8-9_11_13_15.qxp_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 21/04/2021 07:49 Page 8
NEWS A Hamper of Happiness
TOP STORY
Fabulous Welcome Back As Cardies Re-opened Pent-up demand for greeting cards They came…they saw…and they bought greeting cards. The much-anticipated grand reopening of greeting card retail stockists in England and Wales exceeded expectations as the public came out to satisfy their pentup desire to buy greeting cards. “Well, I remembered how to use the till, there were plenty of customers, and it was good to see money going into the bank that wasn't a government grant!” summed up Sean Austin of Austin & Co in Malvern who was up and trading from his newly relocated shop in the town. “I was a bit nervous. It felt like the first day back at school, but as soon as the first customer came in minutes after we had reopened and made a sizeable purchase, including a lot of greeting cards, I knew it would be OK,” Serge Sumerling, coowner of Nor in West Norwood told PG.
Echoing the experiences of others, The Indigo Tree in Crystal Palace and Streatham, saw a surge in occasion card sales right from the off. “We were delighted by the steady flow of very eager customers, with many saying that they felt the need the spend as they had made the effort to come out, which is fine by us!” said Milo de Wolff, assistant manager of the Crystal Palace store. “Our occasion cards have sold especially well.” In the Home Counties, House of Cards’ co-owner Miles Robinson was happy to report a “good and steady
Below: A joyful message in Scribbler’s Bath window. Below left: Austin & Co made the most of lockdown 3 to relocate to an impressive new shop. Below middle: Paul Scully, Minister for Small Business cutting the ribbon to declare Earlybird back open for business.
customer flow with few queues” with a very high “average transactional value”. Up in Rugeley, for greeting card retailing stalwart, Philip Nield, co-owner of Reflections, the reopening was an extra special day as it also marked the unveiling of the store’s new look and complete product selection revamp. “I have been so heartened by our customer reactions,” said Philip. “So many told us that they have been writing their card buying shopping lists, waiting for us to reopen. Trade has been very good indeed!” Nicky Stephenson, co-owner of The Tutbury Present Company in Tutbury said “trade has been brisk. We were so happy to see familiar faces returning and spending to support us. It was always slightly in the back of our minds that after such an extended period of closure, online habits could become the norm, but browsing and touchy feely retail it seems, still more than has its place in our industry!” Earlybird in Stoke Newington had an added bonus of Minister for Small Business, Paul Scully officially ‘cutting the ribbon’ to declare the shop open for business. “The high street is most definitely not dead, it's been reinvented. This is the time of the Independent Revolution!” believes Heidi Early, co-owner of Earlybird. (See Viewpoints pages 21-23 for more reopening tales).
Greeting card publishers have gone all out to champion the grand reopening by sending messages of support, instigating promotions and delivering unexpected treats for their retail customers. Hundreds of Five Dollar Shake’s independent customers received a Hamper of Happiness, filled with uplifting and thoughtful items and lovely messages to champion the grand reopening. ‘With 2020 (and a bit of 2021) now on the naughty step, the time has come to welcome a springtime like no other’ reads the colourful note on the box lid. ‘And remember, you proved more than ever in the last few months that…though you may be little, you are fierce’. As well as a Brazilian wish bracelet, a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ candle and a ‘holiday in a can’ (a tinned cocktail), the most striking item Top: The contents of the was a syringeHappiness Hamper from 5$. shaped biscuit iced Above: Some of the Five Dollar ‘Shot in the Arm’ with the date of biscuits. April 12. When it came to ‘the crunch’, Five Dollar Shake co-owner Matt Genower saw this as the perfect opportunity to show off his biscuit making skills with his wife (and 5$ creative supremo) doing the honours on the decorating front. A trained chef in a former life, Matt took to the kitchen to get baking the ‘shot in the arm’ biscuit base while Beth was at the ready with the edible glitter. “It’s Five Dollar Shake’s vaccine roll-out with a difference!” quipped Matt. Right: The Penny Pincher promotion poster from CBG. Below left: Balloons, Cards N All in Narborough is one of the CBG customers to have embraced the promotion.
Tatty’s back to business bonus Carte Blanche came up with a whole suite of Back in Business initiatives and support for its indie customers from additional discounts and specific POS to a Buy One Get One Free ‘Penny Pinchers’ Promotion for retailers to greet their customers with. The Penny Pinchers Promotion enables any consumer spending £15 on Me to You plush and gifts the opportunity to receive a Dress Up Tatty Teddy Fox for just a penny. Indies received a free pack of Dress Up Tatty Teddy Fox items for every pack of qualifying plush and gift items they order. As Grace Elphinstone, marketing manager of Carte Blanche commented: “Our focus on the independent channel has always been very high but we feel it is important to strengthen the support we provide through marketing initiatives and sales support. We will continue to do our bit in helping in the kick start and in ensuring there is a regular cycle of activity to encourage shopping with indies.”
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