Personalised gift business beats downturn with corporate offering

A Leeds-based manufacturer and retailer of personalised gifts has defied the economic downturn by focusing on the corporate branded merchandise market.

Perfect Branded Gifts said it has successfully changed its focus to the corporate market to counter a slowdown in demand from personal customers.

Owner Kathryn Wright says that their switch in marketing makes sense, in the current economy.

“We’re specialists in creating bespoke gift items, which we design and manufacture at our extensive workshops in Leeds. We have traded successfully on sales channels such as Not on the High Street, Etsy and Amazon Handmade. However, gifts like ours are regarded as ‘non-essentials’ by many personal customers, who are faced with a cost of living crisis. It’s a very competitive price market, and the commissions charged by some channels can be as high as 35 per cent.

“So, in response to market conditions, we’ve extended the reach of our business and now offer personalised, branded merchandise for the corporate market.

“We have a wealth of experience and have invested heavily in a range of specialist printing and bespoke engraving technology. We can engrave glass, acrylic, wood and slate, and create customised items from engraved wine and beer glasses to chopping boards and awards. We also print onto almost anything, including mugs, glass, acrylic, wood, hoodies, umbrellas and coasters.

New corporate clients for Perfect Branded Gifts include car retailer JCT600, Bradford Bulls rugby and Leeds homelessness charity Simon on the Streets.

Perfect Branded Gifts’ strong results in the corporate market have been bolstered by the launch of a new e-commerce website, developed and built by Leeds digital agency Ascensor.

Following their experience in the personal market, the team at Perfect Branded Gifts have set out to offer a distinctive range of products to corporate clients.

Wright said: “If an item can be printed on, we can brand and personalise it. As well as promotional merchandise such as umbrellas, tote bags and pens, we’ve provided more unusual bespoke items including branded vegan travel sweets, personalised cheeseboards and branded cycling gifts.

“Our corporate clients are now contacting us for their branded and personalised Christmas presents for their customers and staff and we’re expecting busy seasonal trading.”