Orientique: a new season is the opportunity for a fresh COVID-19 start for all
Orientique is an Australian business providing Ladies Fashion exclusively to small boutiques across the world and the ECA’s featured member. The impacts of COVID-19 were initially felt by Orientique with closures of retail stores across Europe in early March. Their Summer stocks were about to be delivered to our Northern Hemisphere customers and Winter stocks to Australia NZ.
With closures of stores across the world including Australia they were receiving cancelled orders daily, and they were left with undelivered stock lying in all countries.
The company made the effort to contact its stores in all countries and reassured them that they would support them through this crisis. This no pressure reassuring approach, whilst risking their business, strengthened mutual relationships with Orientique’s customers across the globe.
They held stock at discounted prices and extended payment terms for all customers until stores reopened. Also, they closed the headquarters in mid March reopening first week May. All staff were paid through closure.
Not surprisingly Orientique’s customers supported them when they reopened and needed to replenish their stocks.
Whilst company’s sales from mid – March and April were zero and their write offs exceeded 200k, they were able to clear the season and strengthen the relationships with customers everywhere!
Although the market is cautious about what lies ahead, Orientique sees upcoming seasons as an opportunity to be able to service their customers in a period where others have chosen to be careful and will therefore not have stock available.
At Orientique, they are very excited to see a new Summer season launching into Europe, UK and the US. Orientique’s prints and colour offer an opportunity for a fresh COVID-19 start for all!
COVID-19 has impacted everyone across the globe in a commercial and personal way. Their greatest learning through all of this crisis is the strength of relationships at a time when we all must work together.
Relationships matter!