Look, I’ve spent a lot of time in gift shops lately. Not because I’ve got a sudden obsession with scented candles or handmade ceramics, but because I’ve been sitting out the back with owners who are stressed.
They’re looking at a shop full of beautiful stock, a high-street location with decent foot traffic, and a bank account that isn’t moving the way it should.
Running a specialty retail shop in Brisbane right now is tough. You’re competing with the big shopping centres, giant online retailers that deliver in four hours, and a cost-of-living squeeze that makes people think twice about buying a $45 birthday card.
But here’s the thing: most of the gift shops we talk to are making the same five or six mistakes. They’re burning money on marketing that doesn’t work, or they’re ignoring the simple stuff that actually brings people through the door.
If you’re wondering why the shop is quiet, let’s have a honest chat about what’s probably going wrong.
1. You’re Treating Your Shop Like a Secret
I see this all the time. An owner spends sixty grand on a fit-out. They’ve got the best lighting, local artisan stock, and a beautiful sign. Then they sit behind the counter and wait for people to wander in.
Hope isn’t a marketing strategy.
If people don’t know you exist before they walk past your window, you’re missing out on 90% of your potential sales. In the old days, being on a busy street in Paddington or Bulimba was enough. Now? People check their phones before they even leave the house.
If someone searches for "unique gifts near me" and you don’t show up with photos of your actual stock and your actual shop, you don’t exist to them.
We’ve seen shops double their weekend trade just by fixing their Google listing. It’s not about fancy tech; it’s about making sure your shop front door is visible to people searching online. If your Google profile has blurry photos from three years ago and no opening hours, you’re literally telling customers to go somewhere else.
2. The "Post and Pray" Social Media Trap
I’m going to be blunt: most gift shop Instagram accounts are boring.
It’s a photo of a mug. Then a photo of a candle. Then a photo of a tea towel.
Nobody cares about the product as much as you do. They care about the problem the product solves. They need a gift for a mother-in-law they don't really like. They need a housewarming present for a mate who has everything. They need to treat themselves after a rubbish week at work.
Stop posting product shots like it’s a catalogue. Start showing the shop. Show your face. Show us how you wrap the gifts. Tell us why you picked that specific brand of chocolate.
When you just "post and pray," you’re shouting into a void. It doesn’t make the till ring. You need to give people a reason to get off the couch and drive to your shop.
3. Ignoring the Goldmine You Already Have
This is the biggest mistake I see in specialty retail.
Owners spend all their time and money trying to find new customers. They run Facebook ads to strangers. They print flyers. They stress about "reach."
Meanwhile, they have a list of five hundred people who have already bought from them, liked the shop, and would probably come back if they were reminded.
If you aren’t collecting email addresses or phone numbers at the counter, you’re throwing money away. Every single person who buys from you is a potential regular.
Instead of chasing strangers, you should be making regulars out of the people who already know you. A simple email once a fortnight saying, "Hey, we just got these new Italian leather bags in, come have a look," will do more for your sales than a thousand likes on an Instagram post.
It costs almost nothing to talk to your existing customers. It costs a fortune to find new ones. Do the math.
4. Being Too "General"
If you try to sell everything to everyone, you end up selling nothing to no one.
I walked into a shop recently that had baby clothes, car accessories, high-end jewellery, and cheap plastic toys. It felt like a garage sale with better shelves.
Specialty retail works because it’s special. You have to take a stance. Are you the place for quirky local art? Are you the go-to for luxury pamper hampers?
When you try to compete with the big department stores on variety, you lose. They have more space and bigger budgets. You win by being the expert in a specific niche.
If I know your shop is the best place in Brisbane for handmade stationery, I’ll drive across town to see you. If you’re just a "gift shop," I’ll just go to Kmart.
5. Forgetting the "Experience"
Why should I come to your shop when I can buy the same thing on Amazon for $5 less while I’m sitting in my undies at 11 PM?
If the answer is "you shouldn't," you’re in trouble.
Retail isn’t just about the transaction anymore; it’s about the experience. If your shop smells like old cardboard, the music is depressing, and you’re staring at your phone when I walk in, I’m not coming back.
I’ve seen shops turn things around just by changing the vibe. Better music. A signature scent. Offering a glass of water or a chocolate. Gift wrapping that looks so good the person doesn't want to open it.
These things don't cost much, but they make people feel something. And when people feel good, they spend more money.
6. Wasting Money on "Brand Awareness"
If a marketing agency tells you that you need to spend $2,000 a month on "brand awareness," walk away.
For a small gift shop, "brand awareness" is a fancy way of saying "we don't know if this will work."
You need direct response. You need to know that if you spend $100 on an ad, it results in $500 of sales.
We’ve seen too many retailers get talked into expensive magazine ads or billboard spots that do absolutely nothing for the bottom line. It looks nice. It makes you feel famous for a minute. But it doesn't pay the rent.
Focus on the stuff that moves the needle. Google Search ads for people looking for specific gifts. Targeted Facebook ads for people with birthdays coming up in their family. Emailing your list when business slows down to give them a reason to visit.
7. The Price War Race to the Bottom
Don't compete on price. Just don't.
There will always be someone willing to go broke faster than you. If your only selling point is that you’re the cheapest, you’ve already lost.
Specialty retail is about value, not price. It’s about the fact that you’ve curated the best stuff. It’s about the fact that you can tell me the story behind the maker. It’s about the fact that you’ll wrap it beautifully so I don't have to.
If people complain about your prices, it’s usually because you haven't shown them the value.
What should you do first?
If your shop is quiet and you’re feeling the pinch, don't panic and start throwing money at random ads.
First, look at your Google Business Profile. Is it updated? Does it have great photos? Are you replying to reviews?
Second, start a customer list. Today. Put a clipboard on the counter or use your POS system. Offer a small incentive—maybe a free card with their next purchase—in exchange for an email address.
Third, look at your windows. If you walked past your shop, would you actually want to go in? Or is it the same display you’ve had since Christmas?
Marketing a gift shop isn't rocket science, but it does require you to stop doing the stuff that clearly isn't working. Stop chasing "likes" and start chasing sales.
If you want to chat about how to actually get more people through your door without wasting a fortune on rubbish ads, give us a yell at Local Marketing Group. We’re based right here in Brisbane and we don't do jargon. Just results.
Check us out at https://lmgroup.au/contact and let’s see if we can get that till ringing properly again.