The coronavirus crisis has hit retailers hard. With our special aid package, we have helped numerous store owners to quickly gain a foothold in online retail. Uwe Prommer, Managing Director of coffee roaster COFI LOCO, is one of these retailers. He seized the opportunity and wrote his very own success story in the midst of the crisis. He talks about this in detail in the interview:
Support package for retailers from JTL
When retailers had to close their stores indefinitely in March 2020, quick solutions for new sources of income were needed. Because for many store owners, nothing less than their very existence was at stake.
JTL also wanted to help in this uncertain situation: In cooperation with our partners eBay, DHL and the Händlerbund, we designed an aid package in no time at all. The aim was to provide retailers with the best possible support in establishing a competitive online business quickly and easily. This is what our “Quick Start to online retail” contained:
To date, countless retailers have taken up this offer and built up a second mainstay with our support in e-commerce. Like Uwe Prommer from Siegburg, who runs the COFI LOCO coffee roastery and café in the district town. The coronavirus shutdown also hit him with full force. Putting your hands in your lap? That was out of the question for Uwe and his team. In this interview, he tells us how COFI LOCO coped with the situation:
Interview with Uwe Prommer (COFI LOCO)
JTL: Hello Uwe. We’ve been through some stressful times. Tell us how you perceived the situation of the closure of your store.
Uwe: The last few weeks have not been easy. But we have tried to make the best of it. When we had to close our store and café in mid-March, we asked ourselves in which area we could and should continue as a business. The answer was simple: first and foremost, we are coffee roasters and therefore food producers and retailers. The gastronomic part with our café is a side effect, albeit a nice one, but one that we didn’t want to focus on during the crisis. Instead, it became clear that we wanted to put our energy into online retail.
JTL: Did you already have the plan to start online trading beforehand or did the idea only come with our “Quick Start” campaign?
Uwe: We actually launched our first online store back in 2017. However, until then it was more of a “chore” that we didn’t put much time or effort into. We also never did any marketing for it. As a result, the number of orders was manageable, which we now wanted to change. Your aid campaign came at just the right time.
However, we made the decision to use software solutions from JTL even earlier: in 2019, I ran the espresso bar at JTL Connect and was able to experience first-hand what professional online retail means and how merchandise management, online store and logistics have to work together to ensure sustainable success.
JTL: Which JTL products are you using now? And what help did you get from our partners?
Uwe: JTL-Wawi forms the basis for our work. JTL Ant helped us to transfer our old data records to the merchandise management system. We used JTL-Connector to establish the connection to our existing WooCommerce store. However, we are considering switching to JTL-Shop to ensure more seamless processes.
We have been using JTL-POS as our POS system since the stores reopened. And since sales are going so well online, we want to outsource our shipping processes via the JTL Fulfillment Network sooner or later.
JTL: We’re glad to hear that! It would be interesting to know how you perceived our advice and the support of our partners during the campaign?
Uwe: As part of the campaign, you from JTL not only offered free software, but also support and a comprehensive initial consultation. That was a huge help, especially for me! I had to get involved personally after the shutdown because my small crew was on short-time work or busy putting out fires. As a “dedicated amateur”, I had neither the time nor the financial means, and – to be honest – in the tense situation, I didn’t want to rebuild our software structure on my own.
Your support helped me a lot and reliably guided me through the first steps. I also worked with two JTL service partners who also provided me with very competent support in the areas of database hosting and fine-tuning.
JTL: How has the move into online retail changed your business?
Uwe: Considerably! Due to the loss of sales from the store and café, we have dealt intensively with the topic of online trading for the first time and have implemented measures that we would otherwise certainly have needed more time for.
Due to Corona, we have new servers and file archiving systems in the office after just 3 months (!), host important data in the cloud, work paperless with DATEV as well as mobile and in the home office. And best of all, we are in the process of switching our marketing completely to video. We are currently building a small studio in the roastery and have hired a media technician. Everything for online retail 😉
JTL: Will you continue to sell online and stationary in the future?
Uwe: Definitely. We have even changed our focus. At COFI LOCO, it’s now online first! We only open our factory store at certain times or by appointment if someone needs intensive advice. All other orders are placed online.
Even though we have maintained our relationship with regular customers during the crisis through the local direct delivery of our products by e-bike, new sales via online retail are becoming a profitable second pillar. As a result, we feel even more secure for the future.
JTL: Last question: Was corona a crisis or an opportunity for you?
Uwe: Clearly a huge opportunity for us!
JTL: Thank you Uwe for sharing your story with us. We wish you continued success with your new online business.
Are you also a retailer and thinking about getting started in e-commerce? Take the opportunity now and get our free support with your first steps:
