Christmas tingles are zapping through Hugs & Kisses’ Caroline Ranwell
Caroline Ranwell is truly getting the Christmas tingles already as The Cardmitments WhatsApp indie retail group member is feeling pretty positive about how the festive trade has got underway.
The greetings sector is very reliant on a decent run-up to the Christmas season, and making sure the importance of sending festive cards goes a long way towards that.
As PG checks in with The Cardmitments WhatApp members, Hugs & Kisses owner Caroline reveals how the golden quarter is progressing in Tettenhall…
Christmas hunch: “I’m feeling really positive about Christmas this year and am expecting our trade to be slightly up on last year. Customers were asking for Christmas cards and gifts even earlier this year which is good news.
“We’re in a small village and our customers seem to want to shop local, and also seem to really want to support the small independent shops which is wonderful.
“We were involved in the #Cardmitment Instagram challenge – as can be seen in the reel below – to help promote the sending of Christmas cards which is so, so important. It’s all about reminding people how wonderful it is to send and receive cards and how much it can mean to people to receive them.
“Many people, like me, keep cards for many, many years and still have cards from their childhood, reinforcing just how special they are to all of us.”
Playing your cards: “I always put my Christmas cards out early September, despite the moans and groans from many customers, for three reasons:
- Older customers ask for them as they like to start buying early to spread the cost.
- I plan my card displays myself and stock so many publishers, it takes a long time to get the display exactly right, so early is good.
- Christmas cards are on sale very early in other town centre retailers so we really need to do the same.
“While we have our Christmas cards on display in September, our Christmas window doesn’t go in until 1 November as soon as Halloween is over. Our window was then transformed to a winter wonderland and our customers love it.
“Single Christmas cards, particularly relations titles, are our strong point and are such huge sellers. However, every year the sales level of open Christmas cards shocks me as we sell so, so many!
“Boxes of Christmas cards definitely don’t sell the way they used to, we still offer a good selection, but probably a third fewer than we did 10 years ago. Charity packs now sell much better for us than boxes, but even those don’t sell the way they did. I believe this is mostly due to the ridiculous rise in stamp prices.
“In Tettenhall it’s traditional Christmas cards that are the top sellers. However, our contemporary hand-finished cards are a huge seller too, hence the reason we have a big spinner of hand-finished larger cards too as these sell so well.
“We don’t seem to sell as many humorous cards, but the ranges that we do stock, sell well.”
Dear Santa: “If I had one wish for Christmas it would definitely be for a reduction in the price of postage!”
These views appear in the November issue of Progressive Greetings which can be read online, and any indie retailer who wants to join the Cardmitments WhatsApp group should email Heidi Early heidi@earlybirddesigns.co.uk.
