Retail entrepreneur Chris Gorman is to shake up the greeting cards market by relaunching selected Birthdays stores as a value proposition.
The trading model, called Cards Direct from Birthdays, has appeared in 120 of the 500 Birthdays stores over the past three weeks. Most cards are marked half price, for as little as 29p.
Birthdays creative and marketing director Geoff Sanderson said: 'In the past few years there has been a blossoming of discount card stores, and this is really a response to the changing high street environment.'
The shops are also being used as stock clearance outlets to make way for new lines next year.
Fascias are unlikely to change until Gorman completes a review of his retail group, which includes Gadgetshop. The review began when Gorman bought the Birthdays chain four months ago and is likely to continue for the next six to 12 months.
Sanderson said the remodelled stores have been given a 'red, white and black value look' inside, and a light-hearted 1950s theme that will be familiar to customers of Birthdays' main chain.
The affected shops previously had an average price per card of£1.65 and are now trading at 50p per card. Further developments will take place over the next year, such as the development of Birthdays as a party brand.
Sanderson said: 'It will be an eventful year for Birthdays, one of the great untouched brands of the high street.'
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