hour trading license has been a key part of his strategy to build his online sales as this is something none of the nearby stores currently have. Whilst online sales were steady during the day, he was keen to test the evening and nighttime trade.
Anish explains “Initially I tested the waters by trading until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. This brought in an extra £1,500 a night by adding just a couple of extra hours. I then increased this to two nights for 24 hours and again sales kept building at a rapid rate. We were £40k better off in January than last January – phenomenal! On top of that, this January was better than Christmas last year!”
By maintaining our back office efficiently, we’ve seen our front office and online sales flourish, especially as a 24-hour store competing against shops that close early. Our ability to trade late into the night and during special seasons has notably boosted our sales, with promotions like ’12 weeks of Christmas’ attracting new customers and increasing footfall to our store. They can see what good value we’re offering, and promotions are the same both in store and online.”
His advice to fellow franchisees is clear: “Don’t hesitate to start selling online. Focus on the growth potential rather than the margins. With multiple revenue streams, including the Post Office, online sales, and ‘Food to Go’, there are numerous opportunities for customer engagement and business growth.”
“If you are looking to build a solid business online, no other group has done so much to push the online market. Along with having a modern store which attracts new customers, I think One Stop’s offering is game changing in convenience retailing and an absolute no brainer,” concludes Anish.
For franchisees looking to expand their reach, capitalise on the growing trend of online shopping, and achieve a great turnover boost, One Stop offers an unparalleled opportunity to grow their business and navigate the digital marketplace with confidence. To learn more, click here.
