Personalised Service Delivers the Gifts Online

Online retailer, Pressies4princesses, has earned a place in the top five gift companies on all major Internet search engines since it began trading in 2005. But, Pressies4princesses claims its main success is delivering a personalised service plus the type of bespoke gifts usually associated with a high class village craft shop.

London, England (PRWEB) June 2, 2006 -- Claiming to offer a unique balance between technology and the friendly local service of a village shop is on-line gift store Pressies4princesses.

The web-based firm has earned a place in the top five gift companies on all major Internet search engines since it began trading in 2005. However, Pressies4princesses offers a personalised service plus the type of bespoke gifts usually associated with a high class village craft shop.

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 enjoyed playing with websites, too, so I experimented with coming up with one of my own and looking at ways of getting it to the top of the search engines.

"I then went to trade fairs to source some princessy presents which I put on the site. Before I knew it I had a highly profitable enterprise on my hands with thousands of Internet hits and a turnover in six figures."

The secret of the site's success is the high number of personalised presents on offer. For example, customers can commission 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 at their kitchen table 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 fortne 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.

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