Attire Accessories - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 80)

PROFILE 99 HOT TOMATO W: hot-tom.com T: +44 (0)1225 422 188 How do you keep your designs fresh and current? How often do you launch new lines? We launch two main collections a year – spring/ summer and autumn/winter totalling around 800 new lines. Of those we might re-order less than 5 per cent so we’re naturally refreshing all the time. How do you predict trends? I have my favourite sites that I follow and Instagram is a great tool. What sets you apart from your competitors? We don’t get carried away with our pricing and suggest original and often amusing display solutions that we’re happy to share with our customers. We firmly believe that how you present sets you apart. How are you finding the current economic climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? I think our category is about the feel-good factor and in uncertain times that can be very therapeutic for the buying public. In all honesty we’re still experiencing growth – I think in times like these, customers get behind a trusted brand that sells through for them – that’s definitely some of the feedback we’ve experienced recently. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? Not really, we do have a Facebook page but we’re a B2B company – it’s all about our customers for us. We often get the public searching us out via our Facebook page and we try to connect them with stockists in their area when that happens. Do you visit trade shows? What are you hoping to achieve when you exhibit? Yes – we use them to showcase our launches as well as meet and greet new customers. We love the shows! Do you have any advice for new businesses starting out in the world of gift? Set yourself some parameters and decide what you want your brand to be. Go to the shows, use them and give them lots of time before, during and afterwards. Oh yes – and work that display – it’s so important, invest in it. What can we expect in the future from Hot Tomato? Lots more happiness!