Monday February 4 2019 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM


talking trade Gifts can make all the difference


The Giſtware Association chairman Henri Davis discusses the evolving role of ‘giſtable’ products in the housewares sector


maintain sales at the moment. Now, more than ever, every little bit helps. Offering relevant and related products to supplement your housewares offer could be one way of increasing sales by driving up your average transaction value. But what is a ‘gift’ and how


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can they relate to housewares? When I first started in retail, anything bought as a gift was presented on the shelf as such, be it in a special box, with packaging incorporating a ribbon or, at certain times of year, the product would say ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ or similar. I think the market has moved on. Retailers can’t afford to stock items with such limited appeal that they can only be sold in the run-up to a specific event. And more and more customers want to ensure that whatever they buy is going to be useful to the recipient. That doesn’t stop it being nice as well, but the days of gratuitous gifting are definitely declining. In fact, I would suggest that for someone starting up a small business, a shredder could easily be perceived as a very welcome gift. So with that in mind, what type of ‘giftable’ products would be relevant


to stock in a housewares shop? Well, if you take my example of the shredder and the shift away from gratuitous gifting, then the products you already sell that could be considered as gifts will be significant, depending on your customers and their reasons for purchasing. Talking to your customers to find out what they’re looking for is a great


way to put forward ‘ideal gift suggestions’: introduce ideas to them, and guide them around the shop to find these products. I would suggest your starting point is to think about the seasonal occasions which can create opportunities for you. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter are obvious examples - and these events give you a great reason to create fresh window and front of store displays, highlighting gift ideas with strong and striking POS. We know that weddings are a great gifting opportunity for


housewares. The bridal season is well under way now, and then we’re into Father’s Day and summer barbecues and picnics. So, as you can see, you can create a plan for the whole year - and by putting together these displays, you are starting to highlight gifting ideas which will make your customers’ lives easier - and hopefully encourage new customers to shop with you too. This type of planning works for all product areas, so get creative about


how you are using your existing stock. But what else can you add from linked product areas? My specialist area is stationery and cards. For me, stationery is a great fit because the bulk of design-led and gift stationery purchasers are female - as are card purchasers. A small range of fun party lines could


June 2018 • HousewaresLive.net


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nyone involved in retail knows just how hard it is to


make an interesting addition too (selling slightly higher priced items rather than £1 packs of balloons and candles). If you’re thinking of introducing other product categories into your


shop, you want to know that they have a good chance of success. Here are some factors to consider. Is the product relevant for your customers? Does the brand reflect the same qualities as your shop? Are the retail price points right for your business? Do you have space and the right fixtures to display the range effectively? If, having considered these points, you still feel you want to go ahead,


then you need to know if the supplier will allow you to place a small initial order, so you can run a trial. Ask them to recommend a range of best sellers for you to test. And if your local competitors are stocking a similar range, make sure your offer is distinct, different and better. Finally, make sure your customers know that you have this new range in stock.


• Henri Davis is an independent retail advisor to businesses in the cards, gifts, stationery and heritage industries. With 30 years of retail experience, she has worked at Habitat, Next, WH Smith and the National Trust. Henri is the first retailer to hold the role of chairman of the Giftware Association. www.henridavis.co.uk


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