While many retailers have struggled with declining sales and reduced consumer interest during lockdown, one Cardiff based online retailer has been doing a roaring trade.
Switch Rentals is a relatively new business, at 1 ½ years old, that has enjoyed exponential growth in sales during the lockdown. An online electricals, appliance and furniture retailer, the store has benefitted from a captive audience during the period of the coronavirus lock in, as the general public have been obliged to stay indoors.
Their biggest sales for the company have come from LG and Samsung TV entertainment packs, as people seek entertainment on Netflix and other streaming services while stuck indoors for extended periods of time.
As it comes up to its second year in business, the Cardiff ecommerce firm broke double digit sales growth figures during the months of May and June, and has recently expanded into the West Midlands to copy with growing demand. It expects to expand the online offering to the East Midlands during August.
Switch Rentals operates on an innovative business model that allows customers to purely rent, without purchasing essential home and electrical goods 18 months.
This avoids tying them into punitive subprime credit agreements, where they could formerly pay huge amounts in interest for many years. Instead, they can get access to vital, high quality home appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and fridge freezers at a price point they can afford for a fixed term of 18 months, with lots of great value extras included.
With free deliveries, free servicing, and regular upgrades, it’s a disruptive new approach that has seen the business grow exponentially in a short period of time to meet the demand for essential goods, particularly to customers on fixed and lower incomes.
IT Director Lyndon Pezzack is one of the masterminds behind the innovation. No stranger to the sector, previously having worked with Cardiff electricals and appliance retailer Buy as You View for several years.
“We’re happy to report that the business has grown significantly during the lockdown thanks to some excellent promotion and marketing work from our digital partners Communicorp”, advises Pezzack of their recent success.
“One of things we’re most proud of is our business model. Treating appliances and furniture like a subscription to Netflix or Tinder, or a phone contract, has great appeal to younger, millennial and gen z customers.
“They’re more interested in using and experiencing a product versus owning it longer term. We can also upgrade their products as they age, to keep them up to date with the latest trends in technology.”
Speaking about the growth of the business, Pezzack is optimistic he can extend the reach of this Cardiff business nationwide.
“We’ve been servicing Wales for over a year now, and, after moving into the West Midlands, our aim is to extend by a new region every quarter to cover the whole of the UK.
We’re lucky to be able to employ 20 people and be taking on more at a time when some businesses are sadly cutting staff. We’ve added 4 recently to service the West Midlands, and, as we grow region by region, we’ll be adding many more”.
“It truly is a Welsh success story and we’re proud to be able to help the local economy in these difficult times”, he added.
Switch Rentals offers electrical goods, domestic appliances and furniture, and can be visited at https://www.switchrentals.co.uk/.