Waitrose has given its greeting card departments their biggest shake up for many years – all part of its quest to double the grocer’s card sales in the next five years.
A completely new selection of card designs, anchored by a Unique and Different bespoke range, is now on the racks of all 350 Waitrose stores.
As part of a partnership arrangement with Hallmark, the largest percentage of the new 1,500 greeting card portfolio are bespoke designs that have been developed largely by the designated Waitrose team at Hallmark Studios under a new ‘Unique and Different’ banner. The remainder of the card designs are sourced from 25 different greeting card publishers.
Though still very early days, Kirsty Hicks, whose buying remit spans greeting cards, wrap, stationery, candles and home fragrance, is “thrilled” that sales “have started to lift” as Waitrose customers are responding positively to the fresh collection.
The anticipated growth on its greeting card sales is expected to partly come from existing card buying customers being encouraged to buy more cards from Waitrose as a result of the refreshed selection, but the real prize will be through encouraging more of the grocer’s customers who currently do not buy their cards from Waitrose to do so.
Work is now underway on new fixturing and Point of Sale that will chime with the new look.
(A full article will appear in the October edition of Progressive Greetings).
