Retailers call on suppliers for more help with personalised products

Convenience retailers have called for more help from food and drink manufacturers to help them offer personalised gifts. 

That was the feedback at the Retail Express workshop last month during a discussion about how retailers can drive seasonal sales.

Dee Sedani, owner of two One Stop stores in Derbyshire, said: “Personalisation is a massive trend, but we don’t have the time or skills to manage it. Manufacturers need to get creative to help us do that.” 

“We partnered with a whisky brand to make labels in store. We sold an extra 30 bottles per shop but the amount of effort required for us and the supplier made it unsustainable.”

Mo Lowry of Premier Bear Street Convenience Store in Devon agreed that personalisation was a challenge. “It’s too time-consuming and time is money when you’re running a shop,” she said. 

But some retailers are having better luck by playing to their strengths when it comes to offering gifts and creating unique lines. 

Trudy Thompson of Tywardreath Village Store in Cornwall said she creates bespoke hampers for her shoppers that contain local produce of their choice.

“We wrap it up for them and post it with a personalised message to friends and family. We send about five a day in the post and sell 20 a day from the shop.”

“Many of our customers helped fund our launch, so it’s been a great gift with an interesting story behind it,” she added.