Have you cut back on gift spending?

[Bloomwhereyoureplanted]

This may seem like a 'bleeding obvious' question, but if any of you have ever bought a make up bag or tote bag or set of nice tea towels/apron/oven gloves for someone as a gift.. have you reduced your spend on those sorts of things in 2020 because of all that's going on?

This is what my little business sells... where I sell something those people are delighted, but getting the word out and increasing those sales... it's not easy. So I wonder if I'm just trying to push water uphill. Just wondered what everyone's thoughts are please?

How do you normally sell your items and has that changed? The items you mention are things I would buy for Xmas gifts and would generally pick them up at fairs and events through the summer and autumn, obviously those haven’t happened this year. In person it’s easy to decide if the item is good quality.

If you sell online you really need to go all out on the photography and emphasise quality, satisfied customers, competitive pricing as I’ve noticed an awful lot of people locally are setting up their own Facebook pages selling homemade items. No idea how good some of those makers are, so if it was a completely new business I would be a bit wary of quality. If you have a history then I might view it differently.

Overall I am spending less this year though. Mainly because I seriously doubt I will be able to see a lot of family due to restrictions and distance, and so will probably send money directly for them to choose things themselves.

Thank you for your thoughts. I only started last year. Straight into Brexit uncertainty and now Covid! My timing always was immaculate!

I absolutely get what you're saying about quality and I try to photograph everything to show that, plus I highlight testimonials on social and so on. You're right I've noticed a lot of homemade items popping up too, in a way there is a charm about those whereas I've gone higher end and have mine made in a factory, albeit on a small basis. Which also therefore costs me a lot, but I wanted to stand out by quality. I just wonder if the market is more price sensitive for those sorts of products maybe. It's interesting about sending money directly I hadn't thought of that. I have offered gift messages and sending direct to the recipient. Thanks so much for your thoughts.

How established is your business? And, as PP says, where do you usually sell?

I haven’t reduced spending on gifts (both adults in our house still employed) but I am conscious I’d like my money to work for smaller and local businesses, rather than Amazon or bigger companies. So that could be an angle for your marketing.

Yes, we have/will reduce spending on adult gifts this year. Everything is so uncertain that is seems sensible.

NoSquirrels - mainly online, my own website and Etsy (where it's easy to get completely lost amongst others). I'm trying Google ads (2nd mortgage!), social (hard work! not much back for that yet) and building my own newsletter.

SoUtterlyGroundDown - I should have nicked your user name!! Lol. But yes of course it makes sense, in a way it confirms what I'm thinking.

If anything i would increase my spend on these types of items this year because of a number of reasons.

1. I don't want to go out and queue forver and have to work a mask while shopping.
2. I want to support smaller businesses.
3. I'm more conscious of buying things people will use and that are more unique.

I think you should market to people who want to support businesses etc..

So you sound like my perfect customer Cheeseybites, I definitely market myself as a small business supporting UK manufacturing, mention it a lot on social media etc. For one thing I know the people working in this factory now so it's nice to have that personal relationship and to know that in some (very!) small way I am helping to support that.

But how would I find you, as a customer I mean? And in this massive sea that is e-commerce? Where would you shop online for things like this normally? I wonder if I'm missing a trick/website somewhere?

I will definitely be cutting back this year and have already discussed with family that it will be a low key Christmas.

The things you mentioned I might have picked up if they caught my eye while I was out shopping say in a supermarket or large store but I wouldn’t seek them out online. This year I don’t intend to wander round the shops like I used to plus we are under local lockdown in my area so trying to avoid going out and about much.

I second everything cheeseybites says. I'm actively looking to support small companies atm and i just love buying beautiful things generally.

Are you allowed to link to your website here?

I think you need to approach high street shops too - do you have an independent gift shop near to you locally who might stock your goods? You need as many channels to market as possible. You also need to be targeting e.g. glossy magazines for gift round-ups - start with your local ones, usually each region has one, and work up to sending samples to other lifestyle mags. Pitch your ‘first year in business in a pandemic’ story and so on. Don’t rely just on the goods themselves, is what I mean - you need to have a brand story to pitch to get your name noticed.

How big is your email list? Your money is in your list and it really pays (literally and figuratively) to build it up. What do you know, that is linked to what you sell, that you can share? Give away free digital content that is great value and it will build your email list.

Try getting into magazine and newspaper gift guides.

As a PP mentioned, email is a great channel to target potentially interested customers. Maybe try a competition or discount code to get them to subscribe.

Assume you're already advertising on local community Facebook pages.

