Card Factory is looking to expand from 48 stores in retail parks
The UK retail parks market is expected to grow by 13.8% between 2017 and 2022, with the sector set to outperform the high street, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.
Retail parks are believed to have become more attractive to shoppers as they become less dominated by traditional out-of-town retailers within sectors such as electricals and DIY and gardening, and more by high street retailers, including greeting card shops.
Card Factory already has 48 stores on retail parks and will be opening more. Paperchase and Cardzone are other specialists to have spotted the opportunities.
Karen Hubbard, ceo of Card Factory told PG Buzz: “A customer will only go so far to buy a card. If they have other more convenient alternatives they will shop there. We recently opened stores in retail parks in Preston and Durham, where we also have high street stores, but sales were unaffected,” reveals Karen. She says that a key reason this is a growth area for specialist retailers is down to landlords changing their attitudes towards accommodating smaller units meaning that Card Factory can now join the likes of Costa Coffee, Holland & Barrett and phone shops to offer shoppers more of what they want.
Charlotte Pearce, retail analyst for GlobalData points out that: “The retail parks landscape is changing drastically as discounters in particular are rapidly expanding their share of the market. Indeed, retailers such as Aldi, Lidl, Home Bargains, and Poundland have grown their presence, leveraging their low price points to draw in shoppers.”
She concludes: “Despite the clear opportunities offered by retail parks, offline retail remains a challenge as consumers continue to shop online. Retailers must embrace multichannel and support the growth of click and collect in stores, highlighting the convenience of retail park stores for consumers, such as free parking and ease of access.”
