Halifax specialist Venture Forge boosted by lockdown demand for online services

The Halifax-based agency has recorded a 100 per cent growth since lockdown began due to its e-commerce expertise, winning a raft of new business to help brands grow their sales on Amazon.

As a result, Venture Forge has recruited a new Amazon account manager, Freddie Toms, taking the overall headcount to ten.

Venture Forge was launched in the spring of 2018 by Andrew Banks, former head of e-commerce for Matalan. It specialises in online sales and marketing strategies for growing businesses. Amazon is the biggest e-commerce channel for companies looking for rapid online sales growth, particularly since the coronavirus outbreak forced all but essential shops to close.

The agency has won new Amazon accounts and is now working with a range of clients including Buffalo Natural Dog Treats, Cheeky Chompers, Nudie Snacks, 4Beauty Group, Pink Cloud Beauty, ZyroFisher, Hungry Socks, Dog Box Boutique, Doidy Cups and Bickie Pegs.

Venture Forge has also won a brief to launch a new brand for Lost Universe, setting up their new e-commerce site – lostuniverse.com – on the Shopify platform as well as launching the retailer’s in-store till system on a single payment solution on Shopify.

Mr Banks said: “Before the coronavirus outbreak began, we were already experiencing significant growth. But the pandemic has driven a substantial move to online shopping which resulted in a surge in demand. Overall, business is running at 100 per cent growth, with June being our best ever month.

“We are delighted that clients across the board have reported significant online growth as a result of our work with them. Amazon in particular presents many opportunities and this is an area we are looking to expand even further in the near future.”

Venture Forge has offices in the Croft Myl development in Halifax, recently moving to a larger unit.