Winchester sticker maker, Stickers4, growing after online pivot during pandemic

A Winchester-based printing firm specialising in designing and supplying stickers for commercial and domestic use has thanked customers for their loyalty through the pandemic.

Before the virus hit, Stickers4, who are based on London Road, sold most of their products to shops and restaurants. They therefore feared that the pandemic may see the end of them, with many of their customers shutting up shop as the country went into nationwide lockdowns.

Instead, with people stuck working from home or trapped inside in furlough, they found a new market of customers looking to spruce up the homes they were now spending the majority of their time in. In turn, sales through Amazon increased by 100 per cent.

With the pandemic, and the lockdowns it brought with it, subsiding, Stickers4 have now thanked their customers, as well as noting that these new-found markets have remained their most lucrative.

Alex Rye (featured above, left), co-founder of Stickers4, explained: “The largest market for us pre-covid was shops and restaurants, so when everything was locked down and we were all stuck at home, we were worried what impact that would have. What we actually saw was a huge increase in interest from homeowners and remote workers - and these continue to be our leading markets today.

 “As well as our nature-based designs - such as hanging baskets, birds and butterflies - being consistently popular, we have seen some interesting new trends emerge. Home organisation and labelling being one of them, as people have not only looked to brighten their homes but to get organised!”

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Stickers4 was founded by Alex and her husband Dan (featured above, right) in 2003, emerging from their design agency in response to increasing requests for printed graphics. Spotting an opportunity, they invested in a printer that could print in all colours and went on to launch a range of snowflakes stickers which sold out in minutes.

The company now boasts more than 2000 designs, has a team of seven people and recently expanded into additional premises to cope with demand from clients across the UK and internationally.

 As well as supplying a wide range of seasonal and decorative window stickers for shops and businesses, Stickers4 is the only company in the UK licensed to supply stickers for 24 Heures du Mans (Le Mans), the most famous car endurance race in the world.

Alex continued: “The reopening of the high street has seen orders start to flood in again from commercial customers too, including opticians, cafes, restaurants, hair and beauty salons, estate agents and independents. With seasonal themes always popular but also one-off events such as the Jubilee celebrations.

“The beauty of our window stickers is that they are very quick and easy to apply and are reusable. It’s a very simple and affordable way to create instant kerb appeal. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our customers, who continue to stick with us. It’s amazing to think our designs are now in homes and businesses across the world.”

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