Children’s Cards
The e kikids
are are alrialright!
These days, every section of the store has to give
you a return but when it comes to children’s cards
the price has to be right.
Letterbox
t might sound obvious, but kids rarely
“Novelty
Abel splits her children’s offer into
I
get to choose the cards they send and two main areas: Control and Wild. The
consequently don’t have much input into
cards don’t
former is the store’s ‘integrated’ range, Top Tips
the buying decision. which is administered by card publisher,
Jane Hewitt of Twizler outlins her
The fact is mums, aunties and work as Woodmansterne. This is where customers can
approach to merchandising children’s
grandmothers, buy most children’s cards fi nd the age ranges for children 1 – 10.
and the male side of the equation lets them
well as they
cards.
But in the Wild area she chooses blank and
get on with it. When was the last time you saw
used to. It
non-aged birthday cards and refreshes the
If you have the
a father, uncle or grandfather browsing the offer regularly for both children’s and juvenile.
room put a
aisles for a children’s card?
pushes the
“Kids cards is a fairly low part of our retail
spinner in and
For the retailer then the challenge is offer,” says Abel. “Around 20% and failrly static
watch sales
selecting a range that will appeal mostly to
price up and
in growth terms. But it’s an essential part of
soar – Twizler
female customers and making sure they fi t the the mix.
provided its
budget.
customers
‘The thing is, the style of cards nowadays
spinners free
Price is an important factor when it comes are much more modern. Even the younger
to cards for kids. Mothers know just how don’t want
of charge
age ranges are just as aware of things like
providing
expensive it can be to keep up with classroom
to spend
computers, iPods and skateboards as their
a certain
birthdays and the constant requirement for teenage counterparts.
spend level is
good quality, well-designed cards that won’t
too much on
Despite the need to monitor prices closely
reached.
break the bank. the children’s market offers retailers and
kids cards.
publishers alike a strong opportunity to grow
● Display childrens cards in a well
Finding the optimum
Suzie Abel,
their card sales.
marked section – not an add on
“In my 30 years of trading I’ve found that
Jarrolds
Smart retailers know that they need
wholesale age cards do best for me,” says to apply the same logic to merchandising
● Select cards that appeal to children –
Colin Woolley of Emotions Cards & Gifts in children’s cards as they do to grown up’s.
strong imagery
Wolverhampton. “I’ve tried the theme route How often do you go into a card and gift shop
and licensed characters like Bob The Builder and have to search for the children’s section
● Boys seem to prefer bold colours
and Spiderman but the sales performance has – it is so often tucked away at the back and
Girls cards need to be pretty
been nominal in comparison. poorly merchandised.
“I think it’s because we are not in the city
Woodmansterne
A more prominent position for children’s
● Choose cards that have an added
centre and occupy a secondary position as a sections can only help boost
feature – google eyes, badges, joke
town shop. Our customers are older and are sales.
cards, crystals rotating cards
more likely to want a Simon Elvin-style card or Stores that specialise in
something that’s a bit cheaper. Younger buyers childrens products can add
Twizler has focussed on kids cards since it
would probably fi nd out what the kids were profi t to their bottom line
launched some 9 years ago. Our designs
into and buy something that refl ected that. by selling greeting cards for
tend to be drawn from a child’s perspective
“On a scale of 1-10 I’d say that the children – after all it is an add
using bold colours for boys and a soter
children’s section of my four stores probably on to buying the gift – wht
palette for girls. Think about licensed
rates a three in terms of overall importance.” send the customer elsewhere.
merchandise such as bob the builder –
According to Suzie Abel of Jarrolds Simplicity is key when it
imagery is drawn from a child’s perspective
department store in Norwich the old-fashioned comes to kids cards – a simple
and colours are strong – we do tend to
birthday badge cards have had their day. message, a strong illustration,
add an extra dimension to our cards such
“Novelty cards don’t work as well as they an additional feature and a
as our rotating cards – kids love to play
used to either,” she adds. “It pushes the price sensible price point are the
with these and create their own images by
up and the one thing we’ve found is that ingredients to a successful
turning wheels. may seem extravagant but
customers don’t want to spend to much on future when it comes to selling
it works – it makes the cards more special.
kids cards. A price point somewhere under £2 children’s cards.
seems to be optimum.”
30 Greetings Today
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