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What do visitors really want from your gift shop? You don’t have to guess. Your customers are already telling you through reviews, conversations, and even what they don’t buy. The key is listening, capturing, and acting on that feedback.

At The Souvenir Collection, we believe the best souvenir ranges are co-created and shaped not just by designers and retailers, but by the customers themselves.

Gathering the Right Feedback

There are more ways than ever to collect customer insights:

  • In-store surveys (via QR code or printed slips)

  • Post-visit follow-ups (through attraction mailing lists)

  • Social media polls and comment tracking

  • Point-of-sale feedback through staff conversations or digital kiosks

Frontline retail teams are a goldmine of qualitative insight. They hear first-hand what visitors are asking for, what they’re surprised by, and what they wish existed. Regular check-ins with your staff can surface trends long before they show up in sales data.

Turning Opinions into Actionable Trends

Collecting data is only step one. The next is spotting patterns:

  • Are visitors asking for more practical items (like umbrellas or travel mugs)?

  • Is a certain collection underperforming despite strong shelf placement?

  • Do tourists prefer designs that reflect landmarks, flora/fauna, or experiences?

By collating comments and reviewing sales in tandem, you can start to see what resonates and what doesn’t.

Some clients use monthly “insight snapshots” to track changes in feedback over time, especially after a seasonal refresh or event campaign.

Adjusting Inventory with Confidence

Armed with visitor feedback, you can:

  • Retire underperforming SKUs

  • Introduce products with specific local references

  • Trial smaller print runs using our low-MOQ model

  • Iterate on popular designs (e.g. same illustration, new format)

The ability to react quickly is vital. With our in-house design and print-on-demand capabilities, we can help attractions refine and relaunch within days, not months.

Listening isn’t just about collecting compliments, it’s about shaping a product range that feels truly relevant to your audience.

Want to make your collection more visitor-led? Contact us to explore feedback-driven design.

Under renovation? Part of your venue closed? You don’t have to shut down your shop or miss out on valuable retail revenue.

Temporary closures can actually offer a chance to rethink how you engage visitors and where you sell. At The Souvenir Collection, we support attractions in designing smart, flexible retail strategies that work even when your main shop isn’t available.

Here’s how to keep retail going during renovation periods or partial access.

1. Create a Mobile Retail Unit

Pop-up stalls, foldable carts, or table displays are perfect for:

- Reception areas or temporary entrances

  • - Outdoor courtyards or marquees

  • - School group check-in points

Stock compact, high-performing products like:

2. Promote Your Online Store

Use QR signage, leaflets, and email follow-up to direct visitors to your online store. Our sister company, Merchr, offers print-on-demand merchandise where no stock is held and customers can personalise products. This works especially well when:

- The main shop is inaccessible

  • - Visitors want to browse at home

  • - Personalisation is part of the offer

We’ll help set up a branded store with your core range, plus customisable options, and handle fulfilment on your behalf.

3. Sell Through Third-Party Points

Consider retailing through:

- The on-site café

  • - Local tourism hubs or partner venues

  • - Pop-up locations in nearby towns

4. Turn the Renovation Into a Retail Story

Visitors love behind-the-scenes glimpses. Create exclusive merch that celebrates the transformation:

  • - “While We Build…” themed notebooks

  • - Archive-inspired postcards or construction-themed graphics

  • - Commemorative mugs or enamel badges

It keeps the experience alive and turns inconvenience into intrigue.

Keep Selling, Keep Connecting

Your shop doesn't need four walls to succeed. Let’s turn your downtime into an opportunity with creative, compact, and custom merchandise,  no matter what stage of renovation you're in.

Speak to our team and let’s keep retail working, even when the paint’s still drying.

Today’s younger visitors aren’t just looking for souvenirs, they’re looking for brands and attractions that reflect their values. Generation Z is values-driven, design-savvy, and deeply influenced by sustainability, inclusivity, and individuality.

At The Souvenir Collection, we help attractions create merchandise ranges that speak directly to this thoughtful, influential audience. Here’s how to meet their expectations and drive purchases that feel good and look good.

1. Sustainability First

This is non-negotiable for Gen Z. Products should be:

  • Made from recycled or natural materials

  • Packaged without plastic

  • Clearly labelled with eco-credentials

Our Eco Collection includes FSC-certified notebooks, recycled cotton totes, UK-made paper goods, and biodegradable packaging, all customisable to your brand.

2. Personalisation and Self-Expression

Gen Z wants to stand out. Use platforms like our sister company, Merchr, to let visitors:

  • Personalise notebooks, mugs or tees with names or messages

  • Choose colours, styles or variations via your online store

  • Scan in-store QR codes for post-visit custom ordering

This generation sees souvenirs as an extension of identity, not just a memento.

