With Mother’s Day falling early this year (11 March), retailers have had to be on the ball with getting stock out as soon as Valentine’s Day was over. But despite the short sales window and bad weather this week, cardies have high hopes for event, with early sales looking promising.
“Mother’s Day is without doubt the second biggest event behind Christmas,” says David Robertson, managing director of the JP Pozzi and Bijou shops in Buckie and Elgin in Moray, Scotland. “We put out all our Mother’s Day cards as soon as we could on 15 February as in effect we only have three weeks until Mothering Sunday. As with Valentine’s I always think both the big players and indies spring product is very fresh and innovative. Mother’s Day achieves without doubt a better sell through than any other spring occasion but when it is this early it tends to surprise people as it is barely in March.”
For Paperchase, Mother’s Day sales have started well, but with the occasion fighting with Valentine’s Day early on Hazel Walker, senior buyer for cards and wrap hopes “we will see a sales lift as it gains more space and momentum.”
Irene Baylis, owner of Harriet and Dee in Didsbury and Chester told PG Buzz yesterday (28 February) that Mother’s Day sales had not “started to really take off yet,” in her two stores, but she was staying calm. “It is the one event that always does OK.”
Mother’s Day is historically a successful event for Mark Janson-Smith’s London-based Postmark shops, but a later one is always better. “Actual Mother’s Day card sales grow year on year, but moreover the extra footfall it brings works better for the overall sales when running for the whole of March.”
* As part of its support for the occasion, Royal Mail has partnered with singer songwriter, Una Healy (formerly of The Saturdays) who is also keen designer and devoted mum of two to produce a limited edition Mother’s Day card, selling for £8.50 with all the proceeds going to its charity partner, Action for Children.
The design (only 100 of the cards have been produced) features an ornate acoustic guitar, bold roses, a regal-looking stork and finished with one of the star’s favourite Gaelic quotes, meaning ‘may the wind be always at your back’.
The message inside the card reads: ‘You Rock My World Mum’
The card is being sold from Royal Mail’s online shop.
