Greeting Card Report - Unity Marketing
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Greeting Card Market 2013: The Ultimate Guide to the Greeting Card Consumer Market © Unity Marketing, 2013 Page 2 The Greeting Card Market 2013 ................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Research Methodology & Objectives............................................................................................................................ 11 Special investigations: Christmas Card Traditions ....................................................................................................... 14 Special Investigation: Custom Card Purchases ............................................................................................................ 14 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Research .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Demographics of Greeting Card Buyers ....................................................................................................................... 16 Sales & Growth in the Greeting Card Market............................................................................................................... 17 Greeting Card Purchases & Purchasers ......................................................................................................................... 18 Greeting Cards for Holidays and Occasions ................................................................................................................. 19 Greeting Card Features & Themes ................................................................................................................................ 20 Shopping Destinations for Greeting Cards.................................................................................................................... 20 Personalities of Greeting Card Customers .................................................................................................................... 20 Greeting Card Customers’ Favorite Brands, Retailers and Websites .......................................................................... 21 Chapter 1: Demographics of the Greeting Card Customers .................................................................................. 22 Total Purchase Incidence of Greeting Cards ...................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 1: Greeting Card Purchasers, 2013, 2009, 2007 & 2005 including custom-printed cards ................... 23 Demographic Profile of Greeting Card Buyers .................................................................................................................. 24 Gender ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Figure 2: Gender of Greeting Card Buyers, 2013, 2009, 2007 & 2005............................................................. 24 Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 24 Figure 3: Greeting card buyers and non-buyers by gender, 2013,...................................................................... 25
Transcript of Greeting Card Report - Unity Marketing
Greeting Card Market 2013: The Ultimate Guide to the Greeting Card Consumer Market
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The Greeting Card Market 2013 ................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Research Methodology & Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 11
Special investigations: Christmas Card Traditions ....................................................................................................... 14
Special Investigation: Custom Card Purchases ............................................................................................................ 14
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 16
Research .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Demographics of Greeting Card Buyers ....................................................................................................................... 16
Sales & Growth in the Greeting Card Market ............................................................................................................... 17
Greeting Card Purchases & Purchasers ......................................................................................................................... 18
Greeting Cards for Holidays and Occasions ................................................................................................................. 19
Greeting Card Features & Themes ................................................................................................................................ 20
Shopping Destinations for Greeting Cards .................................................................................................................... 20
Personalities of Greeting Card Customers .................................................................................................................... 20
Greeting Card Customers’ Favorite Brands, Retailers and Websites .......................................................................... 21
Chapter 1: Demographics of the Greeting Card Customers .................................................................................. 22
Total Purchase Incidence of Greeting Cards ...................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 1: Greeting Card Purchasers, 2013, 2009, 2007 & 2005 including custom-printed cards ................... 23
Demographic Profile of Greeting Card Buyers .................................................................................................................. 24 Gender ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24
Figure 2: Gender of Greeting Card Buyers, 2013, 2009, 2007 & 2005 ............................................................. 24
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 24
Figure 3: Greeting card buyers and non-buyers by gender, 2013, ...................................................................... 25
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Income ............................................................................................................................................................................. 26
Figure 4:Income of Greeting Card Buyers,2013, 2009 2007 & 2005 ............................................................... 26
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 27
Figure 5: Greeting card buyer and non-buyerss income, 2013 .......................................................................... 28
Age of Respondents ........................................................................................................................................................ 29
Figure 6: Age and Generation of Greeting Card Buyers,2013, 2009, 2007 & 2005 ....................................... 29
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 30
Figure 7: Greeting card buyers and non-buyers by age, 2013 ........................................................................... 30
