Roses are red… Violets are blue… Paperchase is teased for Valentine’s Day cards on ‘3 for 2’
- Paperchase have been mocked after a shopper in Portsmouth spotted promotion
- Left Twitter in stitches by offering three Valentine’s Card for the price of two
- Read more: Aussies are buying their partners $75 ‘breakup boxes’ as a way to dump them on Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, lovebirds will likely flock to the shops to buy a sweet card for their significant other.
And Paperchase is determined to bank on the romantic holiday, by offering sales on their own selection of missives. However, the initiative backfired after it was mocked online.
A shopper from Portsmouth pointed out on Twitter that the brand is having a a ‘three for two’ offer on, joking that the market of people sending more than one Valentine’s could be a bit ‘niche.’
The quip comes as the stationary giant revealed yesterday that it had collapsed into administration.
But many replied they’d love to buy several cards to ‘hedge their bets’ or big up their children.
The shopper snapped a picture of the shelves at her local Paperchase store, where a multitudes of Valentine’s Day Cards were waiting to be picked up.
‘I know Paperchase is in dire financial straights but 3 for 2 on Valentine’s cards is tapping into a very niche market,’ the woman said.
Man found her remark, which was alluding to one person entertaining more than one relationship at once, to be funny.
Some said the deal was great for people who want to ‘hedge their bets’ and are ‘not too fussy.’
People said the deal was a great idea for singletons trying to hedge their bets or people who are not ‘too fussy’
‘Valentine’s Day only comes once a year and small print runs are expensive so retailers can be excused. Someone who has hope and is not very fussy may consider that sending multiple card is a great idea,’ one said.
‘I dunno. I definitely hedged my bets in my early teens,’ one joked.
”Perhaps it is for single people who are keeping their options open,’ one said.
‘Used to work in our local shop. On Valentine’s Day bloke came in, asked if we had the new “Best Love Album” compilation… Me: “Yes, here it is”, bloke: “Great. Have you got 22?” Me: “Nooooo” I mean, yes, we have… but noooo”,’ one recounted.
One person in a polyamourous relationship – where they have several consenting partners at once – said the deal was very handy for them.
‘I’m polyamourous and this is actually a really handy deal,’ they said.
‘The romantic in me likes to think that people are just so committed and in love that they are buying valentines cards 2 years in advance,’ another wrote.
‘That niche market is me! I always buy them for my three sons. Keep it quiet tho’ – they think they’ve got admirers. (They’re all in their twenties btw),’ one revealed.
For some, the joke brought back some memories, with one saying: ‘I’ll let my ex-boyfriend known as he could definitely use that deal.’
One mother admitted buying several cards to big up her three sons, while one person in a polyamourous relationship found the deal great as well
This comes as Paperchase has gone into administration, putting the future of its 106 stores at risk.
In another blow to Britain’s ailing High Streets, the stationery giant which employs hundreds of workers, appointed administrators from Begbies Traynor to oversee the insolvency process.
The beleaguered chain had failed to secure a rescue buyer after being placed on the market by retail veteran owner Steve Curtis.
Tesco has announced a deal to buy the brand and intellectual property from the insolvency specialists – but the move means Paperchase’s stores are expected to shut, with hundreds of staff likely to face redundancy.
Paperchase became the latest retailer to collapse in the wake of Covid lockdowns and trading restrictions – following the likes of Joules, Debenhams, Monsoon and the Arcadia Group.
The administrators said: ‘On January 31, Mark Fry, Kirstie Provan and Gary Shankland, of Begbies Traynor, were appointed as joint administrators of Aspen Phoenix Newco Limited, which trades as Paperchase.
‘Unfortunately, despite a comprehensive sales process, no viable offers were received for the company, or its business and assets, on a going concern basis.
‘However, there has been significant interest in the Paperchase brand and attendant intellectual property.
‘The joint administrators will continue trading the company’s operations in the short term, with all stores remaining open and trading as normal.’
Supermarket giant Tesco has bought the Paperchase brand and intellectual property after the stationery chain entered administration.
However, the supermarket chain’s deal for the business will not include any of the retailer’s 106 stores and is therefore expected to impact hundreds of jobs.
Jan Marchant, managing director of home and clothing at Tesco, said: ‘Paperchase is a well-loved brand by so many, and we’re proud to bring it to Tesco stores across the UK.
‘We have been building out plans to bring more brands and inspiration to the ranges we currently offer, and this will help us to take those plans further.
‘We look forward to sharing more with our customers in due course.’
Paperchase, which was founded in 1968, went through a form of insolvency proceedings four years ago to cut stores and reduce costs.
In January 2021 the company went into administration with PwC and was sold weeks later in a pre-pack deal, saving around 1,000 jobs when newly formed company Aspen Phoenix Newco took control of the firm.
But Paperchase was then sold again in August last year to a private investment firm led by the retail investor Steve Curtis.
Begbies said that it would continue to ‘monitor trading’ in Paperchase’s stores and provide further updates on the business’s future soon.
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