Gifts and presents business is beating all the records during the New Year's and Xmas sales, and up to the 8th of March is at its zenith. It is the time when people all over the world including Russia, rush to shops and malls in their quest of souvenirs for relatives, colleagues and friends. Nowadays there is an increase in people's interest for the standard as well as for the extraordinary presents in our country. It is unlikely that the demand on this market will ever decrease, as giving presents has been actual and fashionable in all times.

What and where can we buy?

It is very difficult to asses the scale of the presents' business, because almost anything there is in the shops can serve as a present, whether it be real estates, domestic technical equipment, or souvenirs and trifles. The niche of traditional presents like Parker pens, Zippo lighters, textile goods, make up or costume jewellery is the most popular, not very expensive and quite unoriginal. But not all are satisfied with this range of goods. That is why a new branch of the presents' business is getting more and more popular nowadays.

This branch is called network retail which uses specialized departments in shopping centers, department stores and supermarkets. Traditional market is represented by the chain stores like the Red Cube and Multi. They have a very wide range of goods, but these are predominantly crockery and goods for home. Another, non_traditional market is represented by stores like "Wonder", "Window to Paris" and "Brussels trifles". "Window to Paris" is specialized in extravagant interior items, but "Wonder" apart from these items, has a wide range of exclusive articles made of glass, ceramics, porcelain and steel. These stores are actually intended for the consumers of an upper_mid dle level of income. The most important aspect of the production here is designer novelty, uniqueness. There are a lot of hand_made items. Functionality is not the main criterion here. Spokesmen for the chain store LeFuture think that the present is something that should astonish people. The store supplies unique items of tomorrow, which are astonishing as well as functional. There is almost no crockery.

Seasonal trade or where to buy?

There are no "dead seasons" in the presents' business, though there is a sort of lull period during the summer months. Summits of sales are registered in winter during the New Year's and the following holidays. It is the time when shops and chain stores arrange all kinds of advertising and other campaigns in order to attract more customers. "Brussels trifles", "The world of presents", and LeFuture offer their VIP clients accumulating discount system services, send greeting cards which allow clients to get free presents in any store of this chain. Apart from all these stores provide their clients with free firm wrappings and greeting cards. Services are available on the phone and in the Internet as well. Sometimes large sales are arranged in order to free stocks from items of previous collections. Tatiana Maksubova, a manager of the Multi Company:

Traditionally, the most popular variants of presents in the New Year's Eve, are glass crockery. The "Multi" company cooperates with different producers, including german company Schott Zwiesel, and has a wide range of goods, therefore it can satisfy all the consumers' demands. The choice of wrappings is also a very important aspect of the presents' business. Thematic New Year's colorings are not always preferable. Sometimes customers chose extravagant or even strange wrappings hoping to astound and exhilarate their friends or relatives. The presents' business is the most perspective and profitable business. Life is full of surprises and the choice of presents for each occasion will ever be actual. The Multi Company will always be pleased to help its clients in choosing the best variant.