Overall Purchases ........................................................................................................................................................... 31
Figure 8: Trends in Greeting Card Purchases, 2013 &2009 ............................................................................. 31
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Figure 9: Greeting card purchase incidence among qualified respondents , 2013 & 2009 .............................. 33
Trends in Use of Greeting Cards, among Buyers & Non-Buyers Alike ..................................................................... 34
Figure 10: Impact of text messaging, email, social media on greeting card usage 2013 ................................. 34
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 35
Chapter 2: Sales & Growth of the Stationery Goods & Greeting Card Market ................................................. 37
Overall Size & Growth Stationery Goods Market ............................................................................................................. 37 Figure 11: Size of Stationery Goods Market t, 2002-2013 .................................................................................. 37
Greeting Card Market Detail, Size & Growth .............................................................................................................. 38
Figure 12: Greeting Card Market Detail, Size & Growth 2004-2013 ............................................................... 38
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 38
Historical Data on Stationery Goods Industry .............................................................................................................. 41
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Figure 13:Historical stationery goods market, 2002-2009 ................................................................................. 41
About Channels of Distribution for Greeting Cards .......................................................................................................... 42 Figure 14: Greeting card markets by channels of distribution, 2009 & 2013 ................................................... 42
Historical Channel of Distribution for Greeting Cards ................................................................................................. 44
Figure 15: Greeting Card Sales by Channels of Distribution, 2009 & 2007 ..................................................... 44
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Chapter 3: About Greeting Card Purchases & Purchasers .................................................................................... 46
Details about Greeting Card Purchasing ....................................................................................................................... 46
About Individual Greeting Card Purchases ........................................................................................................................ 47 Figure 16: Purchases of individual greeting cards, 2013, 2009, 2007 ............................................................... 48
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 48
About Number of Individual Cards Bought & Amount Spent .................................................................................... 48
Figure 17: Number of individual greeting cards purchased and average.amount spent, 2013, 2009, 2007 ... 48
Figure 18: Distribution of number of greeting cards bought 2013 .................................................................... 50
Take action>> ................................................................................................................................................................. 51
Figure 19: Distribution of amount spent on individual greeting cards, 2013 ..................................................... 51
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 52
About the Last Individual Greeting Card Bought ......................................................................................................... 53
Figure 20: Spending on last greeting card bought, 2013 .................................................................................... 53
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 54
Where People Bought Their Last Individual Greeting Card ........................................................................................ 55
Figure 21: Where last individual greeting card was bought, 2013, 1009 .......................................................... 55
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 57
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About Boxed-Card Purchases ............................................................................................................................................. 58 Figure 22: Types of boxed cards purchased, 2013, 2009, 2007 ........................................................................ 58
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 59
About Number of Boxed Cards Bought & Amount Spent .......................................................................................... 60
Figure 23: Number of boxed greeting cards purchased and average amount spent, 2013, 2009, 2007 .......... 60
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 61
Figure 24: Distribution of number of boxed cards bought, 2013 ....................................................................... 61
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 62
Figure 25: Distribution of amount spent on boxed cards, 2013 ......................................................................... 63
About the Last Box of Cards Bought ............................................................................................................................ 64
Figure 26: Spending on last box of cards bought, 2013 ...................................................................................... 64
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 65
Where People Bought Their Last Box of Greeting Cards ............................................................................................ 66
Figure 27: Where last box of greeting cards was bought, 2013 ......................................................................... 66
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 68
About Custom-Card Purchases ........................................................................................................................................... 69 Figure 28:Types of custom cards purchased, 2013, 2009, 2007 ......................................................................... 69
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 70
Occasions for Custom Card Purchases .......................................................................................................................... 71
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 71
Figure 29: Occasions when customized cards are purchased, 2013 .................................................................. 72
