Member Article

Easter boom for local online businesses

Online businesses based in Yorkshire are witnessing a boom in sales despite the lockdown, thanks to their willingness to adapt and invest in marketing.

Leeds-based digital agency Ascensor builds websites and provides online marketing for many local companies and reports an upturn in fortunes of many of their ecommerce clients this Easter.

Managing Director, Andrew Firth, said: “Some of our clients with smaller projects have put them on hold but we are seeing ecommerce companies do really well. A local bed retailer, a bathroom shop and an online gifts service are three who are benefiting from a boom.”

PerfectPersonalisedGifts.com, based in Leeds, has seen sales of Easter egg boxes fly off virtual shelves and cannot keep up with demand. Year-on-year sales growth is up 176% for the period March 2019-2020.

Business Owner, Kathryn Wright, said: “Our manufacturing facility has been rushed off its feet with ecommerce orders of our personalised gifts. Easter sales have been comparable to Christmas in daily orders. We are pleased to be able to keep delivering gifts and treats to our customers whilst still maintaining social distancing rules.”

BathroomsDirectYorkshire.co.uk, based in Barnsley, had already seen a 2400% return on marketing investment in 12 months and grateful to have had the foresight to put effort into an online presence. Year on Year sales growth up 138% for the period March 2019-2020.

Marketing Manager, Ben Freeman said: “Thankfully our ecommerce sales are really strong, we’ve just had one of our best weeks of online sales this year, which is making up for a drop in showroom footfall.”

Local manufacturer, Beds.net, based in Dewsbury, benefitted from 550% sales growth in the first three months of working with Ascensor and with the agency’s support is now running a competition to give away one of its luxurious beds to a key worker.

Manager, Gary Roberts, said: “Our online sales are booming in the current climate because we manufacture in the UK and have a really strong online presence thanks to our digital marketing.”

Firth added: “It’s obviously very sad high street retailers have been decimated however ecommerce companies are embracing the challenge and are flexing their offerings to adapt and grow.

“Fortunately, over the last year we have been growing our digital marketing team which allows us to increase the range of services to support our ecommerce clients during this time including Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC), social media marketing and targeted advertising.”

Firth added: “We are really happy to be contributing to the economy at this challenging time and supporting others to do so too by helping get their products like beds, new bathrooms and Easter eggs to the people of Yorkshire and across the UK to make their lives a little easier.

“We would, of course, advise anyone who receives any parcels to quarantine them and follow government and NHS guidelines about washing their hands when having opened them. We want everyone to have a healthy and happy Easter.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ascensor .