Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2019 (Issue 111)

premises. We can respond quickly to seasonal trends or the latest fashion while keeping keep control over quality and of course, customer service. How do you keep the product range fresh, and how often do you launch new products? Pintail Candles launches new fragrances and ranges twice a year. We are continually looking at not only what is happening in the gift sector but also in fashion and home interiors, as well as keeping an eye on wider cultural changes. It is why our Occasions range was refreshed earlier this year with gold and sparkly styling, trendy fonts and phrases and with an added flourish of stylish icons. This has seen sales, of what was already a popular range, soar. What’s the current bestseller, and why do you think it’s been so popular? Fiona and I are delighted with the sales of our new Elements range which is a fusion of the iconic Paint Pot candles, using the same fabulous fragrances and rich wax colours, but with new trendy labelling to give a different look and feel. We developed the range from suggestions received from retailers, and being able to create a luxury, gorgeous candle experience for under £5 at retail, has been a winner. We will be introducing new fragrances in the spring. What have been Pintail’s Candles milestones and of what achievement are you most proud? This was an easy question for to answer – we are celebrating our 25 th anniversary this year. Bearing in mind that we are in a competitive market and there have been many ups and downs in the economy over the years, this is a remarkable milestone. The business started with no capital investment, just determination, talent and Fiona’s support. Regarding achievements, there have been many, but we get great satisfaction every time a new range is launched because we put so much effort in to getting it to market. Are you active on social media? How important is this for the business? Yes we are, posting several times each week to Facebook and Twitter and, more recently, to Instagram. However, we are very mindful that our priority is to support our retailers, so we repeat and share their content when we see it and also use social media to promote the Pintail Candles brand which we hope will increase sales for our stockists. How are you finding the current economic climate? Has anything been affecting business? Fiona said that it has been a funny year. The hot weather in summer affected the high street. However, retailers in the tourist areas had a very good season. Pintail Candles saw strong sales with holidaymakers buying candles as presents or as a thank yous to friends for looking after things while they were away. The run-up to Christmas has also been different. Usually in July or August, retailers put in forward orders, staggered over various intervals as they know roughly what they will sell. However, this year, they have been ordering week by week. Do you have any tips for first-time traders? The best tip is to listen to your customers and to provide them with a good service. Build a good relationship with your suppliers, as they often have very broad experience and extremely good advice in helping you to develop your products. Which trade shows do you visit and why? Exhibiting at trade fairs has been key to Pintail Candles in growing its customer base. They act not only as a shop window to reach new retailers but as a means to put new fragrances under the noses of existing customers, something which is difficult to do online. Spring Fair at the NEC is our largest show, and with our stand on the Boulevard in Hall 6, it means that their product is seen by a large number of buyers. It is the show at which we launch new spring fragrances and ranges and get to see how everyone else is doing. Fiona’s favourite is the Harrogate Home & Gift, which is just a lovely show. She said that the buyers are more relaxed and at ease and are looking for the best Christmas ranges, and there is still time for summer purchases. Autumn Fair at the NEC is our most intense show, as the buyers are more focused because they need to place orders to ensure their Christmas deliveries. What will 2019 bring for the company? Excitingly, Pintail Candles is launching a new range in spring that looks like another first for a candle company. With the popularity of our Occasions candles soaring, we are designing a range of matching greetings cards with some added gold-foil sparkle. This glitzy card and candle combo is the perfect gifting choice. For more information, visit pintailcandles.co.uk or contact the company on +44 (0)1539 559 007 giftfocus 45 Company Profile