Number of Custom-Printed Cards Bought .................................................................................................................... 73
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 73
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Figure 30: Distribution of number of custom-printed cards, 2013 ..................................................................... 73
Spending on Custom-Printed Cards .............................................................................................................................. 74
Figure 31Distribution of amount spent on custom-printed cards, 2013 .............................................................. 74
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 75
About the Last Custom-Printed Card Bought ............................................................................................................... 76
Figure 32: Spending on last custom-printed card bought, 2013......................................................................... 76
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 77
Where People Bought Their Last Custom-Printed Card .............................................................................................. 78
Figure 33: Where last custom-printed card was bought, 2013 ........................................................................... 78
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 79
Chapter 4: Greeting Card Holidays & Occasions .................................................................................................... 80
Occasions that Stimulate Greeting Card Purchases ...................................................................................................... 81
Figure 34: Occasions When Greeting Cards Were Bought, 2013, 2009, 2007 ................................................. 81
Holidays for which Greeting Cards Are Bought ........................................................................................................... 83
Figure 35: Holidays for which greeting cards were bought, 2013, 2009, 2007 ................................................. 83
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Figure 36: Combined holiday and Occasion greeting card purchases, 2013 .................................................... 84
More About Christmas Cards ............................................................................................................................................. 85 Figure 37: Send Holiday Greetings 2012, 2008 & 2009...................................................................................... 85
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 86
Demographics of the Christmas Card Buyers ............................................................................................................... 86
Figure 38: Demographics of Christmas Card Buyers, 2013, 2009 .................................................................... 86
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Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 87
Personal Christmas Cards Bought ................................................................................................................................. 89
Figure 39: Personal Christmas Cards Sent, Christmas’ 2012, 2008, 2006 ....................................................... 89
Figure 40: Distribution of personal Christmas cards sent 2012 ......................................................................... 90
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 91
Business Christmas Cards Bought ................................................................................................................................. 92
Figure 41: Number of business Christmas cards sent Christmas 2012, 2008 .................................................... 92
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 93
Types of Christmas Cards Bought ................................................................................................................................. 94
Figure 42: Type of Christmas Cards Bought, 2013 & 2009 ............................................................................... 94
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 96
Spending on Christmas Greetings 2012 ........................................................................................................................ 97
Figure 43:Distribution of spending on Christmas cards 2012 ............................................................................ 97
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 98
Trends in Sending Christmas Greetings from Past Year to Current Year ................................................................... 98
Figure 44: Trends in Christmas card purchases for Christmas 2012-2013, 2008-2009, 2007- 2006 ............. 98
Take Action>> ................................................................................................................................................................ 99
Where Bought Christmas Greeting Cards ................................................................................................................... 100
Figure 45: Where people bought Christmas 2012 holiday cards ..................................................................... 100
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 101
Favorite Christmas Card Themes ................................................................................................................................ 102
Figure 46: Favorite Christmas Card Themes, 2013, 2009 ............................................................................... 102
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Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 103
Attitudes about Sending Christmas Greetings ............................................................................................................ 104
Figure 47: Attitudes about Christmas Cards, 2009 ........................................................................................... 104
Chapter 5: More About Greeting Card Features & Themes ............................................................................... 106
Trends in Greeting Card Features ................................................................................................................................ 106
Figure 48: Greeting card features, 2013, 2009, 2007 ....................................................................................... 106
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 108
Trends in Greeting Card Themes ................................................................................................................................. 110
Figure 49: Greeting card themes, 2013, 2009, 2007 ......................................................................................... 110
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 112
Figure 50: Popular themes for greeting cards, 2013 ......................................................................................... 112
