Gift Focus - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 113)

32 offers. We simply did the same with puppets and soft toys. From finger puppets to large body puppets, we have made every puppet imaginable over the years, including all 26,000 puppets for the London Olympics. We currently have more than 1,000 puppets and soft toys to choose from. Which collection is your most popular? Without doubt, it’s our animal glove puppets. With more than 400 different styles to choose from, there really is something for everyone, with trade prices starting at £2.35-£6.50 to fit every budget. Which collection is your favourite? I am most proud of our brightly coloured Sockette puppets. Fantastic mouth movement and designs make this my personal favourite – they really are great fun! Sue adores our Playful Puppies and seeing the joy they bring to young children. How has the current economic climate been affecting business? We are having a hard time with the loss of some of our biggest accounts, namely Toys “R” Us U.S. and UK. The state of the British High Street is also a major issue. When we started, every town across the UK had a quality toy shop, but we are losing them at a very fast rate as rent and business rates continue going up. However, our soft toy brand, Wilberry, is thriving as it’s finding a home in garden centres, tourist attractions and gift shops, which seem to be doing well despite these difficult times. Which trade shows do you visit? How are these important for the business? We love a trade show! They are our shop window and the best way to meet old and new customers alike. We exhibit at Giving and Living at Exeter, Spring Fair and Autumn Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany, New York Toy Fair, AIS, Toymaster, Harrogate Gift Fair and ASTRA USA. What’s been your proudest achievement since starting the company? Unloading our first container and seeing our company name printed on all the boxes was very special, and I really regret not keeping that first cardboard box! Now we have 60-plus 40ft-high cube containers a year, so the novelty has worn off a bit! Do you have any tips for new traders? Stay true to your beliefs. Seek outside advice, but do not always take it. Treat every customer how you would want to be treated – no matter how big or small they are – and do not be bullied by the big boys! What can we expect to see from The Puppet Company in the future? More of the same: good design, good prices and excellent service. New products for 2019 includes Storytelling characters, finger puppet people and more than 100 new soft toys for Wilberry. We are proud of what we do and we know our puppets and soft toys reflect that! For more information, visit thepuppetcompany.com To view the Wilberry Toys range, visit wilberrytoys.com The Puppet Company can also be reached directly at +44 (0)1462 446 040 .