Partyworldwide.net sits down with Edwin Klein, key account manager, Opposuits, to find out how 2024 has been so far and what’s in store for the rest of the year.
How has 2024 been so far for your company and the industry as a whole?
Edwin: “We had a somewhat slow start to 2024. One of the reasons was an early Carnival this year, which meant that the sales window from Christmas to Carnival was very tight. Because of the onesies as a new product category, we were able to fill that gap a bit. It must be noted that this, of course, is compared to a very strong year after Covid.”
What has been your highlight of 2024 so far?
Edwin: “We can without a doubt hand the crown to the introduction of our Onesie category. This became one of our instant new top items. There will be some product developments within this category, but in addition also broaden this range with strong designs and licensing. In addition, the fairs in Europe, as well as in the US, have been great for us to catch up with suppliers and customers in the industry.”
What have the biggest challenges and opportunities been so far?
Edwin: “We faced some stock challenges at the start of the low season after Carnival. With regular sales and normal daily tasks going further, we had to really start mapping the availability and how we handle this along all sales channels. This forced us to put our heads together with several teams to still provide everyone with great service and supply. This also created an opportunity for us to work on communication between the departments within the company. We will keep improving our efficiency and management processes, which will guarantee positive results. We are in this together.”
What are your hopes and expectations for the remainder of 2024?
Edwin: “With our new head of marketing Jean-Marc Honig (pictured left), we hope to make some huge steps within our communication strategies. We hope to really set up a narrative that reflects our story and who we are even more.”
What do you expect to be the biggest challenges and opportunities for the rest of the year?
Edwin: “Halloween will be a really big season for us. With new movies coming out for which we have some strong character suits in our Suitmeister range, we have huge expectations for this season. After our new Sonic the Hedgehog license, we can also take profit of this moment with a movie coming out in December. The amount of pre-orders and positive feedback we receive shows a lot of trust in our products from the market, which we are grateful for. This challenges us to keep innovating and ensure growth within the industry.”
