Card Connection is the UK and Ireland's leading franchise for greetings cards and party products
About Card Connection
Card Connection, which franchised throughout the UK and Ireland, is the market leader in the distribution of greetings cards, supplying 12,000 retailer outlets from independent shops to a network of over 100 national accounts, including BP (M&S Simply Food), Budgens, Londis, Spar, Nisa, Shell and WH Smith.
As well as greetings cards, Card Connection franchisees also supply party and gift items, wrapping paper and gift bags. Its original card designs are suitable for any kind of outlet and the range is designed for broad appeal — it totals over 900 designs covering everything from birthdays to Christmas cards and from Easter to anniversaries.
Card Connection’s popular model means that customers do not have to buy stock, and only pay for what they sell.
Card Connection has been a member of the British Franchise Association since 1995 and the Irish Franchise Association since 1996. It is also a member of the Greeting Card Association.
Its Oxford and Banbury franchise won the British Franchise Association HSBC Micro-Business Award in 2013 and the company has been a finalist in Franchisee of the Year categories awarded by both the BFA and the IFA.
Good income from well established businesses
Card Connection has had a complete network for over a decade. All territories sales are therefore re-sales, which mean they have a detailed sales history and an income from day 1. All franchisees for sale have had a presale audit by Card Connection and are offered goodwill prices which should ensure a good income and return on capital. Some territories are providing income in excess of £50,000pa.
Flexible lifestyle
While your retail customers are trading throughout the day, and often into the night, you can merchandise them at hours convenient to you.
Outstanding product ranges
There are around 1,100 quality greeting cards in our range, which cover virtually every style and taste in the card market. This means that a franchisee is able to tailor their displays to their retail customer’s requirements.
In addition, there are the seasonal ranges, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas, plus we supply Gift wrap, Gift Bags and Party.
Training and support
Card Connection offers a comprehensive training programme. Training is spread over several weeks and covers every aspect of the business in both the classroom and most importantly in the field.
On an on-going basis, every franchisee is supported by their Regional Sales Manager, who provides support and encouragement, as well as genuine business development within their territories.
Franchisees are encouraged to meet regularly, either through formal meetings/conferences or socially.
News
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12 Good Reasons to Invest in a Card Connection Franchise!
12 Good Reasons to Invest in a Card Connection Franchise! In these difficult times, if you’re looking to invest in a new business opportunity that offers you a stable and dependable income, how about a greeting card franchise with Card
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Top Accolade to Card Connection Franchisee who leaves his mark
At an emotional awards ceremony in Dublin, Card Connection franchisee Joe Sweeney posthumously won Retail Franchisee of the Year award at the prestigious Irish Franchise Association Awards. It was a bitter-sweet moment for Joe’s sons Joseph and Trevor, who went
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Franchisees Continue to Triumph in Adversity
To say our world has changed over the past 20 months is probably the biggest understatement ever. Everyone is painfully aware of the difficulties many sectors of the economy have suffered during the Covid pandemic, but there are examples of
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It’s Good To Talk!
Card Connection have celebrated a successful year across UK and Ireland by completing their network wide programme of December regional meetings, during which they were able to thank their franchisees for their contribution towards the network’s double-digit growth in 2021.
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Card Connection Fly High at Franchise Awards
Whilst on the day Card Connection narrowly missed out on the top spot in both the categories they were shortlisted for, they still ran the front runners a very tight race as finalists in the 2021 Best Franchise Awards. “We
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Faith in Humanity
Daryl Perkins, our Nottingham franchisee and his partner Lucy have recently funded a local football team by purchasing their kit and instead of advertising their own business on these shirts, they insisted the Rainbows logo take full pride of place,
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Introducing Colin Brattan – our Lake District Franchisee
Imagine spending your days working in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Lake District, the Scottish borders, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Eden Valley…. Well Colin & Margaret Brattan do just that. Colin & Margaret purchased
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Women In Franchising – Card Connection
From Card Connection’s beginning in 1992, female franchisees have played a key role in the success of the greeting card franchisor’s brand. As women remain the primary purchasers of greetings cards, perhaps it’s not so surprising that female franchisees have
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Card Connection – Carbon Offest Programme Announcement
As part of our parent company UKG Greeting, Card Connection are proud to announce that all its single greeting cards will be offset through the global conservation charity World Land Trust’s Carbon Balanced Paper programme. As part of our parent
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Card Connection: Franchising – Your Next Step after Redundancy?
