When local Leeds-based Dominic Copsey heard an advert for personalised greetings card company Moonpig on the radio five years ago, it got him thinking. The personalised gifts market is growing rapidly, but at the time there was nobody who offered personalised wrapping paper.
With a father in the digital printing business and the relevant infrastructure at his fingertips, it seemed like fate.
Dom founded Dom & Geri in 2011, an online business that sells personalised cards and gift wrap for any occasion. Over the years Dom and his team have widened the range of personalised products at hand. What started as a range of birthday cards and wrapping paper is now joined by valentine’s cards, thank you cards, wedding cards, engagement cards, christening cards, father’s and mother’s day cards – the list goes on.
Now with nine employees and nearly 2,000 delighted customers as per our trust pilot reviews, Dom attributes his success to the simplicity of the website’s use. Users have a blank canvas on which they can upload photos and type and edit text. If users don’t want to go down the route of their own creativity, they can pick and choose from a library of built-in text and image options. They can also upload from their own Facebook and Instagram pages, and match wrapping paper, gift tags and cards to create a unified range of personal products.
While his team go about ensuring their customers get the personal touch, Dom himself has taken something of a step back from the front lines of his business. Nowadays he manages the PR and SEO team, giving them direction on the focus of the business and overseeing the PPC campaigns to effectively target the personalised gift marketplace.
Creating a successful business doesn’t just lie in a good product and effective service (although that certainly helps). Especially when it comes to online businesses, Dom says it is important to factor in current user trends. “We closely monitor our web users’ buying patterns,” he says, “and we realised that more and more people are using mobile devices to browse – in the evening, on the train, waiting in the post office. So we made sure the Dom & Geri website has a more responsive design, allowing for an easy, stress-free shopping experience on mobile.”
So what’s next for Dom & Geri? Well, the team are launching a new website in June around Father’s Day, which means it’s full steam ahead in Dom & Geri HQ. Dom is also making sure to set up pop-up shops in Leeds around Christmas time. “It’s just a process of getting our name out there so more people are aware they can personalise wrapping paper.”
It’s an exciting time for local businesses in Yorkshire, and with the advent of more and more online businesses like Dom & Geri, a bit of healthy competition is great for customers – and great for Yorkshire.
Dom and Geri
Facebook: Dom & Geri
Twitter: @domandgeri
