Craft Focus - Jun/Jul (Issue 73)

96 Ask the experts “I’d like to refresh my papercraft offer in-store. What are this year’s biggest trends?” Foiling is way ahead of the trend curve this year. Customers are looking for both backgrounds and key elements with a shiny finish. As a retailer you have a choice of ready-foiled products or home foiling machines, which are becoming more popular. Customers often want the huge variety that pre-foiled items can provide, and many companies are now offering basic ranges that can be coloured as preferred, in addition to fully foiled collections. Personalisation is another leading trend this year and the easiest way to achieve this is to invest in alphabet and number stamps or dies. These allow crafters to add names, monograms and dates to all kinds of projects. Consider stocking a range of sizes and fonts in both stamps and dies, depending on the preferences of your customers. Living coral is Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2019, so keep your eye out for products in this shade. Co-ordinating tones will be coming through in both papercraft collections and basics like cardstock and ribbon. Our experts answer your craft and retail dilemmas SIMON BURNS Managing director, ICHF Events chsi.co.uk Simon is managing director of ICHF Events, organiser of CHSI Stitches. Next year’s show takes place from 16 th -18 th February at the NEC, Birmingham. “Now that I’m increasingly dealing with customers and suppliers online, is it still worth exhibiting at trade shows?” Yes, undoubtedly so. Many will argue that it’s never been more important. Have you ever tried to find out what’s new across the craft industry on the internet? This is not an easy task. It’s also impossible to try out the latest industry innovations online. The digital age has brought many benefits to the industry but standing out and cutting through online ‘noise’ is vital. Face-to-face interaction is essential and trade shows facilitate this like nothing else. Buyers can get hands-on with products and learn how to demonstrate them to their customers. Digital communication undoubtedly plays a very important role in the industry but for building strong and lasting business relationships, nothing beats meeting in person. A handshake has a lasting impact that a click never will. CLAIRE HAMER Trade sales manager, Hunkydory Crafts hunkydorycrafts.co.uk Claire is a well-known presence in the crafting world and has worked with many independent and larger retailers over the years. If you have a question for our experts, why not email us at editor@craftfocus.com or tweet us @craftfocus “There are so many craft products available – how can I be sure I’m choosing items that my customers want to buy?” With my marketing hat on, I’d look at this from the perspective of core, commodity and luxury categories. If a craft shop is popular with card-makers, for example, its core lines would be paper and envelopes. Commodity items may include glue and double-sided tape, while luxuries could be kits or motorised cutting machines. Think about products that link to your current range; how will the item enhance sales, will it fit with your current assortment and is it seasonal? Once this is clear in your mind, ask yourself if it will sell at the intended price point. If it meets all these requirements it has a good chance of being stocked and sold. When in doubt, stick to core and commodity lines, particularly during tough trading times. The culture of ‘make do and mend’ in challenging periods works in our favour! MARK WILSON Director, Creative Products Distribution creative-distribution.co.uk Mark is director of Creative Products Distribution. The company imports and supplies a wide range of craft and hobby supplies including Beacon Adhesives.