18-19_David Robertson.qxp_Grid 26/07/2024 11:34 Page 2
OVER THE COUNTER but at the same time showcases the new product that continues to come through. We are currently changing all three of our card controls for the first time almost at once. We do things slightly differently with all three of our stores. We have two shops literally across the road from one another with over 130ft of planned space, and due to changes within card company structures we need to change our card selections as they are becoming too similar. Each store is different in its feel, its customer base and indeed what it can and cannot sell. With this being the case we set about thinking about each store and then drew up a shortlist of companies for each store. We looked at elements such as the publisher’s designs, price points, customer service, local area support, and also if they were stocked in supermarkets/multiples. In addition, two of our stores also have a large selection of smaller/handmade publishers. This of course changes the look and feel instore as well. We mix these up often although a bit like any great musical act there are some publishers that simply have to remain in the playlist. Traditionally stock control systems were the domain of UKG and Hallmark, but now that so many companies offer this service or brokerage the choice is much greater. For the first time we have really broken our card selection down into sections as well as bringing in certain publishers for only their speciality areas for example Danilo for children’s ages or Emotional Rescue and Pigment for humour. Our new setlist for our main Buckie store will be a traditional/contemporary control with UKG, Woodmansterne, Five Dollar, Belly Button and White Cotton, along with a lot of smaller publishers.
Above: David was among the throngs at this ACDC concert.
Right: Two industry rockers, PG’s Warren Lomax (right) with David Robertson at the recent Harrogate Home & Gift show. Below right: David Robertson with music legend Clint Boon, best known for being keyboard player and vocalist of Inspiral Carpets. Below: David feels Five Dollar Shake is one publisher that continues to release ‘hit after hit’.
Our small traditional Buckie card shop will feature IC&G, Cherry Orchard, Jonny Javelin, Second Nature and some smaller companies specifically at a cheaper price point while our Elgin store will have elements of both. Our first new control will be installed in September we hope we are ‘in tune’ and see an uplift in sales and customer satisfaction. YOU’VE BEEN THUNDERSTRUCK… While changing our card selection is something we can control, we are often at the mercy of forces far greater than us – including local councils. All across the UK retail is at the mercy of groups of people that supposedly care about the High Street and protecting it, yet they make some strange decisions. We are shortly awaiting major disruption of gas works in Elgin in our street that are going to happen in the peak summer/tourist months. How does that make sense? In Aberdeen they are dealing with the implementation of complicated bus lanes/gates which has seen city centre footfall fall by over 500,000 in less than a year. Do they feel scaring people that they may take a wrong turn and cost themselves £100 is the right way to encourage people to shop in person in towns?
Glasgow among others has also been badly hit with soaring parking costs while ULEZ schemes in various locations are also causing havoc. Now some of you will say this will benefit our long term health, but in real terms most city centres or certainly small towns don’t have the connectivity and we need to make getting in and out of them easy. Do councils purely think about hitting the emissions targets regardless of the businesses that are there. Planning permission is also often given to out of town shops or new centres without any consideration to the ones that are already there. Little help is given to revamp old buildings or get second and third floors above shops into productive use. I could go on, and it is part of the ‘rock n roll’ lifestyle of being a retailer, but it’s not always a sweet song to sing. So, our greatest hits are to make people feel welcome, make it easy for them to come in and navigate the space. Offer products that are attractive and affordable. The only way to make sure that you can let people hear your songs is to sing at the top of your voice, straining every note to put your point across. I believe that good retail, good cards and different gifts are just like AC/DC’s Back in Black or Robbie’s Angels or Oasis’ Rock ‘n’ Roll Star - they are the songs that will never die and they are the things that people will keep wanting to hear, we just have to keep getting them to buy tickets to our gig… l To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.comz PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 19