Giftware News: It's All About You

Saturday, February 04, 2012

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It's All About You

05/14/09

This gift is just for you. That is what a personalized gift—whether it has a name, initial or full monogram—says loud and clear. It shows the gift giver took the time and effort to go that extra step, to find a great gift and make it even better. It conveys special feelings and makes the recipient feel singled-out.

Personal Appeal
The Personalized Products category continues to grow. It seems like everything from tableware to soaps to fashion accessories can bear that individual mark.
What is the appeal of personalized gifts? Alicia Storbeck, owner of Heartstrings Inc., discussed this and other topics with Giftware News.
“Personalized gifts are definitely growing in popularity, and availability. Companies like Heartstrings who are totally focused on creating innovative personalized products are one of the driving forces behind this increased popularity. There are simply more unique, giftable personalized products available today than there were even five years ago.
“Another factor in the growing popularity of personalized products is the mass channels product mix. As the products available in mass channels get cuter and more ‘boutique-like’, specialty gift channel shoppers look for unique products that go a step further. This is where personalization comes in. Because personalized products take a little more attention on the part of the sales associate in order to sell them, mass channels are less interested in this category of products. However, this is right up the alley of the specialty gift boutique. Customer service, uniqueness, exclusive products, one-of-a-kind products are the hallmark of this channel. Personalized products fits that criteria perfectly.”
Why should a retailer invest the time and money in personalized gifts?
“Shoppers know that if they want something personalized, they need to plan ahead, and they have to go to a store that offers personalization services. Offering personalized products in your store gives your customers a reason to have to come to your store versus stopping by the local mass retailer and just picking up something adequate. If they want personalized gifts, they will come to you.
“Personalized products are also very easy to sell as the ‘perfect’ gift for many occasions—graduation, bridal, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day. Whether someone is searching for a thoughtful gift for a friend, or just a little something nice for a list of acquaintances, if they can find a personalized gift, the ‘wow’ factor associated with the gift goes through the roof!”
“There is so much implied in personalized products. They are uniquely yours, they are planned purchases, and they truly take gift giving to the next level.
“Think about if someone gave you a set of cute notecards as a gift. Nice, right? Now imagine that they gave you cute notecards with your name on them as a gift. Even nicer, right? Adding a name or monogram transforms the ordinary to the extraordinary. A pretty shell pendant is fashionable. A pretty shell pendant monogrammed is not only fashionable, it says much more about you. It says that you care about details, uniqueness, and you value yourself or your friend enough to do something special—not generic!”

Personalized Spoken Here
Alicia Stewart, co-owner of Noels Fine Gifts, in Leeward, Kansas (near Kansas City), says she knows the value of personalized products. She carries the Heartstrings line in the shop she co-owns with her mother, Ruth Barone.
“We’ve been with Heartstrings for 10 years and every time I go to market, the category seems to have grown. More and more companies are offering personalized products.
“We have a good wedding business and this time of year we are ready for graduation gifts. Graduation is a big time for us and the company, with their selection of jewelry that can be personalized.
“A continually popular graduation gift for us is embroidered shower wraps and slippers. High school female graduates get them before they go away to college. It’s almost become a rite of passage.”
She is also excited about the company’s newly introduced line of personalized note cards and other stationery.
Alicia’s shop carries J. Charles (www.jcharles.com) wine glasses, beer mugs, vases, picture frames and trays—which can be personalized. She says monogrammed trays are a popular wedding gift.
Also in the shop are John Wind (800/573-3308) vintage-looking 14k gold bracelet and necklaces that can be personalized with an initial. She says the company is known for their enhancers, charms to add to a necklace or bracelet.
From Object of Desire (800/816-8456), a company that incorporates raw silk and textiles to create bags, and travel accessories, she has purse mirrors and post notes with one initial.
She also carries a selection of gifts from Mud Pie (800/998-1633) that offers a one initial option. And she has an arrangement with a local engraver to do personalization on other pieces.
“If a customer can plan a little bit, personalizing a gift makes it a lot more special—much more than just a plain piece of jewelry or other giftware,” she continues.
“On the other hand, with a selection of one-initial gifts, people who haven’t the time to wait, can come in for a birthday gift or hostess gift and still get something with a personal touch and added perceived value.”
This dual option, of course, increases opportunities for sales. It can establish your shop has the
“go-to” place.
“The other nice thing about Heartstrings,” Alicia says, “is as a shop-owner you don’t have to put much money into inventory. You just purchase samples, have them in the shop, and people order from them. I accessorize the area with signs telling how the personalization works.”

Framed with Personality
Michigan artist, April McCrumb of a.i. paper design (800/414-1654 or www.aipaper.com) believes photo frames should be as special as the pictures they hold.
As her publicity explains, “April finds unusual framing methods that makes her pieces standout by using adorned bulldog clips and screws to hold snapshots in place. That combined with whimsical digitally created imagery, handmade papers, rich ribbons and interesting findings make our frames very different than what’s offered in the marketplace.
“Another refreshing difference is all our frames are handmade in Michigan. In a consumer culture that’s shifting toward less is more, it seems people are looking for quality over quantity. McCrumb proudly states, ‘We don’t just ship pre-boxed wares from a container like most companies. All our products are handled and packed by us; ensuring only top quality products make it to store shelves.
“And being that each frame is handcrafted, we offer a variety of personalization options for their wedding and baby line. By adding a name or special date, photo frames can be transformed into family keepsakes that will surely be treasured.”

Celebrating You
Ornaments can be given to commemorate special occasions and personalizing them makes them all the more treasured. Teresa Thibault is owner and designer at HeartGifts by Teresa (800/650-3994). The company has just introduced a collection of ornaments that display the insignia of each of the U.S. armed services and can be personalized with, for example, the dates of service.
“As far as trends, we have seen that people are very excited to know our ornaments are made in the USA. This is another reason we wanted to do the military collection. Also, people are looking for reasonably priced gifts that have a personal touch. We have over 100 different designs at $8.50 each. We feel our ornaments fit in all categories such as, Family, Friends, Weddings, Babies, Inspirational, Professions and Memorials.
Personalized gifts bring gift-giving to a whole other level. Personalization can make your shop stand out.
As Alicia from Noels Fine Gifts, reminds, “I’ve been doing personalizing for about 10 years. I’ve only seen it growing stronger and I don’t foresee it ending any time soon. There are always new people graduating, weddings births, other celebrations—there are always new people to celebrate with personalized gifts.