Bad – I don’t do . Well at least I try not to , that said I do like Breaking bad (probably one of the best TV progs). I do Bad Hair days. I do like some sweets . Bad is the German and Dutch for Bath, and I do like a bath.

Ugly– I don’t do. Or rather I do, when I shave or brush my teeth, but the mirror tells me that’s enough Ugly for anyone. And I do like Potato Chips and Fries.

Good – Now I am not sure I do much good, and I don’t much like Brown Rice and Dark Rye but Good is not about me. It is about Retail, and in particular ‘Party Retailers’.

I, we (depending on who is reading this and in which country) are very fortunate to have some very good retailers. There are , of course, there are those that fall into the ‘Bad’ category but they will not be around for much longer. Certainly among my customer base they are ‘Good’. It is not that they are just Good Retailers, they are Good people. This, to some, may seem like gushing, corny drivel. But I feel that you have to be a Good person because without that you can’t be a Good Party Retailer.

If you are Butcher, serving an excellent range of tasty meat you can be a miserable git and still survive. There is one local to us , always busy.

If you are a clothes shop and you have a terrific range of on trend product great prices, your business will tolerate ‘They are really snooty in that shop, but they have some great stuff ‘ remarks and still make money. Been in quite a few.

If you are a Bookshop, as long as you have a great range and you are very knowledgeable, you can sit in a corner and hide (our experience of a lot of book shops).

A Party Shop is different. You have to engage , inform and in many cases empathize. I believe it is very difficult to truly emphasize, without being a ‘Good’ Person. Let me be quite clear , before you walk into your local Party Retailer and expect to find A Relationship Counsellor, you might, but don’t expect it. What I think you will find or rather if you have a Good Party Retailer is someone who will understand your needs, ask the right questions, and how to fulfill them. Now, hold back, I can hear the odd brain going into overdrive lead by one of two thoughts

For crissake, this is a bloody party retailer you’re talking about !

or

For crissake, I have been paying a fortune trying to find out about my needs and and all I had to do was go to my local party shop. There isn’t one, where do I find one ?

What the Good Party Retailer does is listen to what you want, ask you the right questions and then shows you how that can be achieved . They, also understand the emotion that can go with special events , be it weddings, first birthdays, 90th Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations , Welcome Home, or any of the myriad of reasons you are having a party. In most case it will involve having fun , but that fun must reflect the occasion. When they get it right that experience heightens and intensifies the emotional sentiments attached to the event.

I believe that emotion remains in the subconscious of the consumer. Before I hear the shout of Cobblers (English colloquial for Rubbish), the emotional impact of these special events, because of the rational for their being associated with close family or close friends , is very powerful. There is a very strong likelihood that they will return and they will recommend. You don’t and never will get this service from online operators (AI or no AI) nor multiple retailers.

Where did I get this blinding flash of enlightenment ? As lockdown eased , and I was able to go (albeit masked up ) and start visiting retail clients, I kept thinking what a Good (without being over the top I ,probably thought Nice but hate using that word as it doesn’t do the job properly ) person(s) that was . Then, I thought and they are bloody good party retailers.

Perhaps I should have another go at Brown Rice and Rye Bread…..but life is so very short .