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VIEWPOINTS
Christmas Tingles Mince pies are already a firm fixture in shops, various Advent calendar incarnations have been bombarding our inboxes for weeks and greeting card retailers are bracing themselves for this year’s festive trading rollercoaster. PG checked in with several key cardies to find out more about their Christmas tingles.
Miles Robinson, co-owner of House of Cards, seven shops in the Home Counties Christmas Tingles: “I feel we are on for a robust Christmas. The last quarter has traded well, showing early double-digit growth which has to be good news.” Putting On The Glitz: “We put our Christmas boxes out in the stores at the end of September, a smidge earlier than usual, but introduced them Above: House of Cards’ Miles Robinson is hoping that Christmas earlier online and saw card sending will be strong this year. Below: House of Cards launches an early pick up on Christmas on its online site before sales, which is a going for it in its shops. This Quentin Blake design features in positive sign. We are Woodmansterne’s charity box range. continuing our more premium focus on Christmas cards and have extended this into our gift selection for this year.” Angels At Work: “For all the general doom and gloom in the media, from what we’re seeing the consumer is pushing back and is keen to show they care to people that matter to them. With mental health very much at the forefront of society, it does seem that we, as individuals, are trying to help on this front, and the sending of Christmas cards is very much part of this.”
Michael Apter, owner of Paper Tiger, four stores in Edinburgh Christmas Tingles: “I think that ultimately it will be OK.” Putting On The Glitz: “As ever we put our Christmas selection out in early September. Some customers may roll their eyes, but invariably they then go and have a look anyway. Customers know what’s coming, after all fashion retailers always put their Winter clothing out in August. Continuing the strategy we have been following for much of this year, we will be putting a big focus on customer service. Integral to this is our reframe of what we previously referred to as the ‘shopfloor’ to it being seen very much as the ‘salesfloor’. As part of this we have Above right: Having just completed the superceded the task-orientated Edinburgh 10K, Paper Tiger’s Michael Apter is fit for the Christmas trading marathon. responsibilities of our store team to one Below: Christmas products have been on sale in Paper Tiger stores for weeks now. that means they are very much there to Below right: An Advent card from The Art serve and sell to the customer. This File that Paper Tiger is stocking. strategy shift has already resulted in sales improvements that we believe will really come into its own in the run up to Christmas.” Angels At Work: “Consumers are already buying Christmas cards in our stores, which is a very good sign.”
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 25