Debuting on the same day that Moonpig has floated on the London stock exchange (which looks set to value the market leading online greeting card operator at £1.2 billion), Card Factory, the UK’s largest ‘bricks and mortar’ player, has launched a mobile app as part of its mission to further grow its market share.
Card Factory, in common with many other high street players has seen its online sales increase over the last year, largely as a result of the pandemic. In the 11 months to the end of 2020, its online sales increased 137% while store revenue dipped 38%.
https://www.pgbuzz.net/impact-of-lockdowns-to-push-card-factory-10m-into-the-red/
The launch of the app follows the relaunch of Card Factory’s website (www.cardfactory.co.uk) last July, the same month that the retail group presented its five-year strategy at a Capital Markets Day, with a bolstering of its online presence very much forming part of its market share growth strategy.
Echoing predictions made at Card Factory’s Markets Day, part of Moonpig’s pitch to investors are that online sales of greeting cards are set to double to 20% of the total market by 2024 (https://www.pgbuzz.net/moonpig-predicts-uks-online-card-sales-to-double-to-20-by-2024/) So there is much for Card Factory to protect and to play for.
Card Factory’s new mobile app, which is free to download for Apple and Android users, will allow consumers to easily access the retailer’s online product portfolio which now includes thousands of cards, gifts, wrapping paper, balloons and other gifts.
Among its features, the new app offers a ‘verse finder’ for customers who want help finding the right words, a product wishlist facility as well as a reminder system, so special events and birthdays will not be missed while also including a store finder function to link back to the physical stores.
As Glyn Williams, Card Factory’s customer, marketing and ecommerce director commented: “We are excited to launch our new Card Factory app, which forms a key part of our online and digital strategy. The app is easy to use and has a variety of features so that customers can explore our full range of value-for-money products and have them delivered straight to their door with our high standards of customer service. At Card Factory, our purpose is simple: to help people celebrate life moments. This app will help our customers celebrate the days that are special to them during the difficult months ahead.”
It is not just on the online front that Card Factory has been keen to share its progress. Having anticipated that it was looking likely to breach its banking covenant at the end of January (https://www.pgbuzz.net/impact-of-lockdowns-to-push-card-factory-10m-into-the-red/) Card Factory secured an extra month’s grace from its banking syndicate.
In a trading update issued on January 29, Paul Moody, executive chairman of Card Factory said: “We remain in constructive discussions with our banks, and have agreed a process to continue to explore a range of potential solutions, with scope for further extensions to the waivers as this process continues.”
Top: The new app is being promoted on the Card Factory website.
