Leighmans.com records 20% increase in tech-based sales

Since the introduction of the iPad in 2010, the rise in popularity of tablet computing has transformed the way people do business. This has had a significant effect on the promotional accessories industry. Leighmans.com, a leading supplier of promotional products and corporate gifts, has recorded a 20 per cent increase in tech-based sales, as a result of the prevalence of tablet PCs from tech giants Apple, Sony and Samsung.

Over the past 12 months the Bury-based business has seen a drop in requests for ‘traditional’ items such as diaries and mouse mats, instead seeing a huge surge in popularity for tech-focused products, including app pens, headphones, speakers and tablet covers.

Leighmans.com founder, Darren Leigh, said: “Tablet computers have sparked a business revolution; they are being used in boardrooms across the globe – even as an alternative for cash registers in some shops.

“The knock-on effect is that people are no longer buying some of the more ‘traditional’ promotional items, opting instead for items which can be used in conjunction with this revolutionary technology.

“The impact for us has been a shift in focus, an increasing number of tech-related products being introduced into our stock lines and a significant rise in sales in this area, which now represents around 20 per cent of our sales.”

With an estimated 81 million tablets sold in 2012, which is expected to increase to as much as 326 million by 2015, tablets represent a huge and growing market for related suppliers.

Leigh added: “Sales of tech-related products are booming – we recently launched 15 new tablet covers to keep up with demand. In the past, people chose to buy diaries to carry around with them and add a bit of style as they walked into meetings, but now they want covers for tablets to provide protection, flair and branding.”

Despite diary sales being in decline, sales of calendars are still booming, with a significant upswing in demand for notebooks.

“There’s no doubt that diaries are less popular than they once were, but people are still investing in good quality notebooks and calendars, which never go out of fashion. Notebooks are thriving because people still want something they can scribble their thoughts in, but which also sits nicely alongside their tablet. Calendars, on the other hand, provide great bang for your buck – they stay on the wall for a full 12 months and ultimately provide excellent brand exposure at a reasonable cost,” explained Leigh.

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