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Here Digger talks to Sian Ellis-Thomas from The CDCard Company about their unique greeting cards and how they built a business on memories!

Digger: Can you please tell us about the background to The CD Card Company? 

Sian: The CDCard Company evolved from a music distribution company called Arabesque, we used to supply import LP’s and 12” singles to music retailers. Towards the middle of the 90s when the vinyl business was in decline we started looking for ways to diversify into other products. After many product ideas and iterations we came up with the concept of a greeting card with a CD of music from the year of birth. We utilised our relationship with EMI to secure licenses for original tracks and we were off with the first CDCard range. That was in 1999 and since then we’ve moved the music catalogue to SonyBMG and sold over 7 million CDCards!  We also launched a DVD version of the cards that gives the customer a one hour long exclusive documentary of events from the year of birth.

So you could say we cover the music and the pictures of your life from 1929 – 1994.     

Digger: Please tell us more about acardandagift.com and what’s on offer. 

Sian: acardandagift.com is our consumer website where we specialise in personalised versions of our products. Customers can add a photo and special message to create a totally unique birthday or anniversary card. You can even select the compilation or DVD you wish to add. In the world of personalisation where everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, our products are TRULY unique.

That’s me in the examples below!

Digger:  Wow, so these products can be highly personalised online. Is this proving a popular option? 

Sian:  Yes, of course. We get customers from all over the world and our feedback is always amazing. We also sell interesting retro style gifts, mugs etc.

Digger:  Who are your typical customers, if such a thing exists and what ranges tend to be the most popular? 

Sian: Well as you say, there really is no such thing. Our customers are all ages and from all over the world. I think the one thing that unites them is that they’re looking for something unusual and unique that will say something about them AND the recipient. Life happens to music so our CDCards help recall happy memories and mark milestones. The DVD documentaries are compiled from the archives of British Pathe, ABC News America and ITN and give a fantastic insight into what was happening the year you were born. Who isn’t interested in that?  

Digger:  What sort of feedback and comments have you been getting from clients? 

Sian: Our customers are not only pleased with the end product but the remarkable turnaround time and the general service we provide. If you order by 12pm today and you live in the UK, your card is with you tomorrow. Now that’s not so unusual in this internet age, but we deliver all over the world and when you get feedback from a happy customer in Australia, now that’s pretty good! 

Digger:  Praise indeed, so what is this enduring fascination people have generally with Retro and Nostalgia in all its forms?  

Sian: As soon as you hit your mid twenties, nostalgia kicks in and it grows with each passing year.  It just seems to be in our DNA. We just can’t help it. We all look back through rose tinted specs at our childhood and beyond and those times are punctuated by trends, fashion, toys, adverts, films, cars, you name it – everything seems to have a special place in our hearts and an ability to evoke precious memories. No wonder that we and everyone else on Retrosellers were able to build a business on it. 

Digger:  Your products can be found in outlets everywhere. What does the rise of The Internet do for your business? 

Sian:  We sell in over 2000 outlets in the UK and countless thousands around the world. But our internet business concentrates its efforts on the personalised element of our ranges. It delivers something you can’t yet get at retail. Every business nowadays has to make every effort to maximise its sales and this is our way of doing exactly that. We also work with many, many internet sites who also stock our products too and who take advantage of our personalised offering for their own customers via click through agreements. Digger, your customers can see just how fab our personalised products are and get a special Retrosellers discount of £2 off a personalised CDCard or DVDCard by using this promo code: RS1840Z in the relevant box once they get to the basket.     

Digger:  Wow, that’s a great incentive for them to try out your products. So tell me, what are the best things and what do you most enjoy about working at The CD Card Company? 

Sian: Well I’m a musician myself and so the appeal was always the music. I just happen to be good at other things too! 

Digger:  So where do you see the future for The CDCard Company and acardandagift.com? 

Sian: You can’t afford to stand still in any business and so we are busy looking at the next generation of CDCards. We’re doing some very interesting product development but it’s all a bit hush hush at this stage. So watch this space!