3. Inclusive Design

Representation matters. Ensure your merchandise:

  • Features diverse characters, cultural references or historical narratives

  • Uses gender-neutral language and imagery

  • Reflects a broader, more inclusive vision of your attraction and its stories

Our design team can help you build visual styles that feel modern, open, and relevant.

4. Affordability Meets Aesthetic

They love good design, but price still matters. High-performing products for Gen Z include:

Keep it under £15 and you’re likely to convert.

Make Values Part of Your Retail Strategy

Merchandise isn’t just a takeaway, it’s a statement. Let’s build a range that Gen Z wants to wear, share, and talk about. Get in touch to create a collection that speaks their language.

While seasonal launches and exhibition tie-ins are great for retail buzz, every successful attraction shop needs a reliable, all-year-round product range, the kind that sells in January and July, rain or shine, school trip or solo visit.

At The Souvenir Collection, we help attractions create collections that deliver consistent revenue, low waste, and strong visitor engagement across every season. Here’s how to develop a core product range that works 12 months a year.

Start with Visitor-Proof Products

Your core range should be built around timeless, practical items that:

  • Are relevant to most types of visitors

  • Offer wide appeal across age, gender and nationality

  • Require minimal seasonal messaging

  • Pack well and travel easily

Our top performers include:

  • Branded notebooks – ideal for gift-giving, journaling or taking home a piece of the experience

  • Pens and pencils – low-cost, high-volume and loved by students, families and collectors alike

  • Reusable tote bags – sustainable, stylish and useful beyond the visit

  • Mugs and drinkware – perfect for home or office use, often bought in pairs

  • Keyrings and badges – small, affordable, and great for impulse purchases

These categories deliver reliable turnover, are easy to restock, and never go out of fashion.

Design Once, Sell Often

Your core products don’t need constant redesign; in fact, their strength lies in recognisability and longevity. We recommend investing in:

  • A signature design based on your site’s logo, landmark or visual identity

  • Illustration styles or patterns that reflect your brand rather than a specific season

  • Neutral or core colour palettes that match your packaging and displays year-round

At TSC, our in-house designers can help you create artwork that feels evergreen, whether it’s a minimalist crest, a classic architectural sketch, or a clean typographic design.

Keep It Flexible

Build a range that’s adaptable to different audiences:

  • Include neutral gender and age appeal as a base

  • Use seasonal signage or bundles to temporarily reposition core products for gifting or school holidays (e.g. pairing a notebook with a pencil set)

  • Use Merchr to extend the core range online with customisation options for specific buyer types (e.g. teachers, students, alumni)

Create Consistency Across Touchpoints

A strong core range isn’t just a best-seller; it becomes part of your attraction’s identity. Visitors who return year after year will come to expect it. And when it’s done well, they’ll recommend it.

Let’s build your signature selection. Get in touch to start creating a core merchandise collection that works every day of the year.

Not every attraction has the luxury of a large gift shop. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create a high-performing retail offer.

Whether you’re working with a pop-up kiosk, a ticket-desk display, or a few shelves by the exit, it’s all about making smart decisions. At The Souvenir Collection, we help attractions design compact product ranges that fit small spaces, offer big value, and are easy to restock.

Here’s how to build a shop that punches well above its footprint.

Focus on Small, Practical, and Packable

Products that sell well in small spaces tend to be:

  • Lightweight and easy for visitors to carry

  • Low in cost (great for impulse buys)

  • Multi-purpose (keepsake and functional)

Top picks include:

All of these can be branded or customised and have strong visitor appeal across all ages.

Create Vertical and Flexible Displays

Think upward, not outward:

  • Use tiered plinths, pegboards, or hanging racks

  • Display in portable units that can be moved or folded away

  • Use QR signage to offer extended online ranges through our sister company, Merchr

Stock Little, Replenish Often

Order what you need, when you need it and keep your offer fresh without overloading your shelves.

Make the Most of the Space You Have

Small space doesn’t mean small sales. Let us help you create a compact, creative, and custom collection that works wherever your shop is located.

Designing for retail doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel every time. In fact, one of the smartest strategies attractions can use is creating a cohesive product line based on a single piece of artwork, applied across different formats.

At The Souvenir Collection, we regularly help clients transform one well-crafted design into a visually unified, commercially strong collection. Here’s how to get the most out of a single illustration or pattern, and why it works.

 

Why It’s Worth Doing
Using one artwork across multiple products:

Creates brand cohesion across your shop
Helps customers recognise and connect with your theme
Encourages bundling and multi-item purchases
Makes display and signage more impactful
Visitors love being able to buy a set, even if they’re only picking one piece.

