Nicky Stephenson, partner of The Tutbury Present Company, Tutbury shares her views on how she feels publishers are shaping up on the service front and how the changing retailing and publishing landscape is panning out.
How would you rank service from greeting card suppliers?
“I feel that the service we receive from the majority of our suppliers today is exemplary. There are lots of options for ordering – over the phone, with a rep/agent or in a lot of cases, online via their trade websites, which is beneficial to both parties.”
Online v sales rep/agent?
“Personally, I prefer to order online for my everyday card buying and then see reps for the larger seasonal orders. Once we have seen the quality and look of a card range, either at trade shows, via a rep or from requested samples, we are happy to order our cards via websites. This allows us to order exactly when needed without waiting for appointments or holding too much stock.”
What’s on your wishlist for improvements on the service front from publishers?
“A couple of our existing card suppliers allow us to order what we need when we need it without a minimum carriage paid. This means we can keep those best selling designs in stock all the time without waiting for the next full order. Ideal when there is an unexpected rush on a particular caption! My wish would be that all suppliers would allow us to do this.”
