Hi Stuart! It was great to catch up with you in Nuremberg earlier in the year. How’s business been since then?
“Hi Jacqui. Great to see you there also! It’s been a more challenging year so far for sure but I’m pleased to say we’re holding our own. We continue to look for new business in Europe of course, but I’m pleased to say despite the doom and gloom, the UK market has proved surprisingly resilient so far!”
Did you get a chance to look round the show? Have you have added any new lines to your very extensive portfolio?
“Yes I did and the last day always provides the chance to do that! It’s always good to see some new suppliers and try to look for a point of difference. We are making some nice additions from suppliers we have met there, particularly in our Halloween range which we are excited about for this year.”
We’ve heard that there’s a little gathering happening in Windsor in a few weeks time. Has the royal wedding been a boost for you so far?
“It really is starting to build in the last couple of weeks. We’ve had a dedicated page on the website for a while now, which seems to be paying off. There’s every reason to believe that we will see activity on this event right up to the big day, although in terms of a late flurry, I think much will depend on the weather forecast for that weekend. So I’ll be avoiding the rain dances.”
It’s wedding season in general now – is that big business for you? Or is it all kids parties and festivals from this point in the year?
“Well, this year it all seems to be about one wedding in particular! That said, ordinary people are also getting married this year as usual and we carry a big range of balloons and table décor, so it’s it is a good category for us. A strong retail market, coupled with the fact that we work with a lot of venue decorators, makes it a decent season. The good thing is it seems to stay buoyant until early autumn, but keeping up with trends is the big challenge.”
Tell us what you expect this summer’s biggest sellers will be for you?
“I think if the England players bother to turn up this World Cup, then there’s obviously an opportunity there. Still, we also sell to a lot of other countries whose teams actually do perform, so hopefully we’re covered on that… As for summer trends, we have a wide range of inflatables in stock and new styles coming in as they have been a really strong section for us in the last couple of years. Organic trends and foliage designs also seem to be the real summer party trend this year, so we’ve invested quite a bit into that too.”
And finally – what’s the one thing you’d like retailers to know about Delights Direct that you think they might not already realise?
“Despite being a bigger organisation, myself and the team here at Delights Direct really care about our customers. Obviously, the ones who work with us regularly will know that, but for those who don’t, we always strive offer the best customer service in the industry.”
That’s a good goal to aim for! Thanks Stuart, have a great weekend.
