Many of our fellow traders here in Ramsbottom are quite worried about the opening of the new Debenhams store at The Rock in Bury, which is only three miles away.
I am a firm believer however, that larger chain stores can sit along side specialist independents on our high streets. I am also all for large companies getting involved in the community and encouraging their employees to show a bit of entrepreneurial spirit.
However, I am a little put out by a request I recently received from staff at the new Debenhams store at The Rock in Bury, which opens this Friday. Staff from the stores wedding department visited us asking if we would be able to 'donate' some chocolates for them to put in their goody bags. The goody bags would be given to the first customers to visit the department in the new Debenhams in Bury.
Now it is not unusual for us to get requests like this one, and we frequently support other local businesses, church groups, charities and schools. Many of these opportunities come with some potential commercial gain, but this is often minimal and very difficult to quantify. More often than not we support these requests because they come from customers, suppliers or fellow traders who we know and have an existing relationship with.
I politely turned down the request from Debenhams as I feel that a company whose annual turnover of £1,187 Million, and profit of £115 Million (which is approximately 115 million times larger than ours) can afford to buy the chocolates to put in their goody bags.
Have I missed a valuable commercial opportunity?
Or is this a case of the big boys trying it on?
I would love to know what you think.