The Children’s Orchard “store of the future” and refined franchise model has arrived, racking up increased sales and high marks from its core customer base of spending-conscious, Internet-savvy moms and their kids.
As it celebrates its 30th anniversary, the children’s upscale-resale concept isn’t standing still. Larger stores, a reconfigured layout, and an emphasis on convenience and shopability are just part of Children’s Orchard’s commitment to meeting the needs of moms and their kids. On the heels of introducing no-appointment-needed Walk-In Buying (with the industry’s only 20 minute guarantee) and seasonal Tent Sales, in March 2010 Children’s Orchard rolled out its online store at www.childorchstore.com. The addition of these new elements to its business model, first tested at the company’s flagship location in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have helped to increase store inventories, boosted customer traffic and satisfaction, and resulted in an overall increase in store sales.
“At 30 years of age, we are still the trailblazers of the upscale resale franchise concept,” said Children’s Orchard CEO Taylor Bond. “We were the first franchise to offer quality, higher-end, gently-used clothing and other items for children, and we continue to lead the way. We’ve rolled out online programs that meet the needs of today’s techno moms, we’ve enhanced the process by which we buy clothes from customers, and we’ve improved efficiency of back-end operations. Customers and franchise owners alike are giving us rave reviews.”
