How does the greeting
cards franchise work?
It's simple really. Within an exclusive
geographical area, each franchisee supplies a wide range of high
quality cards to retailers on a consignment (sale or return) basis, which means that the cards are
paid for by the retailer only after they are sold. Once the product
is placed, regular visits to merchandise the displays, maintain
stock levels and ensure product rotation mean that the retailer
gets not just quality but service... and the customer gets greater
choice.
Over the years Card Line franchisees have secured accounts with a
variety of outletssuch as newsagents, petrol stations and
post offices. In addition, Card Line operates an on-going telesales
campaign, making the account opening procedure even easier for
franchisees. A growing number of National Accounts also make a
significant contribution to franchisees’ turnover, with
companies such as Nisaway, Booker, Londis and Spar counting Card
Line amongst their preferred suppliers.
The franchise will involve some cold
calling, but once you've placed the display with the retailer,
perhaps on a trial basis, the product sells itself. And with fresh
designs coming out on a regular basis, there's always something new
to tempt the customer and keep sales up.
We always encourage franchisees to swap ideas and learn from each
other’s experience and, of course, we're always here to point
you in the right direction.
Card Line offer numerous
opportunities for success, some are highlighted
below:
The
chance to be part of a £1 billion greetings card industry
– and one that’s growing all the time!- Full and on-going product
training.
- On-going telesales.
- An excellent, full range of
products including best sellers such as Holly & Friends,
Punchlines and Gallery.
- Careful market testing which
shows that Card Line ranges generate higher than average
sales.
- An innovative, growth orientated
approach - we constantly produce new designs and if an existing
design isn’t working, we guarantee to replace it.
- Exclusive trading areas - each
mapped by a demographic computer system so that every area has the
retail spending power our franchisees need.
- Cards can sell in all kinds of
retail environments - corner shops, newsagents, garage forecourts
and even tourist information centres and hospitals!
- Big benefits for the retailer - a
sale or return system, an attractive display system which costs the
retailer nothing and a bigger than ever range of cards.
- High profit margins - if you sell
at our recommended price, you make 28p profit per card sold.
- Cards and envelope fully wrapped
to avoid damage - Seasonal cards, Christmas, Valentines day,
Mothers day, Easter and Fathers Day all add valuable additional
sales.
- Card Line has a proven track
record – over ten years of trading success and proof that its
Franchise is a sound business investment, which helps to secure a
good response from the major banks.
- More and more retailers are
asking Card Line to be their sole supplier - as the concession
basis of distribution gains market share at the expense of cash and
carry.
We now have over 60 Franchise areas operating throughout the
UK.
We have total commitment to our franchisees and will be happy for
you to contact them to discuss Card Line.
Training and Support
Comprehensive, highly developed, but still personal
We believe that good training is the key to successful sales so we
give it the highest priority. We have developed a highly
comprehensive but personal scheme, designed to give you all the
skills you need to establish yourself in the marketplace and build
relationships.
The fee for your franchise includes the cost of training in all
aspects of the business. Initial training takes place at our head
office followed by extensive field training with our Sales Manager.
Once that is finished you will receive full Head Office back-up, as
well as further on-the-job training as you need it, completely free
of charge.
Do I have to sell the product to
retailers?
No. With Card Line's unique “no-cost” display systems,
all you have to do is place the product, in fact, many retailers
actually request a Card Line display for their premises. All stock
is supplied on a sale or return basis so that retailers don't have
to pay for it until it's sold.
How do you work out my area?
Each Card Line franchise covers an exclusive geographical area with
no overlap, and will contain a population base of at least 600,000
people.
Do the cards sell well?
Yes. With the top selling “Holly & Friends” and
“Punch Lines” brands, Card Line products sell very well
but, as with all card ranges, some designs sell better than others.
With that in mind Card Line continually produce new designs, and
new products, ensuring that the range doesn't go
“stale” at the point of sale.
Financial Information
Potential Earnings
The franchisees profit margin is 28p per card sold. The average
sale per outlet is currently 60 cards per month. Franchisees should
acquire between 100 and 150 outlets in their first year of
trading.
Expected Annual Gross
The expected gross profit depending on the number of outlets is in
the area of £20,000 to £40,000. As the Card Line
franchise is home based overheads are minimal, however traveling,
stationary and telephone expenses should be deducted to provide net
annual earnings. The level of earning is of course directly related
to the performance of each individual franchisee.
Initial Package
The initial franchise package costs £10,000 plus VAT. However
the VAT can be reclaimed by registering for VAT. Working capital
will be required to fully develop an area. Individually prepared
cash flow projections can be made available in confidence to
seriously interested parties.
Who's Ideal for Us
Whilst no experience is necessary, you’ll need to be
self-motivated, reasonably outgoing and hard working. However, Card
Line is not simply a very successful company - we also care a great
deal for the people who work with us. Uniquely able to offer
stability, creativity and constant market analysis, we also go to
great lengths to consider each and every one of our franchisee's
needs on an individual basis.
“Four years on we’ve trebled our turnover and bought
another territory - we couldn’t be happier.”
Bob and Karen Mee, Card Line Franchisees
“I had no idea what to expect when I originally
considered franchising but taking the time to consider my options
and choosing Card Line has really paid off. I enjoy the flexibility
of the job and the fact that I work with different people on a
daily basis. There is plenty of support available and I can
honestly say that I can't remember the last time I had the Monday
morning blues.”
Jenny Woodruff, Card Line Franchisee
Territories/Locations
All new territories are available at our initial franchise package
cost of £10,000 plus VAT. For information on developed/part
developed territories or Master Licensees based in Spain, please
fill out the enquiry form below for further details.
