From hairclippers to kitchen appliances, Stratford's appliance stores were kept busy selling a range of items during lockdown. Photo / Getty
From hairclippers to kitchen appliances, Stratford's appliance stores were kept busy selling a range of items during lockdown. Photo / Getty
While many of Stratford's shops were shut during Alert Level Four, the town's appliance and whiteware stores were kept busy supplying essential items and services.
From hair clippers to kettles, chrome books to toasters, there was a steady stream of online or phone orders coming through as people settled in to lockdown life.
Megan Dimock who co-owns Dimocks 100% Stratford with her husband Matthew, says hair clippers and chrome books were in hot demand from their store during Level Four as people dealt with closed schools and barber shops.
People were also eating more at home during the lockdown, with toasters, kettles and ovens the top selling items from the Stratford Sinclair Betta Electrical store during the lockdown, says Vicky Kerr who manages the Stratford Sinclair store.
Both Vicky and Megan say they have been buoyed by the local support they have had through the tough Covid-19 trading restrictions.
Megan says while it has been good to be able to continue trading in some way during all the Alert Levels, Covid-19 has certainly impacted the business.
"At the end of the day we have been eligible for the wage subsidy, so that gives you an indication of just how much of a drop in sales we have had during this."
The NZME Go Local campaign is something she and Matthew say is vital in the coming months as local businesses get back on their feet.
"Local businesses like ours have always supported the local community, and now it is the support from that community that will ensure we and other local businesses come out of this okay."
Megan Dimock and Melissa Sutton stand outside Dimocks 100% in Stratford ready to help customers. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Megan says she and Matthew have always donated goods and prizes for local school and community fundraisers.
"We have always supported schools and other groups in Stratford. It's what keeps towns going, the local businesses supporting the community, and the community supporting local businesses"
Megan says she and Matthew also make sure they shop locally as much as possible.
"When it comes to things we can't source locally, then we look regionally, and then next we look for New Zealand made."
The NZME Go Local campaign also strikes a chord with the team at Sinclair Electrical.
Monique Sinclair, who owns Sinclair Electrical with her husband Brian, says community support for the store has been invaluable right now.
"We have greatly appreciated the ongoing support of the Stratford community during these unprecedented times. Because our Stratford customers have continued to support us, by shopping locally, we are able to continue supporting Stratford clubs, teams and community groups."
Support from the Stratford Business Association has also been helpful, she says.
"We would like to thank the Stratford Business Association. We have attended two very informative webinars arranged by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce through them."
Community support was also visible in how quickly customers adapted to the changes made to allow trading throughout, says Monique.
"We appreciate how quickly Stratford customers followed new health/safety procedures as we continued to work at all Alert Levels."
Vicky Kerr of Sinclair Electrical says she misses chatting with customers inside the store.
Level 3, says Vicky, has come with some funny moments.
"Level 3 has brought the shop counter to outside the front of the store, I stay behind hazard barriers to keep compliant and I record every interaction. Window shopping has brought a few laughs. I've had to showcase a few large appliances through the window like a game show host."
At Dimocks Stratford the shop counter is also at the door for level 3, with Megan and team member Melissa Sutton staffing it.
"It's certainly been pretty different to normal. Everything takes a bit longer. We have a barrier up at the front for people to stay behind, so they ring the buzzer, then step back before we open the door and step forward. Then we step back again before they use the eftpos machine."
"In fact we are wiping the eftpos machine so much it is getting quite worn."
While both stores have managed to navigate through levels 4 and 3, the teams at both businesses are looking forward to the loosening of the restrictions level 2 promises.
Vicky says she has missed having customers physically come into Sinclairs.
"I miss having a quiet chat in the warm with my customers. It's not easy hearing them outside over the traffic noise."
Dimocks Stratford has never had to operate behind closed doors before, says Megan.
"Matthew and I have had the store for nearly 13 years now and we've never had anything like this before. We certainly miss the customers coming in and it is harder to do the extra things we do, like helping someone top up their phone or put batteries in something, when we can't physically reach out and do it for them."
