Offering items capable of meeting the demand of an increasingly selective and diversified market; knowing how to manoeuvre the price lever; focusing on the combination of creativity and innovation; consolidating the relationship with brands that have an eye for Italian taste and tradition. These are the main ingredients which, properly mixed, have led to the growth and affirmation of Ediglam and Ediglam Next.

Two different catalogues, one range of products able to satisfy the purchasing habits of different targets but united by the need to have unique experiences. Ideal as gifts for loved ones or to buy as a personal treat, the products for which Ediglam and Ediglam Next are also licensees have become widely used in Italy.

"Ediglam was founded in 2006 and in the space of a few years it has established itself as a benchmark company on the national scene,” explains its sole director, Giovanni Manfredi. “Until 2012 we were licensees of the most exclusive brands of children’s products, then we expanded our offer by starting our own production, creating the graphics of the items on offer and purchasing the licenses.

Three years ago we doubled our catalogue with the foundation of Ediglam Next, which covers similar sectors but with different characteristics."

What are the most popular items?

"Keyrings, backpacks, greeting cards, mugs, piggy banks, jewellery, shoppers, children's products and many more. A varied universe able to satisfy the demands of a target with different tastes and propensities to purchase but all eager to get hold of something beautiful and useful. All the items are decorated with eye-catching designs and images of the most famous characters loved by the young and the young at heart."

Are there any differences between the two catalogues?

"Ediglam Next is part of the Ediglam catalogue. The latter presents a list of proposals made by us and, at the same time, distributes items made by various European companies exclusively for Italy, while Ediglam Next currently only has a high-quality line of pens, pencils and notebooks".

For which brands do you have exclusive rights?

"The main ones include Metal Morphose, whose collection includes keyrings and brooches, Chocli, a Belgian brand that produces gold jewellery and necklaces, and Thinking Gifts, a British company specialising in articles for reading lights and bookmarks.”

What is your approach to the market?

"We have embraced a philosophy that allows anyone to access our proposals, an assortment capable of satisfying the most demanding and sophisticated customer as well as meeting the demands of a target leaning more towards impulse buys and with limited spending power."

Who are your targets?

"People seeking a lovely gift who know exactly what they want to buy without paying too much attention to the price. Others, on the other hand, are oriented towards small gifts that have a reasonable cost, notice the product in the store and quickly fall in love with it, buying it without thinking too much about it. In this segment of the public, impulse buying prevails: the item catches the consumer's eye and immediately triggers the desire to make it their own.”

In which stores are your items listed?

"Over time, we have received lots of feedback that has led us to distribute the products in different business categories: from stationery shops to gift shops, from home gift shops to museum bookshops, from hardware stores to clothing outlets and even pharmacies, home furnishing stores and bookstores. In this regard, we sell our products in over 600 Mondadori stores.”

How important is the presentation of the product?

"Knowing the correct way to present the image of what you want to sell is crucial, so how it is displayed is a predominant aspect in the entire process. Display cases play an important, I would say decisive, role in stimulating purchases and achieving a certain number of sales, and we also provide special displays to ensure the correct visibility of our items."

Is there a line that tops the popularity stakes?

"In this phase of the market, keyrings – also sold in hardware stores and clothing stores – are recording a more than positive trend. The advantage of gift products is that they are versatile, they can be presented in several different contexts without losing their identity.”

How is the distribution structured?

"We sell to retail, directly to the point of sale without going through the wholesaler. Thirty multi-firm agents operating in the area manage the relations with the points of sale".

Can you tell us a story, something interesting and original that was a source of particular satisfaction for you?

"Several years ago, when they had the Hello Kitty license, we came up with a product, a mini mug (2 cm) that mimicked the ceramic mug. It was a very popular item that recorded sales that went well beyond our wildest expectations.

Even today, in a market phase characterised by extreme volatility, it is essential to present something new, but uncertainty is holding back purchases. In other words, it creates a contradiction in terms: the customers are demanding something that is original and innovative, but when it comes down to it, there is no guarantee that they will then go on to purchase it.”

Is there anything in particular that makes you proud of your proposals?

"Creativity is the factor that differentiates us, we have a graphic design office that is one of Ediglam's points of excellence. I visit a lot of exhibitions, I scrutinise what the market offers, I look around. Many competitors focus on flair and imagination, tools capable of increasing the rate of differentiation if combined with good product quality, the problem is that creativity often fails to emerge because we are held back by the fear of not selling. In this respect, I believe that the Nordic countries and Italy are a step ahead of the other countries in terms of inventiveness and originality.”

In your opinion, how much does online competition affect high street sales?

“As already mentioned, buyers are clearly sensitive towards pricing incentives. Today, toys, backpacks, books can also be purchased on sites that have the possibility of applying discounts and promotions, and the high street operators, especially stationery shops, are the ones who suffer. We need to find a balance in order to keep the physical stores open, otherwise in the long run the advantages enjoyed by virtual stores will determine an imbalance that may have severe consequences on the high street.”

What is your opinion of Milano Home?

"I'm satisfied. The January edition was the first edition of a new path that aims to encourage a more targeted match between supply and demand. We have recorded a good response, the event is aimed at a wide range of the market and I hope that next year the number of visitors will increase. One of the criteria that establishes the quality of a trade fair event is the quality and number of exhibitors, two factors that stimulate the presence of buyers.”