'We're traditional but moving with the times' - Sunderland store takes business online for 1st time
A long-standing Sunderland furniture retailer has taken its business online for the first time.
Harrison & Brown, based on Holmeside in the city centre, has launched a new online store, allowing customers within a 30-mile radius to browse and buy directly via the website as well as in person.
The business, which has traded from its five-floor premises for more than seven years under owner and director Mandy Brown, has spent the past year preparing for the digital shift.
Mandy oversaw the transition with support from a series of business programmes funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and managed in Sunderland by the City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.
Mandy said: “We’ve always been quite traditional, and I was reluctant to open the online store at first simply due to a lack of knowledge, but then I worked with the Council’s Business Investment Team to identify some local free business support programmes and they helped me understand how important it is for businesses to adapt and move with the times.”
The new website, launched earlier this year, enables customers to order from what is described as the city’s largest furniture store and to try pieces from brands across the UK in their homes.
Mandy added: “We’ve had so much help and support the last few months, and it’s really made a difference and given us a confidence boost in making the change to go digital and we’re delighted to now offer customers the choice of in-store or online shopping with us.
“It’s laying the foundations for our future and growth, with the idea of expanding and creating new job opportunities within the city too, which is really important for high street businesses like ours.”
Looking ahead, Mandy hopes the online platform will help the company reach new audiences, boost sales and support further expansion.
She said: “Having the online platform gives us the ability to increase sales, increase stability, and employ more people. We’re excited about the prospect of creating jobs in Sunderland, from delivery drivers and stock assistants to customer service staff, so it’s beneficial to everyone.”
Harrison & Brown offers a wide range of furniture and homeware accessories, along with carpets and curtains. Through the new website, customers can browse everything from beds and sofas to lighting and ‘rise and recline’ chairs from home.
Cllr Kevin Johnston, Sunderland City Council’s portfolio holder for business, housing and regeneration, said: “It’s great to see businesses in the city reaping the benefits of embracing new digital technologies and tapping into the wide range of local resources and support programmes available in Sunderland which make it easier for our businesses, from all sectors, to innovate and grow.
“Sunderland is also fast establishing itself as a global Smart City, providing businesses and residents with opportunities that cannot be accessed anywhere else in the UK, and Harrison & Brown will hopefully be one of the many success stories to arise from the city’s transition to a digital economy. We’d like to wish them all the best for the future.”