Each year after the last stands have been packed away and the Spring trade fair season has wound itself down, we gather together the team members who've had most involvement with the shows to share our thoughts.
We all agreed that the 2020 Spring fairs have been unusual. Normally this time of the year is when new trends start to translate into products ready to fly off the shelves. This time round, while we could definitely pick out some things that are popular right now – Japanese culture, rainbows and koalas among them – we weren't seeing much evidence of brand new looks or design trends emerging – the focus was much more on products, and especially, how those products square up to consumer needs and values.
Chatting to other exhibitors and to buyers, we weren't surprised to learn that the one priority above all others both in the UK and in Europe is the environment. As everyone seeks to reduce their impact on the planet, it makes sense from both a social responsibility and a sales perspective to interrogate all aspects of what you do from product design and manufacture to packaging. We started out on this journey in a big way towards the end of last year, and our eco- and reusable ranges have been really well received. This year, Puckator has set itself some ambitious targets: starting with the products themselves, we'll be searching out new items with better eco-credentials as well as changing elements of our existing products to make sure they're as sustainable as they can be.
After attending a run of shows from Porto to Stockholm, another thing came across in a big way: while some of the fairs were quieter this year (Spain and Sweden, notably), others were busier than 12 months ago – and overall, even where numbers were down, there was a buzz and a tangible sense of optimism amongst buyers. At Puckator, we've had a bit of an overhaul over the last 18 months: we took a critical look at our ranges and we've put a massive amount of effort into both product sourcing and design. Our customers have always loved the variety we offer, and it's been something that has helped us stand out against competitors. At this year's fairs, we saw a lot of enthusiasm for our bespoke designs – an ever bigger part of what we do – and our increasing offer of exclusive licenced products, such as the Stormtroopers and VW collections. We feel we can now claim to be a design-led company with a strong brand presence, and this has been reflected in the number of new key accounts we gained at the Spring Fairs.
As our CEO Mark Howard says – no matter how good your marketing and sales strategies are, it's product that drives sales. A good product that people know will sell in their stores leads to repeat orders!
Now.....to start thinking about the Autumn trade fairs!
