WHERE: THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION OFFICES IN BIRMINGHAM
The Giftware Association and former buyer and retail expert Jenny Spivey will be hosting a seminaron how to approach and pitch to larger retailers to help scale up your business.
Following a 36- year career within two of the UK’s most prestigious department stores – Harrods and the John Lewis Partnership – Jenny now uses her knowledge and experience in running her own retail consultancy. As ‘Sense Of Retail‘, she works with both established retailers and suppliers across the home and giftware categories. She also mentors SMEs in the sector, including brands new to market – helping them reach a wider audience and present themselves effectively in a professional and competitive environment, online and offline.
This is a presentation by Jenny Spivey to smaller businesses who are contemplating extending their business to larger retailers. Jenny will outline the opportunities and the challenges that they are likely to be presented with and what they need to do in their approach. It’s a reality check as to what potentially lies ahead. Networking Lunch and Q&A included
To book your place on this event book use the above link or to arrange a 30-day invoice, please contact Simone on Simone.rose@ga-uk.org
WHERE: THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION OFFICES IN BIRMINGHAM
The Giftware Association welcomes Louise Welsby from Buy From Creative Agency with her Instagram masterclass. Louise says about Social Media “Instagram is the best way to reach your gift buying audience, but it can be challenging managing the platform in house and growing your audience so that you can make a real difference on your ROI”
This four-hour masterclass is designed for anyone who is looking to build their brand online – whether you are a solo entrepreneur or are looking to bring your social media in-house and want your team to feel empowered to take it on.
WHAT THE COURSE WILL COVER: How Instagram’s algorithms work Knowing your audience What is the differences between your ‘Feed’ and your ‘Stories’ Creating dynamic content Telling your story Influencer engagement Strategy
WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY: * An MOT of your current social media output * A content creation guide * An Instagram Success Guide * Knowledge, excitement and motivation
This will be a practical workshop, so you will need both a laptop and the phone that is used to update Instagram. If you don’t yet use Instagram but this is the beginning, please get the app set up before you come and we can take it from there.
To book your place on this event use the above link or to arrange a 30-day invoice, please contact Simone on Simone.rose@ga-uk.org
WHERE: THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION OFFICES IN BIRMINGHAM
Independent retail advisor, Henri Davis will be presenting a workshop on ensuring that your business is fit for the future. The event is part of The Giftware Association’s education seminars. Henri Davis explains “The current economic uncertainty is impacting consumer spending, but people will always want relevant, quality products that represent good value for money. To be fit for the future I believe you need to have three key things: great products, great service and a realistic plan that gets you results.”
This workshop will help you become ‘fit for the future’, we will look at the three elements mentioned above so you understand what this means for your business, you can then go away and start to develop realistic plans to take you through 2019 and into 2020 and beyond.
If you are a small business owner thinking about the year ahead or someone in a bigger company involved in business planning, this workshop will suit you. Stepping away from your business for a day to discuss your thoughts and share ideas, allows you to be objective and see it from a different perspective.
With the UK been given a six-month extension to leave the European Union, a no deal could still every much be on the cards. If the United Kingdom (UK) leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal, the UK import VAT rules will change for goods sold to UK buyers that are sent in parcels. The changes will affect the rules for reporting and paying UK import VAT and will impact sellers outside the UK.
Current rules while
the UK is in the EU
Under the existing
rules, parcels imported into the UK from the EU are not subject to import VAT.
For imports from non-EU countries, the goods are subject to import VAT unless
they are covered by low value consignment relief, currently £15 or less per
packet.
Rules after the UK
has left the EU
The rules differ
depending on the value of the goods in the parcel. Low value consignment relief
is withdrawn.
Parcels with a value of £135 or less
Sellers outside the
UK sending parcels to the UK where the value for all goods in the parcel is
£135 or less, must pay the UK import VAT for any parcels sent to UK buyers
after the UK leaves the EU. This includes the situation where goods were sold
before the UK leaves the EU, but not sent until after. Sellers outside the UK
include those in the EU, those outside the EU and the Channel Islands.
For the Isle of Man
(IOM) and UK, VAT is treated as one, so VAT will have been charged by the IOM
supplier, where appropriate.
This will include
any goods worth £15 or less as they will no longer be eligible for the existing
tax relief.
VAT will only be
applied where the goods being purchased would be subject to VAT if purchased
within the UK.
