With the ongoing lockdowns creating major havoc for many small businesses, essential services are exempt including companies that provide products for those essential businesses.
Buckle is one of the few local textile, clothing and footwear manufacturers in Australia, producing around 200,000 belts a year. While 65 per cent of the business supplies to retail, the remaining 35 per cent of business comprises of uniforms and corporate businesses to major banks, airlines as well as state and federal services.
Given Buckle’s unique offering, business has remained steady throughout the pandemic.
“Buckle is working at limited capacity to fulfil orders but is working hard to produce, pick and deliver orders…we’re lucky to be able service these essential businesses across Australia,” says director, Melissa Gibson.
However, the latest lockdown in Greater Sydney has made it difficult for many Buckle staff to come to work, adds brand manager, Alexandra Fox.
“The further recent strict lockdowns of Cumberland and Canterbury LGAs resulted in around 90 per cent of our production staff being unable to come into work,” she says.
“We were unable to open up production during this time as we need a minimum of six staff to run the warehouse―we were only left with two.
“Last week, the government updated the authorised workers list to include Click and Collect services, so we are back on board, but in a lighter capacity in an effort to keep our staff safe during this time. The website was turned back on from Monday.”
Buckle is a small Australian business with a strong Australian history. The co-founder was Alick Buckle and through the years the company has had to move fluidly through crises such as WWII, the GFC and now a global pandemic.
“Over this current outbreak, sales have dropped but remained relatively steady. Most of the retailers we supply are not under strict lockdown, however, during these times consumer confidence decreases. We still have orders from our corporate customers to keep the factory and business trading.
“During this pandemic we have faced common issues that most small businesses have dealt with. People are spending less money so it has been hard to predict how our retailers and customers will shop. We have had to delay our catalogue and re-think our business strategy to get through the most recent outbreak. We’ve done this before and managed to come out on the other side so we are hopeful,” says Fox.
Consumers are now steering towards brands with good reputations and with collaborations and increased expansion. Establishing an online presence is necessary to keep the brand afloat hence the recent designer collaborations with Jocelyn Proust and Ali Wilkinson, and an increased focus on social media.
“I am honoured to work with Buckle in bringing my bespoke designs to the marketplace, especially during these unprecedented times of Covid-19,” says Wilkinson.
“Businesses that are promoting local Australian designers, both online and in-store, are important, giving us exposure and impact on the retail market place.”
Fox ads that Buckle is now able to communicate directly to its customers with a presence on Instagram and Facebook that is linked to its online shop.
“This allows for us to consider their wants and needs which can then be taken on board for new product development. Our customer service team often communicates with our customers providing fast, friendly and reliable service that makes Buckle’s B2C strategy effective and has provided Buckle with regular customers.
“By having this B2C platform we are able to provide customers with a way of purchasing our full range which increases brand awareness and facilitates accessibility if they are unable to purchase from our retailers.”
Casting her mind back to last year, the business bounced back quickly post first round of Covid-19 lockdowns and Fox expects the same to occur once the lockdowns ease, in particularly within the Greater Sydney region.
“We have found consumer confidence, in particular with Australian made products like ours, was stronger compared with pre-Covid periods. We will continue to provide infrastructure, training, resources, as well as invest in technology for our staff to assist in our development of growing into a large accessories brand.”
