Many companies are experiencing the gloomy retail slump, and sales are hard to come by in the economic downturn. Most industry sectors are seeing tight times, where every sale is being fought for. This is especially the case with high end consumer goods, with high ticket prices and what can be classed as 'luxury items'.

One Sheffield florist however, has seen a recent up-turn in not only shop sales but also internet traffic. Katie Peckett Florists, who have 3 outlets in the Sheffield area, have been trading locally for over a decade, so have plenty of experience to compare the good and bad times. General manager, Andy Peckett says: "To be honest we are always trying to increase sales whatever the state of the high street in general, but we would rather concentrate on the keeping the quality right rather than just going for volume. I think this is why we stand out as one of a few local firms who are prospering even in these tough times".

He went on to add: "A good florist will always sell their flowers if the quality and packaging is right. I suppose it helps that we are in a business where the average order values are lower than some markets, so people keep buying flowers for this reason. Another factor is that the reasons for buying flowers never changes- Mothers Day and Valentine's Day don't get cancelled when the recession hits!".

Katie Peckett Franchise Ltd is an online Sheffield Florist

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