034 035 NSC DSAP 29/10/07 17:10 Page 1
News Update
10 year
milestone
spurs northern
expansion
Offering a non-traditional retail concept with full training and
support, National Schoolwear is seeking franchisees with no
retail experience required. Stuart Anderson reports
R
etailer National Schoolwear Centres is celebrating a decade of
franchising that has seen the company expand from one company-
owned store in 1997 to its current national network of 61 stores (56 of
which are franchisee-owned). The company, founded in 1987, has been
successfully developed by franchising and Director of Retail Ian Masson, who
reflects that the secret behind the success of the network has been the
commitment of franchisees to developing local relationships with schools.
“The schoolwear market was traditionally poorly served, which provided
National Schoolwear Centres with a great opportunity to step in and offer
consumers what they really want: a one-stop shop for school days,” says Ian.
“Franchising has enabled us to become the UK’s biggest national schoolwear
supplier because the relationships with schools - which are so vital in this
business - are vested in the franchise owner. This means strong local links with
schools in the community.”
National Schoolwear Centres takes a unique, non-traditional sales approach
to developing its business. Franchisees secure agreements with schools within
their exclusive territory to supply pupils with their uniform requirements,
NATIONAL SCHOOLWEAR CENTRES
which drives customers to franchisees’ stores encouraging loyal and repeat year
SUMMARY:
round business. With large operating territories consisting of 80+ schools,
TYPE OF FRANCHISE: Retail
driven footfall, multiple product lines, additional internet sales directed from
the National Schoolwear Centres website, plus year round trading capabilities,
INDUSTRY SECTOR: Schoolwear
a National Schoolwear Centres franchise is a potentially lucrative
business opportunity.
IDEAL FRANCHISEE PROFILE: Partners who are
Ian adds: “The schoolwear market is very stable with 93 per cent of the
prepared to go the extra mile in providing excellent
33,000 schools in the UK having a uniform policy. We are looking to reach the
customer service and are keen to provide a quality
200 store mark and we’re about a third of the way there now. There are still
service to their local community. some really strong franchise opportunities available, particularly in the north
east and north west where we will establish new stores in the coming months.”
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1987
FRANCHISING SINCE: 1997
FURTHER INFORMATION:
NUMBER OF FRANCHISEES: 60+ trading
Call FranMatch on: 01603 620 301
INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT: circa £95,000 including
or email:
franmatch@fdsltd.com
complete shopfitting & initial stock
PRIORITY RECRUITMENT LOCATIONS: Nationwide
See this feature online at
www.thefm.net/54994
34 ©2007 The Franchise Magazine
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156