Parcels with a value of more than £135
When the value for
all goods in the parcel is more than £135, UK buyers will need to pay the UK
import VAT and any customs and / or excise duty on these goods. The parcel
operator will apply any necessary charges to the parcel and seek the payment
direct from the UK buyer. For excise goods – import VAT, Customs and Excise
duty is due regardless of value, and will be collected directly from the UK
buyer by the parcel operator.
If sellers outside
the UK sell goods above and below the £135 threshold to UK buyers, the seller
should only report and pay the UK import VAT on parcels containing goods worth
£135 or less .
There will be two
ways for sellers outside the UK to pay the UK import VAT. HMRC’s new online parcel
registration service is open and overseas businesses are
encouraged to register now and get their parcels reference so they are ready to
use it if the changes are introduced in case of no deal. Alternatively, they
can pay a parcel operator that offers a service to pay the UK import VAT to
HMRC on the sellers’ behalf.
If sellers do not
follow the new UK import VAT rules, parcels may be delayed or stopped from
entering the UK. In addition, the UK buyer may have to pay extra tax and fees,
and the seller may have to pay a penalty of £1,000.
More information about these
potential changes, or others in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a
deal can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/import-vat-on-parcels. A communications pack on this topic is also
available on GOV.UK.
The winners of the BCTF Awards 2019 were revealed at a ceremony held on the afternoon of Monday April 8 at the Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate, where the very best designer-makers are presenting their latest collections to the trade.
The winners are as follows:
Winner: Helen Eastham Studio
Winner: Kevin Hutson
Winner: Sarah Saunders Ceramics
Winner: Rebecca Perry Ceramics
Winner: Cinda Clark Design
Form & Function
Award sponsored by The Platform Gallery: Joint Winners – Ellen Monaghan,
Helen Eastham Studio, Kevin Hutson, Sarah Saunders Ceramics, Rebecca Perry
Ceramics and Cinda Clark Design.
Winner: Melina Xenaki Ceramics
Highly Commended: Ugly Jewellery
Highly Commended: D W Glass
BCTF Award for
Excellence sponsored by the Pyramid Gallery: Winner – Melina Xenaki
Ceramics; Highly Commended – Ugly Jewellery and DW Glass
Winner: Faye Hall Design
Highly Commended: Betsy & Elys
Best Newcomer Award
sponsored by the Heart Gallery: Winner – Faye Hall Design; Highly Commended
– Betsy & Els.
Winner Sandra Vick
Post Newcomer Award
sponsored by ACID: Winner – Sandra Vick
Winner Rachel Thornton
The Giftware
Association Award for Excellence: Winner – Rachel Thornton
Winner Francesca Marcenaro
The NAJ Award for
Excellence: Francesca Marcenaro
Winner: Citrus Bunn
Winner: Betsy & Els
Highly Commended: Claire Baxter Fine Art
Highly Commended: Jill Ray Landscapes
Highly Commended:The Three Foxes
Greeting Card Award
sponsored by Greetings Today magazine: Winner – Citrus Bunn; Just Because –
Betsy & Els; Highly Commended – Claire Baxter Fine Art; Commended – The
Three Foxes and Jill Ray Landscapes
Winner: Kate Toms
Shorlist: Melina Xenaki
Shortlist: Jack McGonicle
Wow Factor Award
sponsored by DesignGap/ArtGap: exhibitors selected Kate Toms as the winner
from a short list of three, which also included Melina Xenaki Ceramics and Jack
McGonicle Ceramics.
Show organiser, Margeret Bunn said: “BCTF is a real
celebration of all things British and handmade, and our award winners represent
that brilliantly and I am delighted to congratulate them all for their
well-deserved accolades. We are very fortunate that our awards are supported by
important industry associations, prestigious galleries and trade press, so a
big thank you to them all for getting behind the show and supporting the best
of British here today.”
BCTF 2019 has proved to be a success, with visitor numbers
up and many exhibitors reporting that trade has been exceptional as retailers
lined up to place orders on their stands.
“It has shaped up to be a fabulous edition of BCTF,”
Margeret confirmed. “Buyers are aware that demand for handmade British products
has increased over the years and they are keen to offer something new and
unique to their customers. We have some incredibly talented designer-makers
from all parts of the UK who are creating the most beautiful crafts, so it’s
well worth the visit for gallery owners, gift shops, tourism destinations and
other discerning retailers”.
