Report Finds Strong Consumer Demand for Greeting Cards

Posted on March 22, 2002

Despite the explosion of communication options today, including electronic email, chat rooms, wireless Internet, cellular and fax, a new report states that over 70% of consumer households still reach out and touch someone the "old-fashioned" way -- with a greeting card or letter. Consumer retail sales of greeting cards and social stationery topped $14 billion in 2000, as the market posted 5% growth over 1999 levels of $13.7 billion, according to a new market research report, The Greeting Card and Stationery Report 2002: The Market, The Competitors, The Trends, published by Unity Marketing.

The computer revolution is playing a major role in the continuing evolution of the greeting card and social stationery market. Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the new book Why People Buy Things They Don't Need (Ithaca, NY: Paramount Market Publishing, 2002) explains, "This product category has been both positively and negatively impacted by the computer revolution. On the positive side, stationery suppliers have expanded their offerings to include cards and pre-printed stationery suited to use in computer printers. On the negative side, the ready availability of email, as well as the continuing decline of long distance telephone rates, have predisposed consumers to use more technologically advanced personal communication methods instead of `snail-mail' greeting cards."

As a result, many industry players recognize the need to make electronic greetings the friend, not the foe. For example, American Greetings, the nation's #2 greeting card company after Hallmark, now has Internet reach through AmericanGreetings.com, Egreetings, Beatgreet.com, and BlueMountain.com. American Greetings also recently launched fee-based services for its electronic greeting card websites.

The report says that greeting card and social stationery companies will prosper in the future as they focus on filling the consumer's need for a time- and cost-efficient, yet emotionally-laden communication vehicle. Danziger says, "Greeting cards are used by consumers to accompany a gift, as well as a substitute for a gift. With illustrations and ready-made poetic sentiments, greeting cards help consumers express emotions they might otherwise be unable to do. Cards are frequently kept by recipients as reminders for their sentimental value. For the consumer, greeting cards and stationery offer real advantages, not least of which is saving time and effort since expressing deep emotions is hard for many."

Supporting growth in the market is the expanded availability of greeting cards from traditional card shops into all sorts of outlets, from grocery stores, mass merchants, even book stores. "Changing distribution in the greeting card market has significantly impacted the industry," reports Pam Danziger. "Today's time-starved customers are making shorter and more efficient shopping trips, explaining the dynamic growth among mass merchants and discounters, especially those that have embraced the `super-store' concept." Danziger continues, "In terms of the gift market, where shoppers buy their cards is directly linked with where they buy the gifts that accompany those cards. After all, Hallmark has understood this connection for years. Given the major societal shifts in consumer shopping behavior, it is only natural that shoppers pressed for time will turn to a mass merchant for both their card and gift buying needs. This trend has also been helped by the fact that the `Wal-Marts' of the world are now carrying national greeting card brands."

This new research report, The Greeting Card and Stationery Report, 2002: The Market, The Competitors, The Trends, examines in detail the social expression market and is based upon surveys among social expression manufacturers, retailers and consumers. It details industry sales by segment, leading categories, distribution channels, growth trends and projections. The report also contains marketing profiles of some of the leaders in the industry. Published by Unity Marketing, the nearly 200-page report is available from Unity Marketing for $1,995.



More from Writers Write


Writing Contests
upcoming contests
Write Jobs
find a job
Writing Memes
funny writing-related memes
Stephen King Quotes
quotes from the master
Grammar Tips
improve your writing
Writing Prompts
spark your creativity