Gohard lightens COVID-19 dark cloud with product diversification
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday July 24, 2020 18:17
Like many local businesses in the creative industry, Gohard which has been hard hit by the pandemic, has however decided to turn lemons into lemonade by expanding its clothing range.
In an interview with the Brand co-owner, Baboloki Dambe, he said they extended their range due to the fact that they wanted to offer their customers an assortment of options from the brand. He explained that when they started, they only had the BW caps. But now they have the Gohard Dadhat, which is cheaper compared to the BW baseball cap.
“We had three types of bucket-hats but now we have extended to six categories which are denim, three tone, 3d range, reversible, distressed and floral range. We have also introduced the active range, which includes a two-piece tights set for ladies that they can also purchase pants and tops separately. These sets are tailor made to suit our customer needs,” he disclosed.
Dambe also said they did not keep any standard sizes since they were tailor-made, and it took two to three days for the order to be ready after the order had been confirmed.
He said they have also introduced shoulder bags in their bag category where they only had funky packs only. Dambe further stated that they take pride in the fact that majority of their products were made locally by local tailors.
However, he explained that just like other businesses, they were also hard hit by COVID-19. Dambe added that they decided to keep their heads high and come up with ideas that can lift the brand. Hence, he explained that they took advantage of the current situation to attract more customers.
“The public is responding very well to the new range of products because some of these products were made because our customers asked for them. We are very honoured to say we listen to our customers and make sure we meet their needs. Our quality offering makes us different. Our products are authentic and original. Our range of products gives a customer a choice from which to make a pick. If you were to ask consumers about any local brand from Francistown, they would tell you about Gohard Clothing BW,” he concluded.