Festivities are all upbeat for Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood
As one of the instigators of the #Cardmitment campaign, Sincerely Yours’ owner Kaye Thurgood has been committed from the start.
And, with the greetings trade so reliant on a decent Christmas trade, anything that boosts card sending and the joy it brings is a winner in her eyes.
PG has been checking in with members of The Cardmitments WhatApp indie retail group and here it’s Kaye’s turn to explain how the season is going down at her two stores in Shenfield and Hornchurch…
Christmas Hunch: “I am very positive about Christmas trade this year, probably the most upbeat I’ve felt for years. Early trade for us is strong – we went out fully with our Christmas cards and gifts on 23 September as a number of customers had been asking for it and, unusually this year, very few customers have moaned about seeing the cards out on display so early.
“We had our busiest October on record and a lot of that is down to early sales of gift lines for Christmas presents, as I think people are looking to spread the cost. A lot of customers are coming in to buy gifts and then shop for Christmas cards as they see them there.
“We took part in the GCA# Cardmitment Challenge as it’s a fantastic way to engage with our customers to drive home the positives of card sending at Christmas.
“I do feel the #Cardmitment messaging is having an all-year-round impact, as I’ve found our everyday card sales have been stronger than ever all year. The initiative has gained traction over the past 12 months and I’d like to believe it’s making a difference.
“We will continue to focus on the positives of card sending in relation to Royal Mail – any mention of stamp prices from customers our response is always to encourage them to send early by using second-class post while reinforcing how lucky we are to still have a reliable postal service.”
Playing Your Cards: “So far, it’s the traditional Christmas card designs that are selling stronger than ever. Large single captioned cards are very eye-catching and, again, early sales are exceptionally good.
“Sales of Christmas card boxes are ahead of this time last year, but small charity packs are slow which I think is down to perceived value as the cards are smaller.”
Dear Santa: “I’d like Santa to bring record numbers of customers to us up until 5pm on Christmas Eve, and then let me put my feet up for a few days with precious family moments.”
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.
