39_41_43_45_47_49__Retail Barometer.qxp_Grid 19/01/2024 19:37 Page 11
PG Retail Barometer
How do you view seeing catalogues and actual card samples?
Into which product areas would you like to further diversify? 1st Jewellery (4th)
16% Not important
2nd= Stationery (3rd) 2nd= Sustainable Products (2nd) 68% Very important
16% Important
3rd= Chocolates/Confectionery (5th=) 3rd= Candles/Home Fragranced Products (6th=) 4th Fashion Accessories and Bags (8th=) 4th Impulse Products (6th=) 5th Home Accessories (7th=) 6th= Plush (new) 6th= Sentiment-based gifts (new) 6th= Giftwrappings (8th=)
Do you see your online ordering as likely to increase in the coming year? 40% 57% 3%
Increase Remain the Same Decrease
8th= Pet Products (7th=)
Increase the number Remain about the same Decrease the number
How have service levels from suppliers been over the last year? 2% 17% 75% 3% 3%
Improved Significantly Improved Slightly Remained the Same Decreased Slightly Decreased Significantly
Would you consider being supplied via a brokerage system? 10% 62% 28%
Yes Undecided No
Do you see geographical exclusivity of supply as an issue? 45% 55%
Yes No
8th= Clothing (7th=) 8th= Gardening Products (11th=) 9th= Advents/Calendars (12th=) 9th= Wellbeing Products (7th=) 9th= Bath and Body Products (6th=) 9th= Balloons and Partyware (7th=) 9th= Kitchenware and Tableware (11th=) 10th= Art and Crafting Products (11th=) 10th= Local/Localised Products (10th) RRPs of cards, but the vast majority (74%) would like them to remain at 2023 levels. As for the real price ‘pressure points’, continuing the trend of last four years, indies are most fearful of breaking through the £2.99 barrier, with (shown in order of responses) £3.99, £3.50, £4.99, £2.75, £2.25, £1.99 and £4.25 being the next most sensitive.
In the coming year would you like to see the Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs) of counter cards? 7% Go Up 74% Remain As Now 19% Come Down
In a Word
The Selection Box On the product diversification front, jewellery has jumped into pole position with stationery and sustainability products sharing the silver spot with chocolate/confectionery clinching the bronze, with plush and sentiment gifts joining the line-up for the first time.
7th= Food Gifts (7th=) 7th= Books (9th)
As far as the number of suppliers from whom you order, do you expect to… 29% 42% 29%
6th= Children’s Products (5th=)
There was an equal balance between positive words and negative descriptors in the Barometer question which asked indies to select the word they feel best describes the UK greeting card industry today. The word ‘Vibrant’ came out tops this year on the positive front while it is also seen as ‘Resilient’ though ‘Challenging’ by many.
Below: Belly Button Designs has been savvy in its expansion into stationery, jewellery, gifts and jewellery.
The top ten POSITIVE descriptors… Vibrant, Creative, Collaborative, Resilient, Exciting, Buoyant, Determined, Hopeful, Innovative and Growing
Is the price right?
The top five NEUTRAL descriptors… Eclectic, Adaptable, Surviving, Competitive and Family
In the face of inevitable cost rises battering us from all angles, some 6% of respondents are actively calling for an increase in
The top five NEGATIVE descriptors… Challenging, Worrying, Fragile, Oversupplied and Declining PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 49