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In Profile: Joe Davies
Shop Early For Christmas Just a few months shy of the company’s centenary in 2019, Autumn Fair (September 2-5), will see the largest number of new products to date – some 2,000+ - on the Joe Davies stand at the entrance to the NEC’s Hall 5 - with customers invited to buy ‘little and often’. Highlights include brand new product sectors such as plush, wall art and phone charger packs, as well as a bigger range of gift boxed hats, scarves and gloves to keep out the cold, and jewellery galore for glamming up for festive season parties, plus, of course, a myriad of trend-led Christmas gifts and decorations. But that’s nowhere near all, as managing director Steve Davies explains.
If there is one thing that Joe Davies excels at it’s customer service, as can be seen by the company’s success at The Greats in May, (owned and organised by Progressive Gifts & Home/Max Publishing), where the team was again ecstatic at winning the prestigious gold award for Best Service to the Independent Retailer category. Doing a quick tot up, that makes a total of 16 Best Service to the Independent Retailer awards since The Greats launched in 2003, with a recently installed state-of-the-art back office system making everything run ever more smoothly for the company and its customers. “It’s been a redoubling of efforts over the past 18 months to
ensure that customer service is a top priority,” confirms Steve. Making the most of their success, the prestigious coveted gold Greats trophy is proudly displayed on the counter at every exhibition the company attends, re-emphasising that, in Joe Davies’ book, the customer comes first. Now, as Autumn Fair homes into view, it’s all about showing off the company’s brand new Autumn/Winter season products
(previewed at Harrogate’s Home & Gift in July), that will take retailers into the all important fourth quarter. Along with an exciting mid-price sterling silver jewellery range - Equilibrium 925 - that further expands the 2000 + lines in the hugely successful Equilibrium fashion jewellery collection, also taking pride of place will be a range of hand crafted knitted and crocheted plush and rag dolls (called Doodles), as well as high quality black and white decorative wall art (featuring international cities and wild animals) that have been printed onto glass, and Power Puff, fashionable handy pom poms which double as a phone charger. As for Christmas decorations and festive gifts, trending this year are a collection of wood and sage green forestry themed designs featuring stags and deers, as well as plenty of more traditional Christmas lines. On the distribution front (ie nonShudehill own brand products), there’s a new range of much-loved snoozies! slippers with fresh designs for men - colourful socks from the Sock Society, Landon Tyler and Price’s candles, Bug Art, and Sunny by Sue
Top right: Colourful, eyecatching socks from the Sock Society. Above: snoozies Creature Comforts. Right: A beaming Steve Davies (right), is shown with the Joe Davies team at The Greats in May.
Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide
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