Introducing: Snatch A Deal

A month was all that was needed to convert Snatch A Deal in The Plaza, Whangaparaoa from a pop up to a fully-fledged, permanent store.

Owner Rebecca Walkinshaw of Red Beach says the response has been awesome, with some lines virtually flying out the door, so the decision to make the store permanent was an easy one.

Rebecca and her husband David set up a website-based business six years ago selling a range of products imported from Australia, America and Europe. Rebecca says customers asked whether there was a shop, and so she decided last month to give it a go in The Plaza.

Rebecca says it has not only been a great way to grow the company’s customer base but also that they are enjoying the face to face contact.

New stock comes in all the time, keeping things interesting for regular customers.

Cosmetics, including all the leading brands, are a core product line but there is a constantly changing line up of other items including lollies, gift sets, wedding shoes, lights, stockings, thermal socks and the Kardashian Collection. Rebecca says around 4500 different lines are stocked in their Silverdale warehouse.

The colourful Doodle stationery range is a big seller – Rebecca says the kids are calling it “the Doodle store” and Paris Miracle bras and Shape Secrets underwear are also popular.

“It’s interesting to see the differences between things that sell well online and those from the store,” Rebecca says.

“Having a store also allows us to demonstrate products, such as heat and click heat pads – a chance to share the product knowledge that we’ve built up over the years.”

“People like to see and touch products, which is why we’re discovering that retail is not a dying thing,” she says.

Rebecca is excited to see how the store could grow and change – she is thinking of the possibility of eventually opening more Snatch A Deal stores based on this model. “I’m enjoying offering things to locals at a good honest price,” she says.

The store is open four days a week, Thursday to Sunday as Rebecca devotes the rest of her time to their online business.

“It creates a bit of anticipation – because every Thursday when we open there’s something new on offer.”