While Mum is the main caption focus on Mother’s Day products and cards, the top seller, we are enjoying excellent, early, success with Grandma, Gran and Nanna. I stress early in that it’s the Mother’s Day products targeted at the older mother that sell first – maybe because the gifts need to be sent a distance or maybe because we don’t have as many.
Having noticed that the older targeted captioned products sell out early, this year we ordered more – and we ordered a broader range products. In addition to Mother’s Day specific products, we brought in several ranges of all year round products that work for the older gift recipient on Mother’s Day. They are selling out too. We’re thrilled.
Our goal is to be the go-to seasonal store outside of the discount stores in our shopping centre for premium lines – that is, lines that are not discounted, neap and nasty. We change this for major seasons by:
- Going out early.
- Having a broad range of quality product.
- Ensuring greeting cards are core to our offer.
- Using the entire front of the store to focus on the season.
- Changing the display at least once a week.
- Introducing new product part way through the season.
- Always offering a shopper prize for one of our customers.
We’re on track to beat Mother’s Day 2012 for cards and gifts by more than 20% and this is in part due to the broader range of gifts especially serving gift giving for older mums.
Footnote: There is good evidence that terrific Mother’s Day gift story drives card sales.