Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2018 (Issue 105)

on the other hand retailers always crave new lines and so it’s important to have a new angle on a popular product. As I said before, one of our strengths is our chain of smaller suppliers in China. Many of these are family-based businesses and we have a surprising amount in common with them. They are always approachable and open to new ideas, so we discuss new product possibilities and readily pass comments back and forth before we select new lines. At times, there have been strong pressures to diversify but we have remained staunchly within our ‘oriental’ remit. We aim to have a good number of new lines in for the beginning of each year when we publish our main, annual paper catalogue and attend Spring Fair. Although we still have a paper catalogue as a handy reference tool, a website linked directly to our stock records means that we can introduce new lines throughout the year whenever they are ready. What have been the key milestones in the business? I always think of our customer as the smaller independent high street retailer, but if that were true, I don’t think we would still be in business. 2018 sees the 30 th anniversary of Mandarin Arts and we shall be celebrating in an understated way! We have seen a lot of changes in that time, but the most striking is the way that our high streets have changed. So many of those independent retailers have disappeared as a new era, dominated by the marketing of branded goods, has arrived. Along with these changes, our customer base has diversified. As in all sectors, a large part of gift retail sales are now online sales and we have many customers who operate either wholly online or keep a foot in both high street and online retail camps. At the heart of all this, our products are a little bit different, not mass-produced and the people that like to sell them often have a passion for oriental styles or designs. If you can see the beauty in the decoration or in the way that an item has been made, then you can appreciate the art. I think any retailer would agree that if you like the product yourself, it makes it so much easier to recommend it to your customers. How are you finding the current economic climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? Other than the constant worry of what the future may hold, business is rather buoyant at the moment. There’s always a constant stream of new possibilities and opportunities surfacing and we just have to make wise decisions about which ones to grasp and which ones to pass by. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? No, up until now, that is one of those opportunities that we’ve allowed to pass us by. Do you visit trade shows? Which ones, and how are these important for the business? Since we relocated to mid-Wales in 1997, we don’t see nearly so many of our customers at our warehouse and showrooms. Attending trade shows has become a lifeline to keep in touch with them, although shows do take a big resource from the business. At times when a trade show has been poorly attended, we begin to wonder whether we should continue attending but we’re all such fans of the NEC’s striking design and architecture that we love to go back time and time again! This year we plan to attend only Spring Fair and Autumn Fair, but sometimes we do turn up at other shows. It’s essential to communicate your presence at trade shows and invite customers both old and new to visit your stand to see and touch your products. However, I never cease to be surprised by the value of chance encounters that happen at trade shows when we unexpectedly make something happen with the most unlikeliest of customers. Do you have any tips for new traders? I think there are enough people out there offering advice! Often the emphasis is dominated by market research to the exclusion of everything else. I say choose your products carefully, sell things that you love and admire, it really is so much more rewarding than becoming a carbon copy of the shop next door. What can we expect in the future from Mandarin Arts? After 30 years of successful trading, we have to assume that we must have been getting some things right, so for now, we’ll be doing a bit more of the same. Our new 2018 catalogue features some lovely new designs and we currently have orders in production from new suppliers to further enhance our range over the coming year. For further information, visit mandarinarts.co.uk or call one of the team on +44 (0)1873 812 255 treasures of the orient 50 giftfocus