As PP mentioned a brand story is important. Maybe approach a local newspaper with the angle of trading in the pandemic. supporting local business, how Xmas will be different this year?? Anything really to get a story out there and a chance to build awareness of what you sell.

Reviews are great, if people are happy to tag you in on social media, their contacts will see and maybe start following/have a look.

Hope that sparks some ideas! Good luck!

Just thought of something else... to encourage people to share on social media, some brands do competitions eg share a picture to be entered in a prize draw etc or do something unexpected that might prompt people to share - a hand written thank you, free gift, picture of your dog!? Anything really that people might want to share and tag you in!

Cute prints OP but honestly I don’t think I could bring myself to spend £22 on oven gloves.

They are beautiful... but £11 for a tea towel.

I have been spending much more on gifts and mostly from independent sellers via NOTHS or Etsy.
My job is secure and I have been trying to send random little gifts to friends and relations to cheer them along.

Thanks for your honesty re costs. It gives me a chance to explain that making in the UK costs such a lot more (min wage/UK overheads etc.) than importing. I've also used a thick cotton and the dye process means the wash fastness is better than a lot of others (colours are washed and steamed in so they last longer). So it is all about the quality for me, which can be hard to get across in photos. I've made them with the gift market in mind so the prints/detailing/quality makes them that extra bit special. I'm a bit biased, obvs! But I get that the resulting cost isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Scarby9 I think that's lovely, I sent a big box of chocolate biscuits up to the factory the other week to cheer them along too (on the basis that chocolate usually improves my day). They're all working with distancing and screens in place, the whole world feels a bit upside down doesn't it.

Anyway thanks all! It's all useful feedback so thanks for taking the time to look and let me know what you think.

Your stuff is gorgeous!

Also the made in the UK, lovely prints etc looks v much like the sort of thing you see in shopping guides in magazines like Country Living. They also love a mum runs a small business story.

Hi OP, just took a look at your website and your prints are beautiful. I noticed a couple of little things when using your website on my mobile which were annoying. Firstly when I clicked the three lines to look at the menu your header bar was getting in the way so initially I couldn't see how to find your products. Secondly on the collections page I really liked the mystical garden print but I'd have expected to click somewhere on that picture and be taken to items in that print. Just some small niggles but thought it may help if you knew about them from a customer POV.

Aah thanks both. I have taken part in Country Living Artisan online fairs because I think that's a good fit too. As I say on my FB page home is massively important to me, however chaotic with kids/animals etc which is why I set this up to see how it goes. Pepperwand thanks for the mobile view feedback. I'll have a look to see what's going on with the menu, fab feedback thanks. On the collections page though both designs appear on lots of different products, so Mystical is on the bags as well as the kitchen linens. I know what you mean though I thought that too when I set that page up, but it's a bit difficult to know where to send a link if you see what I mean? The page is more to explain the story behind each design.. all good thoughts though so thank you!

Yes. I've hardly bought anything since Covid. I was just about to splash out on some new make up but then this virus so didn't bother. Same with clothes. I did buy a face mask from etsy.

I agree with getting into upmarket lifestyle magazines, using a hook like female entrepreneur, success in a pandemic, helping the local industry etc. I've done a bit of PR and it's all about being creative!

Try local mags and newpapers like Northern Life, Living North, Essential Suffolk (I see your office is in Suffolk!), Eastern Daily Press etc. Relevant nationals mags, maybe like The Simple Things (they do a feature about people with small businesses each month), Coast (if you're by the sea), crafting mags etc. There are loads of magazines so just do a google search.

They are crying out for content so send them an email with a bit of a backstory (relevant email addresses will be on their websites). Plus contact them on social media, often they will reply quicker that way. As well as getting into the physical mags, they usually post the story on their websites as well where a lot more people will see you.

Could you send free samples to celebs with huge followings? I follow Daisy May Cooper (from This Country) and she's always promoting things she likes! Radio interviews? Apply for the Sewing Bee??

Lovely items Bloom. I like the washbags best. I'd certainly spend in this price range on a gift like this for a good friend or family member - even if I wouldn't necessarily spend £11 on a pack of teatowels for myself (I'd get those in IKEA or similar). So gifts is the right angle I would say. But these are cash-strapped times and I have noticed myself spending less on discretionary purchases like this, now you come to mention it. I've been tending to try to buy from and support people and their businesses I know in RL. I wonder if there is anything you can do to advertise out into your wider RL network? (eg so and so's mum runs a lovely business) Everything everybody else says about Country Living and the like, inde shops etc is right too