Special Added-Value Features in Greeting Cards ...................................................................................................... 113
Figure 51: Special added-value features, 2013, 2009, 2007 ............................................................................. 113
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 114
Chapter 6: Shopping Destinations for Greeting Card Shoppers ......................................................................... 115
Figure 52: Destinations for greeting card shoppers, 2013, 2009 ...................................................................... 115
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 117
Retailer Features that Attract Greeting Card Shoppers ............................................................................................... 119
Figure 53: Features that influence greeting cards shopper, 2013 .................................................................. 119
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 120
Chapter 7: Personalities of Greeting Card Shoppers ............................................................................................ 121
Figure 54: Greeting card personalities, 2013 .................................................................................................... 121
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Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 122
Attitudes about Greeting Cards ......................................................................................................................................... 123 Detail Attitude Statements by Personalities ................................................................................................................ 123
Figure 55: Attitude Statements by Personality ................................................................................................... 124
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 125
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 126
Chapter 8: About Greeting Card Shoppers’ Favorite Brands and Stores .......................................................... 127
Leading Greeting Card Brands ......................................................................................................................................... 128 Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 129
Top Retailer Brands for Greeting Cards ...................................................................................................................... 130
Figure 57: Top retail brands where greeting cards were purchased, 2013 & 2009 ........................................ 130
Top Websites for Greeting Card Customers ............................................................................................................... 132
Take Action>> .............................................................................................................................................................. 132
Figure 58: Top internet websites for greeting cards 2013 ................................................................................ 132
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INTRODUCTION Greeting Card Market Report Overview
The market for greeting cards is a tough one in today's digital environment, with consumers having many faster, easier, and in
many cases, cheaper ways to send a greeting. In addition, a new, more personalized
type of greeting has emerged, thanks to custom-printing internet providers like
Shutterfly and Snapfish which take a customer’s photos, combine it with a
boilerplate greeting or one’s own and deliver a customized printed greeting or set of
greeting cards.
Many cultural trends are afoot that are changing consumers' demand for
greeting cards, but one thing is for certain: The business of selling traditional
preprinted greeting cards is challenging as consumers use Facebook, Twitter, email,
texts - not to mention - the telephone as an alternative to send a greeting or use the
internet or third-party intermediaries to produce one’s own custom-printed card.
In a tough market, the competition is getting even tougher as leading retail
brand American Greetings acquired Carlton Cards, Recycled Greetings and in 2009
sold off its retail stores to Schurman Fine Paper to operate under American
Greetings, Carlton Cards and Papyrus names. And in the latest shift, American
Greetings has been acquired by the Weiss Family, which has returned the company
to private ownership and delisted the company’s public shares off the NYSE in
Augustl 2013.
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Research Methodology & Objectives
The new study is based upon an online survey conducted in June 2013 among 500 recent buyers of :
x Individual preprinted greeting cards and note cards;
x Boxed cards, including boxed note cards and greeting cards, including Christmas cards; and
x Customized cards, such as customized greeting cards, invitations, photo cards, etc.
A total of n=727 representative adult consumers (18-70 years) were sampled to identify n=507 qualified greeting card
consumers to complete the survey. The overall incidence was 70 percent, which includes recent greeting card purchasers with
incomes over $25,000.
The results of this survey are compared with a similar study conducted in November 2009 among 1,436 U.S. consumers who
recently bought one or more stationery goods products, as well as similar surveys fielded in October 2007 among 1,205 stationery
goods buyers including greeting card purchases; and a 2005 survey among 1,326 stationery buyers. Thus this report provides
powerful trend tracking information from 2005 until the present. (Note: The 2005, 2007 and 2009 studies were broader in scope than
the current one. The historical surveys included data about a variety of stationery and other paper products, including gift wrap,
scrapbooking, paper crafting, and others. Only data in the previous surveys pertaining to greeting cards specifically are included in
this current report.)
The objective of this study is to provide greeting card marketers and retailers insights about the consumer market for their
products. These consumer insights help marketers connect more effectively with their target market so that they create and sell more
greeting cards that consumers really desire. Based upon research among recent greeting cards consumers, this report focuses on
market opportunities available to product manufacturers and retailers to help them deliver products and services that satisfy the
consumers’ craving for greeting cards to communicate, express oneself and celebrate important life events.
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With a focus on consumers, their buying behavior, needs, desires and preferences, this research study includes research data
and statistics about:
x Greeting Card Market Size and Growth: What is the size of the greeting card market, as well as the three major products
included therein, e.g. individual cards, boxed cards and customized cards? How rapidly is the greeting card market growing?
