Hull-based giftware firm, Always Personal, have seen their online sales more than treble in the last two years.
The Malmo Road based company has benefited from a sharp rise in popularity for customised gifts. Demand for these items has hit record levels after the COVID-19 national lockdowns sparked a big shift in shopping habits.
“The pandemic clearly accelerated people’s interest in buying more thoughtful and custom gifts, which are completely unique to the recipient,” said Rob Harbord, Managing Director at Always Personal.
“By personalising items with messages and photos, people are able to draw on shared experiences and trigger memories of their happiest times.
“This has played its part in keeping friends and family together, even when they were physically forced apart during the most challenging periods of the pandemic.”
Data from online marketing tool AHRefs reveals there has been a 31% rise in the number of searches for personalised gifts online, since the first COVID-19 national lockdown in the UK.
The search data shows that mugs, number plates, phone cases and necklaces are the most sought-after items to customise. However, the pandemic has also led to interest in alternative customised gifts for the home.
Since March 2020, there has been a 350% increase in UK consumers searching for personalised bar signs and an 800% rise in people looking for personalised cheese boards. With many people rediscovering a love for their garden, searches for custom gardening tools meanwhile have also risen by 140%.