Recently launched from headquarters in rural Carterton is Cookware Essentials, an online store selling all manner of, well, cookware essentials!
The brainchild of Pamela Tindall and Jan Little, Cookware Essentials is a kitchen shop with a difference – it’s open 24 hours a day seven days a week and serves both New Zealand and Australia. “We’re catering for those keen cooks who are perhaps living away from the main shopping centres or who simply prefer to shop online to save time and money”, explains Pamela.
Rather than just being an add-on service to an existing ‘bricks and mortar’ store, Cookware Essentials is designed to be online-only. “As well as keeping overheads and expenses down, and therefore being able to offer great prices,” says Jan, “we wanted to create a personal shopping service but in an online environment. By shopping on our website, you will always be dealing with us directly – this represents an enhanced level of security as well as a more intimate shopping experience.”
Both keen cooks themselves, Pamela and Jan arrived in the world of e-commerce via different routes. Pamela moved to Wairarapa in 2005 with husband Brian for a lifestyle change.
“I was working for a manufacturing jeweller, having previously sold real estate for four years. I also did a two-year interior design course while we were in Auckland. But I’ve always loved cooking and cooking equipment, so this is my dream job!”
For Jan, however, this business is her first venture into self-employment. “I’ve always worked for someone else”, she explains, “but mainly in the accounting area, so I’m well-qualified to keep tabs on what looks like being a very busy store.”
With fuel prices skyrocketing, shopping online is becoming the choice of increasing numbers of consumers. But with increasing numbers of shoppers comes increasing numbers of online stores, so keeping a step ahead of the pack is high on the Cookware Essentials agenda.
“We’ve designed our website to be both attractive and easy to use”, explains Pamela. “Nice clean lines, simple colours, not too much fuss, just straight to the point.” Included on the site is a recipe section with great ideas for meals and baking, and a full glossary of cooking terminology for those users new to the art. “We also contribute to various cooking blogs and forums and generally get involved in the cooking community. We want to encourage people to cook, and for parents to encourage their children to cook from an early age – it’s one of the best things you can do for your children in our opinion.”
Add-on services from the Cookware Essentials online store include a complimentary gift wrapping offer and free shipping on any order over $80. As well as stocking many of the more popular items of cooking equipment and kitchen accessories Pamela and Jan are actively searching out new and different products from the U.S. and elsewhere.
“We’re thinking ahead” says Jan. “From small beginnings big things grow. In our first month we generated over 100,000 hits – that can only increase and we intend to give those visitors a reason to return with some really exciting new products to choose from.”
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