How is the greeting card market sold through different channels of distribution? What are the key industry trends?
x Demographics of the Greeting Card Consumer Market: What are the demographic characteristics of people who buy
greeting cards? How is greeting card goods buying behavior influenced by demographic segments (e.g., gender, age,
household income (HHI), size, composition, ethnicity/race, education, etc.)?
x Greeting Card Buying Behavior: What are the primary characteristics of the consumers’ buying behavior related to
greeting cards and different types of greeting cards? Why they buy these goods and how do consumers’ motivations differ by
product category segment? Where people shop for the different types of greeting cards; What factors influence their decision
making; How much they spend within each of the greeting card product segments and across the entire greeting card
category; what is the role of brand in greeting card selections and shopping choices? How do different demographic segments
differ in their shopping and buying behavior?
x Psychographic Profile and Segmentation of the Greeting Card Markets: A psychographic profile of the greeting card
buyers is developed in this report. Four different types of greeting card consumer personalities are identified. Different drives
and motivations found among consumers purchasing greeting cards are identified, including what factors are more or less
important in driving greeting card purchasing decisions among the different personalities; and how can greeting card
marketers and retailers better understand the hearts and minds of their consumers.
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Data collected in the survey about each of the greeting card product categories
Data on three different greeting card product categories was collected, specifically individually-purchased cards; boxed card
sets; and customized cards. For each of the greeting card product categories, data was collected about the following:
x Type of specific items bought in the past year;
x Amount spent in total in the product category, as well as the amount spent purchasing each of the individual products
bought;
x Type of stores where category purchases were made, including whether each source was a regular, occasional or
infrequent/rare shopping destination for these products, as well as the one store where the last category purchase was made;
x Store features that attract specific category buyers to a store destination.
Additional information collected about greeting cards and greeting card buyers
For greeting cards, additional detail was gathered, including
x Number of individual, boxed and customized cards bought and the amount paid for the last purchase of an individual and
boxed card;
x Details about custom-printed cards, such as amount spent on last single item bought;
x Specific holidays and occasions for which greeting cards were bought;
x Special greeting card product features that attracted shoppers, such as recycled paper, music enhancements, hand-made
paper, etc.;
x Favorite themes for greeting cards, such as pets, spiritual, humorous, nostalgia, etc.;
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x Attitudes about buying and sending greeting cards.
Special investigations: Christmas Card Traditions
In addition to the overall market characteristics studied, this report also includes an in-depth profile of the Christmas greeting
card tradition, including tracking trends from 2009.
Tradition of buying and sending Christmas greeting cards was a special emphasis in the survey
In addition the tradition of buying and sending Christmas greetings was another area of special investigation in the quantitative
survey, including:
x Whether they bought and sent Christmas greetings for Christmas celebrations 2012 and plans to buy for Christmas 2013;
x Number of personal and business Christmas greetings sent;
x Trends in sending Christmas greetings, for example plan on sending more or fewer greetings for Christmas 2013 as
compared with Christmas 2012;
x Favorite themes for Christmas cards, such as snowmen, angels, Santa, religious, pets, etc.;
x Type of Christmas cards bought, specifically customized cards, pre-printed boxed cards, individual cards.
Special Investigation: Custom Card Purchases
The demand for customized greeting cards grew dramatically from 2009 to 2013, nearly doubling as measured by purchase
incidence. Given this dramatic rate of growth, customized greeting cards represents a strong and growing category for marketers that
can attract the more general card buyer to their unique and customized offerings. Further, this category has plenty of room to grow
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and attract more customers for more holidays and occasions. This segment of the greeting card market is examined in detail in this
report, including occasions (e.g. holidays like Christmas, weddings, other occasions) that generate purchases of custom cards; number
of cards typically ordered; spending overall, plus per card; and where custom cards were ordered, including at retail stores and directly
online.
