3 minute read
Leader
Ji Leader
2023
Ayear ago it seemed the business world was all about doom and gloom. For companies working with Chinese suppliers, air travel was still not available to the Far East and zoom calls were the order of the day.
Moving on to 2023 ranges, zoom calls still remain, although some Europeans have managed trips to Hong Kong where restrictions are still pretty severe.
As one brave supplier told me, once arrived in Hong Kong, mask wearing was essential, no eating out in restaurants, but meals taken in the hotel room and a daily Covid test to ensure all was O.K.
Let us hope that 2023 will see the Chinese removing most of these restrictions.
We were also highlighting the sky-high increase in freight charges throughout 2021, that resulted in some Christmas deliveries arriving with customers in January 2022 and even later. Whilst rates during 2022 have come down, as one expert told me “We shall have to wait until after the Chinese New Year to see how they stabilise.”
Certainly, orders placed during 2022 were higher than those given in 2021, this plus shipping companies withdrawing tonnage created the perfect storm.
At least the supply of I.C. chips has improved along with the price paid for these.
It isn’t only the Far East that has sent prices sky-rocketing. If this wasn’t enough, U.K. importers had to contend with ports such as Felixstowe and Liverpool seeing strike action and a general shortage of experienced drivers to deliver goods to their customers.
Despite all of this aggro, exhibitors at Harrogate for 2023 will as usual be showing plenty of wonderful new products. The show is full with a number of first-time exhibitors to compliment the seasoned regulars.
Those showing for the first time include Ashleigh & Burwood and We Love Seasons to name but two.
Back in January 2002, I posed the question “Do buyers really need to visit Hong Kong when so many suppliers have excellent U.K. showrooms?”
Well, my question seems to be true, as since Covid restrictions U.K. buyers have managed quite well with Zoom calls to finalise their ranges for the forthcoming year and of course flourishing shows such as Harrogate Christmas & Gift, Spring Fair and christmasworld all give visitors a splendid opportunity to see new product.
I firmly believe that despite many problems facing U.K. consumers, that they will still celebrate Christmas. Let us hope that this will be borne out by sales figures by the end of the year
With the big increases in electricity charges could it also be that consumers are allowing less time to display their outside Christmas lights in order to save on electricity costs, or am I being pathetic?
As we finalise this issue in midDecember, I get the feeling that the Public are investing in Christmas decorative product a little later than past years and are very conscious of saving money. It also seems that timers are being recognized more and more as a sensible way to save on energy bills.
Konstsmide are introducing at Harrogate a great new product that does away with the need for a transformer that plugs into a mains socket. This little baby is solar powered and once fully charge, the small two pin plug that would normally plug into the transformer, plugs directly into the solar powered source and under normal lighting periods can last up to seven days.
Fantastic!
I look forward to meeting and greeting our readers and advertisers from our stand in the entrance to Hall A.
