This handmade in the shop wreath featuring Christmas cards is getting comments from shoppers. It is also attracting people to the shop to see it and the products it is helping to promote.
It is bright, unique and celebratory. It is unlike any other card or Christmas-themed collateral in Australia right now.
The wreath sits as a centrepiece, above some of our boxed cards.
Being double sided, the wreath pitches to shoppers outside the business as well as those inside.
What I like about the wreath is that it pitches joyful greetings. I think that is a terrific Christmas pitch without being over the top.
I also like that it was made in the shop and features cards we have available for purchase.
You know you have a winner when a competitor comes and takes close up photos.
I first saw a wreath like this in the US a week ago in several outlets of a card and gift chain that has no connection with Australia. That one was one sided and did not contain some of the elements of this wreath. So, leveraging the US idea, we added our own touches and created something that pops beautifully, something that is unique in Australia.
A how-to guide was created for newsXpress members to create the wreath locally. This includes step by step photos and advice on the physical assembly as well as advice on how to make the card envelopes visually pop.
Looking at boxed and single Christmas card sales for October, we are ahead of this time last year, which was ahead of the year before. We are thrilled with the double-digit growth.
All card retailers need to engage with the category beyond keeping pockets full. We need to encourage people to buy and send cards, we need to remind people of the emotional connection as well as of the value of the memories when cards are looked at down the track.
Australians by less than half the cards per capita than people in the UK do and around 25% less than people in the US do. We, along with suppliers, need to grow engagement, we need new card shoppers and we need card shoppers spending more.
I think one way to do this is to appeal to the emotion of the giving. There is no downside for retailers in pursuing this.
This wreath is a small part of a much bigger strategy that focusses on growing card sales by converting people to card buyers and providing them an in-store experience that guides a deeper basked purchase from the category.