24-25_Cardsharp.qxp_Layout 1 08/07/2025 16:57 Page 1
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Nailing Jelly To A Wall Is there a company more universally disliked and loved in the gift and card retailing community right now than Jellycat? Independent retailers have conflicting views about the company as the sales generated by these plush items have been a lifeline to many in the last couple of economically challenging times. But quite honestly Cardsharp cringes at some of Jellycat’s recent actions and behaviour. Coupled with the most incredible sales, Jellycat has acquired a reputation for arrogance, poor communication and deplorable service, and the company’s recent actions have hit new heights or new lows whichever way you look at it. Over the last few weeeks Jellycat has sent three different undated letters to its independent stockists, outlining the new distribution policy. Some retailers have been
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granted official stockist status, some have been told they are still in the club but need to up their game and then there is the one, sent to 8% of their stockists, informing them that they are to be delisted. While it is great for those graciously granted the official status, it must be galling for those told in effect, they must try harder, and infuriating for those who have supported Jellycat all these years to find they have been duly dumped. Many of the ‘dumpees’ have let rip, complaining about the worst customer service, not knowing when stock was coming with the company being uncommunicative at best. No reasons were given for being delisted, but conversations with reps reveal a number of nefarious reasons some of which are almost laughable.
Above: Jellycat has had a bit of a wobble on the PR front of late. Below left: This post on Jellycat’s Instagram resulted in some negative reactions from consumers who had heard of 8% of its indie stockists being delisted.
One beautiful card and gift shop was told that stocking balloons in the shop was not deemed in keeping with the Jellycat brand while another was dissed for having the audacity of displaying some products in tubs. Only last year Jellycat dispensed with their long serving sales agents, many of whom had taken the brunt of the company’s poor service, to move to a new employed rep force. This seems a little at odds with the statement made by its co-founder, William Gatacre: “We recognise employees are fundamental in our continued and future success” Another of the company’s recent actions that Cardsharp finds morally reprehensible is its recent attitude to trade shows. Every business has the right to decide whether to exhibit or not at a trade show. But if you take the decision not to exhibit, in Cardsharp’s view, there is nothing worse than setting up shop at a venue nearby and nabbing buyers from the show to see your offering. You are in effect stealing from the show organisers, who spent a fortune on the venue and the marketing. Moreover, some of the indie stockists (who have since been dumped) are understandably maddened by having been forced to visit the Jellycat ‘showroom’ in