UK's obsession with Jigsaw Puzzling continues

UK’s obsession with Jigsaw Puzzling continues into 2021

The start of the Pandemic in the UK in February 2020 saw jigsaw puzzle sales increase significantly. In mid-March, the UK went into their first lockdown and jigsaw puzzle sales on our All Jigsaw Puzzle eCommerce website increased by 400% compared to the previous year. This increase in sales continued into the rest of 2020 and through sheer determination and hard work the team at Map Marketing were able to meet the majority of customer demand.

Late Spring / Summer saw a significant shortfall on supply and Map Marketing were only able to keep going due to their own in-house jigsaw puzzle range and the close relationships they have developed with various jigsaw puzzle manufacturers over nearly 20 years of business.

Following the success of jigsaw puzzling in 2020 (NPD Market research report that jigsaw puzzle sales hit £100m in 2020), Map Marketing expected sales to level out, however, it is obvious from January sales that this is not the case.

Cynthia Yeoh, Marketing Director at Map Marketing states

“We were expecting to have a quieter January on the Direct to Consumer side of the business. However, this has not been the case. The combination of Lockdown 3.0 and more lovely customers discovering the joy of the humble jigsaw has meant that we are still seeing growth of around 200%.”

Clare Owen, Sales Director at Map Marketing adds:

“Clients continue to approach us to make bespoke jigsaw puzzles on their behalf. We have manufactured jigsaw puzzles for Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Radiohead and Jarvis Cocker. We have also been working with contemporary artist Cold War Steve on his wildly successful, and award nominated, jigsaw puzzle range.”

Owen and Yeoh both agree that the market continues to expand as more people discover the joy of jigsaw puzzling.

Map Marketing is a map and jigsaw manufacturing company based in the heart of Devon. The company started trading in 1978, selling maps and jigsaws by mail order, and is now a family of businesses.

All Jigsaw Puzzles is an ecommerce store (www.alljigsawpuzzles.co.uk) that was launched in 2001. They sell direct to consumers, stocking a wide range of jigsaw puzzles that cater to their jigsaw puzzle obsessed customers. As well as stocking designs from the big jigsaw puzzle brands such as Jumbo and Ravensburger, they also use their knowledge of their jigsaw puzzling customers to design, manufacture and sell their own range of jigsaw puzzles.