Card Factory has opened concessions within two Matalan stores as a trial with the value clothing and homewares retailer.
Commenting on this recent development, Karen Hubbard, ceo of Card Factory told PG Buzz that this is in line with its “strategy of trialing new routes to market for the Card Factory brand.”
Card Factory’s preliminary trial in Matalan, which has been running for less than a month, involves a branded ‘store within store’ concession, in Matalan’s store in Cortonwood Retail Park in Barnsley as well as within its store in Wavertree, Liverpool.
“Although this is very early stage, we are pleased to be working with Matalan, a brand which shares our focus on quality and value,” added Karen.
This trial is the latest example of Card Factory flexing its retailing activity, both in the UK and overseas, as part of its ambitious expansion plan. “As we get closer to our goal of 1,200 stores, we are exploring different ways of growing Card Factory by looking to work with retailers whose values are similar to ours,” says Karen.
Karen told PG that the business had learned a lot about the “power of the Card Factory brand” when it ran concessions in six Office Outlet stores. “We picked the locations that were not near to an existing Card Factory shop and feedback we received was that our brand drove customers into the store”.
Trials are also underway in Australia where Card Factory has installed concessions of eight of The Reject Shop’s 350 stores. The Australian value retailer has openly staked its ambitions to be a ‘disrupter’ on the greeting card front offering the Australian public quality cards at value prices. While the Card Factory trial is confined to eight stores, the remaining estate is supplied with greeting cards by Artwrap, part of the IG Design Group.
Closer to home, a franchised Card Factory store has just opened in Guernsey. This follows on from one that opened under a franchise agreement in Jersey at the end of last year as well as one in the Isle of Man.
Card Factory is continuing its trial to supply 112 Aldi stores with a selection of cards, but while the cards themselves do feature the Card Factory logo these are not concessions.
“What this provides is an opportunity for impulse sales from the Aldi shopper who can pick up a good quality value card while they are doing their general shopping. The display of 70 cards, all of which retail at 99p, makes it very easy for the Aldi shopper. We are confident that the planned card buyer will still visit a Card Factory store for the full selection,” believes Karen.
Top: Matalan now has Card Factory concessions in two of its stores.
