Hello ,

Greetings from Spain

Last week I was telling you about wearing my poppy in Spain, you can read it here.
Since then.. a lot has happened in the UK, as the impossible Brexit concept continues to unravel. The view from the rest of Europe, even the rest of the world.. is like.. (shrug of shoulders).. well, guys what did you expect? You know you can't just get divorced and get to keep e the house and the cat.. and still get conjugal rights. It's simples no? The European trading block makes the mega import / export deals world wide, we want want to keep those deals (because we want to trade inside the EU) but we wanna make our own deals.. haha that would be so cool. Great for AW when I think about it. Anything we could import on a lower duty than the rest of Europe we could buy and then sell truck-loads (literally) to them and corner the whole EU market, because we'd have ourselves a huge juicy competitive advantage. Happy days! Cake and eat it time.. but sadly they are not going to let us get away with that.
BTW.. Does anyone understand what a backstop arrangement is? Is it a trick? It is isn't it? I knew it!

Meanwhile while everyone is playing Brexit.. the UK retail landscape is falling apart at the seems, the mighty John Lewis in crisis, Marks & Spencer in a mess, Debenhams in the dumps. The mighty are fallen. Wait until January, when the next quarters rents are due.. could be an even bigger bloodbath coming. What happened? The internet happened.. and the heritage retailers fully geared with prime spot rents and expensive real-estate got caught high and dry. Sure they are fighting back, with mega online stores, but they still have a problem even then...

It's David and Goliath .. the rise of the independent artisan store.. online and in the craft and farmer markets.
Have you seen the John Lewis Xmas advert?
Elton John plays Your Song, while experiencing flashbacks over his career always with a piano.. it's like he is about to die.. heaven forbid. But is this John Lewis hankering for times past subconsciously? A more predictable middle class world.
It's a lovely advert, yanking on all your heart strings, ending with the the young EJ connecting with a note on the piano with the old EJ. Here if you didn't see it.
The advert ends with "Some gifts are more than just a gift". - in this case the young EJ's piano, did it really come from John Lewis?

So true.. but these days we all crave something a bit more authentic, be it from an enthusiastic specialist online store, or that craft market, or back street shop in a pretty location. Market towns are back, funky markets are back, passion and authenticity are back. Retailers who care are back.. and sorry JL and co.. time for you to shuffle off to some high street in the sky..
At AW we have always supplied (and always will) the independent gift trade. Guys.. listen up, your time is here.
And at AW we are working hard to help the independent traders and we have great plans in the pipeline.. not just products but for our loyal customers new ways to sell.
Because.. at AW we have always believed.. "Some Gifts are More than just a Gift"
The retail world is being shaken to it's foundations, the old school is singing it's last tunes. Time for the independent, passionate, retailers to claim a piece of the pie.

Check out our deals below.
Update from AW.. we are fighting back.. Everyone and their Aunt is picking and packing orders. Everyday we beat a new record.
Our customers must be doing something right, because they are reordering in record speeds and record amounts.
Weekends shift again.. we are a bit behind, but boy are we working hard.

Is it too early to wish you a Merry Christmas..?
OK OK.. I'll do it next week.. :)

Take care

David

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