 

Start with a Strong Design
The ideal artwork for repetition should be:

Visually flexible (works in square, rectangular and circular formats)
Scalable without losing detail
High contrast for legibility on textiles and stationery
Tied to your attraction’s visual identity (historic detail, iconic building, natural element, custom typography)
We can help you adapt architectural sketches, archive motifs, illustrative maps, or abstract patterns into a layout that works on everything from mugs to tote bags.

 

Best Products for Repeat Use
Once you have your core design, you can apply it across:

Notebooks (hardcover or spiral-bound)
Tote bags and drawstring backpacks
Mugs, travel cups, and bottles
Badges, keyrings, and magnets
Whether you want the artwork to fully wrap the product or act as a placement print, we’ll help ensure it fits beautifully.

 

Make it Easy to Merchandise
Using one pattern lets you build strong in-store displays:

Colour-match across product categories
Group items by design (e.g. “Woodland Collection” or “Sketchbook Range”)
Use the same signage or packaging styling across SKUs

 

Let’s Make One Design Work Harder
One great illustration can go a long way! Contact us about turning your visual assets into a full retail range that’s cohesive, cost-effective, and completely you!

Grandparents are one of the most valuable and often underappreciated segments of the gift shop audience. Many visit attractions as part of a family day out or school holiday treat, and they’re looking for keepsakes, gifts, and shared experiences that resonate across generations.

At The Souvenir Collection, we help attractions create intergenerational product ranges that appeal to both grandparents and the children they visit with. Here's how to create a collection that delights both ends of the age spectrum and drives memorable, meaningful purchases.

Prioritise Practical, Sentimental Products

Older shoppers often favour items that are:

  • Thoughtful and practical

  • Easy to pack and transport

  • Sentimental or experience-driven

For this reason, top choices include:

  • Tea towels – classic, collectable, and often themed to the destination’s history or nature

  • Notebooks – great for creative children or grandparent-grandchild journaling

  • Stationery sets – items they can sit down and use together

  • Fridge magnets – small mementoes with visual storytelling

  • Mugs or ceramics – ideal for gifting or quiet moments at home

These products are typically low-risk, lightweight, and often picked up as souvenirs or presents for parents at home, too.

Design for Shared Appeal

Designs that work across generations:

  • Feature charming, illustrative artwork (especially animals, landscapes, or vintage styles)

  • Use clear, legible fonts and high-contrast colour schemes

  • Avoid slang, overly juvenile designs or anything too trend-based

  • Include educational, nostalgic, or story-driven themes

We can help you build collections that pair visual warmth with functional design, perfect for sparking conversations between generations.

Create Bundles That Do the Work for Them

Pre-packed bundles or “Gift for Grandchild” suggestions help make purchasing easier. Consider:

  • Notebook + pencil set bundles

  • Small storytelling kits (like a wildlife or nature-themed stationery set)

With custom packaging or belly bands, these bundles are easy to grab and perfect for thoughtful gift-givers.

Mind the Messaging

Signage plays a big part in helping grandparents navigate retail spaces. Use:

  • “Perfect for your grandchild” callouts

  • “Gift ideas under £10” or “Shared activity sets” POS displays

  • Inclusive imagery of older adults with younger visitors in your packaging or merchandising

Timeless Design. Thoughtful Retail. Real Connection.

The best souvenir ranges don’t just commemorate a visit, they bring people together. Whether it’s a writing session, a kitchen table conversation or a small token of a lovely day out, products that connect generations can have lasting value.

Want to create a range that resonates with grandparents and their grandchildren? Get in contact today!

Every attraction has a story, but are you telling it through your merchandise?

Whether you're a museum, gallery, historic site or wildlife centre, your product range should feel like an extension of your brand. The most successful souvenir collections aren't just beautiful, they’re purposeful. They capture your history, reflect your values, and resonate with your visitors.

Here’s how to build a range that does exactly that with expert support from The Souvenir Collection design team.

1. Define Your Brand Personality

Start by asking: What makes your attraction unique?

Is it heritage and tradition? Education and innovation? Adventure and family fun? These characteristics should inform your product selection, design style, and messaging.

For example:

  • A royal residence might lean on elegant motifs, crests, and neutral palettes.

  • A science museum may use bold graphics, tech-forward designs, and playful typography.

  • A nature-based attraction could opt for earthy tones, hand-drawn flora and fauna, and organic textures.

2. Choose the Right Product Mix

The best ranges combine practicality, emotional value, and visual appeal. At TSC, we help attractions curate balanced collections that include:

  • Core staples (mugs, notebooks, pens)

  • Eye-catching seasonal products

  • High-impact display pieces

  • Low-cost impulse items

With MOQs starting from just 10, you can test ideas flexibly and affordably, ideal for evolving exhibitions, short-term events, or niche themes.

