Skelmersdale business Hotter Shoes has seen a significant increase in online sales, with a 27% increase since December.
The news follows a CVA announcement in July for the company, which closed 59 of its 82 stores as it accelerated its long-term business strategy and retail channel switch to become a digital-first retailer. This uplift in online sales is brilliant news for the company as they adapt to to the current situation, with a forecasted growth of 31% for 2021.
Black Friday weekend was also very successful for the business as sales went up 24% from 2019. Despite downfalls in the office and formal footwear, the brand has seen a huge growth in athleisure, comfort and outdoor categories throughout the pandemic due to people doing more walking as a form of their daily exercise.
Chief executive Ian Watson, who was appointed in March 2019 to reposition the brand, said:
“Despite the uncertainty and tough retail environment brought on by both Brexit and the Coronavirus pandemic over the last 12 months, we have had a strong year.
We expedited our five-year business strategy to meet the demands of the changing retail landscape and our growing digital base, and as a result we were able to report a strong surge in online sales for 2020.”“The CVA was a difficult but necessary decision, reducing our physical retail exposure by 75 per cent and placing the business on a strong footing to navigate the current retail conditions and remain a profitable and scalable business.”