In these uncertain Covid times, no matter how different this Christmas might be, one thing is guaranteed to remain reassuringly the same.

In these uncertain Covid times, no matter how different this Christmas might be, one thing is guaranteed to remain reassuringly the same.

“We have our usual full range of around 70 brand new designs on offer for Christmas 2020,” explains Kelly Courtenay, Creative Director of Greeting card publisher Card Connection. “And since our cards are primarily stocked by the convenience sector, you shouldn’t have to venture out very far to get your hands on some of our gorgeous new designs.”

“We offer stores a choice of two Christmas ranges, so the retailers we supply can make the best choice for their customer profile,” continues Kelly. “Our Core range provides a good value mix of price points, whilst The Collection – our more premium up-market range has a slightly higher price profile, aimed at the more discerning customer.”

“Nearly 100 million Christmas single cards were sold in the UK last year, and with the Coronavirus increasing the prospect of more people perhaps being kept apart this Christmas, that figure could be smashed, as people choose to send cards as a way of still expressing a personal, tangible connection.”

“We’re unusual in that we refresh 100% of our Christmas designs every year,” explains Kelly. “It’s a lot of work for our Creative team but we think it’s reflected in sales if customers are not faced with a percentage of product they might have seen before, as would be the case with many other publishers.”

Card Connection is part of UK Greetings, has limited vacancies for franchisees keen to run an expanding business. Candidates would ideally have some management experience as, once established, they could be expected to employ a small team, operate a small warehouse and have several liveried vans on the road. Since the franchise network in the UK is complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at £10k + Stock + Card Connection fee with earnings potential in excess of £50k per annum.