3. Make Design Central

Our in-house team will work with you to develop bespoke artwork that reflects your story. We can pull from:

  • Archive materials (posters, documents, photos)

  • Architecture or exhibit visuals

  • Local flora, fauna, or maps

  • Typography and signage from your venue

Every design is tailored to your audience and attraction, helping turn everyday items into meaningful mementoes.

4. Personalise to Deepen Engagement

Through our sister company Merchr, we help attractions go even further by offering online customisation. Visitors can personalise products post-visit, increasing emotional value and supporting additional revenue.

Let’s Create Your Signature Collection

Designing a product range that reflects your identity isn’t just about branding, it’s about connection. If you're ready to turn your story into a retail experience, our team is here to help. Get in contact today

School groups are a vital audience for many UK visitor attractions. Whether you're a museum, heritage site, or science centre, catering to younger visitors requires thoughtful, age-appropriate products that are both exciting and educational.

Here’s how to create a souvenir strategy that works for schools, with help from The Souvenir Collection.

What Do Schools and Parents Want?

When schools bring students on trips, they’re looking for souvenirs that are:

  • Affordable: Parents often provide a small budget, typically under £10

  • Safe: No sharp edges, choking hazards, or fragile materials

  • Educational: Products that reinforce learning and help remember the visit

  • Durable: Items that survive the bus ride home

At the same time, the gift shop is often a highlight of the trip, so the products need to be engaging and fun.

Best-Selling School Group Souvenirs

Some of our most popular products for school audiences include:

  • Branded pencils, pens & stationery sets

  • Character keyrings or Magnets

  • Pocket-sized toys

  • Mini badges

These items can be grouped into pre-packed bundles for ease of sale and storage, or offered as part of “pick & mix” counters to create excitement.

School Merchandise

Make It Educational

Linking merchandise to your exhibits or curriculum is a great way to reinforce learning:

  • Use quotes from exhibits, historical facts or visuals in designs

  • Include QR codes that lead back to your attraction’s digital resources

  • Offer customisation to encourage creative engagement (e.g. “Design your own…”)

With TSC’s in-house design support, we can help you craft age-specific artwork and product concepts that truly connect with your educational mission.

Tips for School-Friendly Retail

  • Set up a dedicated area or counter for school souvenirs

  • Offer clear pricing (e.g. £2, £5, £10 bins)

  • Use signage that explains the products’ links to learning

  • Consider online ordering for teachers or pre-booked gift packs

Let’s Create Souvenirs They’ll Take Home and Talk About

From budget-friendly bundles to meaningful learning tools, TSC makes it easy to design merchandise that meets the needs of schools, students, and staff.

Get in touch with our team, and we’ll help you build a school-friendly range that’s safe, fun, and truly memorable.

When it comes to boosting retail revenue, it’s not always about selling more products, it’s about selling smarter. One of the simplest yet most effective merchandising strategies for visitor attractions is the use of multi-item gift sets. These curated bundles add value for customers while helping attractions increase average transaction sizes without overcrowding displays or straining inventory.

Here’s how to make gift sets work for your attraction and how The Souvenir Collection can help you do it effortlessly.

Why Gift Sets Work

Gift sets tap into several proven purchasing behaviours:

  • Perceived value: Visitors feel they’re getting more for their money, especially when a bundle is priced slightly below the cost of purchasing items individually.

  • Convenience: Pre-packed sets are ready to gift, ideal for tourists and families shopping under time pressure.

  • Emotional appeal: Themed bundles tell a story, often aligned with the visit experience (e.g. “Explorer’s Kit”, “Garden Lovers Pack” or “Little Aviator Set”).

They’re also ideal for seasonal promotions, limited edition runs, and upselling at point-of-sale.

Bundle Ideas for Attractions

Attractions can build bundles in a variety of creative and practical ways:

  • Themed kits: Tie into your attraction’s story, e.g. “Museum Essentials” (pencil, notepad, badge) or “Royal Afternoon” (tea towel, coaster set, teacup).

  • Age-focused sets: Create packs for children, teens, or adults with age-appropriate products and designs.

  • Sustainability bundles: Group eco-products to appeal to environmentally conscious shoppers.

  • Build-your-own bundles: Allow customers to select any 3 items from a chosen collection for a discounted price.

Let’s Package the Experience

Bundles aren’t just about increasing spend, they’re about enhancing the visitor journey. When your products reflect the story, atmosphere, and values of your attraction, they become more than just gifts; they become treasured reminders.

Get in touch to start building a range of gift sets tailored to your audience and your story!