Recent impacts on the economy have made redundancy a cruel reality for many people. However, as one door closes, a new one can often open! Franchising can allow you to turn a negative experience into a positive one and to
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Card Connection helps ‘phoenix store’ rise from the ashes
This temporary structure may remind us of the Nightingale hospitals that sprang up last year, but for the residents of Holt village near Wrexham, this ‘pop up’ Budgens store was in many ways just as much of a lifesaver. “The
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Bigger is Always Better for Card Connection Franchisee
When it comes to growing his business, Robin Brisbourne, Card Connection’s franchisee in North Wales has become the very definition of ‘Mr Consistent.’ In fact, his territory has shown growth in every year since he took on the franchise in
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Case Studies
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David & Sherran Patient: From Shopkeepers to Suppliers
When David & Sherran Patient took over the Card Connection franchise for Chelmsford, they already had a head start. As ex-retailers themselves, they knew the challenges their customers faced. Plus having stocked Card Connection’s greeting cards as ex-customers, they knew
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Profiting from a focus on product
Profiting from a focus on product Although Card Connection’s Franchisee for Northampton Rakesh Joshi does not have the largest franchise territory in the greeting card supplier’s network, he certainly knows how to make the best of it when it comes
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Card Connection is Lifestyle Choice for Scottish Franchisee
Munawar Mohammed took over Card Connection’s Aberdeen territory in 2016 from the outgoing franchisee, Andrew Orr, who ran the area successfully for 18 years. Munawar explains: “Previously, I worked for the well-known, house-hold furniture retailer: DFS, as a top sales
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Elaine Anderson: Case Study
Elaine Anderson joined leading greeting card publisher and franchisor Card Connection in 2012 and took over the established territory of Glasgow and Fort William. Name: Elaine Anderson Location: Glasgow & Fort William Franchise: Card Connection Date: joined 2012 Elaine now
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New Card Connection Franchisees Recruited for Middlesbrough/Darlington territory.
Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced two of its new franchisees have been recruited. David and Cathy Mason take over the Liverpool area and Bill & Hilary Davies will now run the Middlesbrough/Darlington territory.
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Tony Lees Case Study
Having retired from a successful career in the FMCG industry in 2008, Tony Lees was looking for a small business that would allow him to be master of his own destiny and give him an income for the remainder
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David Roseweir case study
David Roseweir joined Card Connection as their franchisee for Stirling and Perth in 2007. He now supplies Card Connection’s extensive range of greetings cards and accessories to more than 300 retailers in Scotland. David Roseweir joined Card Connection
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Testimonials
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David Clements (Card Connection Franchisee)
"We knew that buying the Card Connection in Cornwall was the right decision because the franchise had all the benefits of being self-employed, yet with the support of a professional, national and reputable organisation right behind us. This means ongoing training and support is always available including access to Card Connection’s network of national retail accounts: Costcutter, Budgens, Spar, Shell and of course Londis. We started full-time in December 2007 – the busiest month of the year for greeting cards – and that was a challenge! However, the Card Connection head office support staff couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful to ensure our business got off to a flying start."
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Di Tudor (Card Connection Franchisee)
"When we met Card Connection franchisees and the staff at Card Connection’s head office we were immediately impressed with the professionalism. This gave us confidence to know that we would have the back up of a professional organisation behind us. The business is now doing brilliantly and we are very confident we can continue to grow and make a sound living out of not only something that we enjoy but an enterprise that has a bright future ahead. I would also happily recommend the franchise to others. A Card Connection franchise will offer all the flexibility of running your own business yet it takes advantage of what is essentially a recession-proof industry."
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