Bespoke Christmas gifts offer a
personalised touch – on line
Anyone searching for a highly
personalised gift for that friend or partner who has everything need look no
further this Christmas.
Start-up company Pressies4princesses
has manage to track down a number of creative sources who can offer
personalised poems and songs and create collages using your own treasured
photos and bespoke messages.
And the best news is that all this can
be achieved via the web, which means that shopping for a special gift could not
be easier.
Entrepreneur Steve Sugden came up with
the idea of Pressies4princesses when choosing Christmas gifts for his wife,
Becca, who in his own words is “a bit princessy”.
“I began to research the sort of pink
and girly presents that I knew Becca would like. I then went to trade fairs to source some princessy presents and
put them on a website. Before I knew it I had a highly profitable enterprise on
my hands with thousands of Internet visitors and a turnover in six
figures.”
The secret of Pressies4princesses’
success is the high number of personalised presents on offer such as a
personalised poem written about a friend, colleague, wedding couple or partner.
This is then professionally printed and mounted within a collage of photographs
supplied by the customer.
Another highly unusual gift is a pop
art poster of a loved one that is made by printing a photo on to canvas and
then stretching it across a frame. A background of psychedelic 1960s colours
gives the poster an iconic, Warhol-style appearance. Other bespoke presents
include personalised songs, photo albums, keepsake boxes and photo frames.
“Many of these gifts can only be made
because I have managed to tap into a vast network of cottage industry,” said
Steve. “My suppliers make fantastic items - many at their kitchen tables -
but without the aid of the Internet, their wares would probably not be viable.
Many of these people are young mothers working from home or creative students
paying their way through university.”
The website offers many other items
such as mugs, candles, jewellery and bath products plus “fun gifts” such as the
Girls Night Out Fund Money Box, Wisdom
Fortune Soap (similar to a fortune cookie, only with soap) and a “Work First,
Wine Later” mousemat set. Current bestsellers include the Shoe Fund Money Box –
which is made from sandcast aluminium and decorated with etchings of shoes –
and a bar of white chocolate bearing the words: “I love you more than
chocolate”.
Steve, who runs the business from his
home in Cheam, Surrey, claims he has hit on a highly successful formula.
“People like the convenience of Internet shopping but are reluctant to give up
the personal touches they would find in a local shop. We provide the best of
both worlds.
“For example, we check everything
before it is sent out so that nothing is dispatched in a dented box, and we are
fanatical about delivering on time. I know how embarrassing it can be when a
gift arrives late, so we telephone customers and warn them if there is a
problem so they can choose something else.
“In these days of automated e-mails and
multi-choice recorded telephone messages they are often surprised and delighted
to be contacted by a real person.”
Pressies4princesses gifts start from
£2.49 and delivery is free in the UK. Web address is: www.pressies4princesses.co.uk.
For
more information, contact:
Steve
Sugden
Pressies4princesses
Tel:
0208 643 4254
stevesugden@pressies4princesses.co.uk
Ann
Laffeaty
Pressies4princesses
PR consultant
ann@annlaffeaty.com
Tel:
01923 284049