Greeting Card, Stationery, Gift Wrap & Partygoods, and Paper Crafting Report, 2010

The market for greeting cards is a tough one in today's environment, with consumers having so many faster, easier, and in many cases cheaper, ways to send a greeting. Times have gotten even tougher as a result of the current recession, with consumers looking to cut spending anywhere they can. Many cultural trends are afoot that are changing consumers' demand for greeting cards, but one thing is for certain. The business of selling traditional greeting cards is only going to get harder as consumers turn to newer, faster and more user-friendly communications alternatives. In a tough market, the competition is getting even tougher as leading retail brands -- American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Papyrus − consolidated in 2009 and leading greeting card and stationary brands -- Schurman Fine Paper’s wholesale division and Recycled Greetings -- came under American Greetings’ leadership. This report details the findings of a consumer survey conducted in November 2009 among 1,436 recent buyers of one or more paper goods products used to communicate, express oneself, celebrate, and craft. These paper goods include greeting cards; stationery including social stationery and stationery goods such as calendars, journals, notebooks; paper crafting goods; and paper decorations and gifting supplies, such as gift wrap, gift bags, bows and ribbons, etc. The definitions used to describe the products studied in this report are: Cards, such as greeting cards; note cards with no preprinted greetings; boxed greeting or note cards; Christmas cards; preprinted invitations; thank you cards, custom-printed cards, invitations, etc. Stationery, such as writing paper, social stationery, business stationery, specialty paper for stationery uses, special paper for computers including photograph printing from computer, decorated paper and/or cards, such as print-your-own cards or invitations, and/or full-sized 8 ½ x 11 paper, print-your-own banners, including special papers for computer printing, etc. Other Paper and Stationery Items, such as blank books and journals, decorative hanging calendars, date books, specialty pens and writing instruments, such as fountain pens, calligraphy supplies, desk accessories, etc. Gifting and Party Supplies, such as paper gift wrap, gift bags, ribbons and bows, party ware and paper party supplies, etc. Paper Crafting and Hobby Supplies, such as scrapbooking supplies and kits, make-your-own card supplies and kits, stamps and stamp supplies, stickers, photo albums, memory albums, like baby, wedding memory books, specialty paper. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to provide greeting card, social stationery and other stationery products, gift wrap and party goods and paper crafting product marketers and retailers insights about the consumer market for their products. (Note: Throughout this report the entire range of products are described broadly as ‘stationery goods.’) These consumer insights help marketers connect more effectively with their target market so that they create and sell more of the kinds of products that consumers really desire. Based upon research among recent stationery goods 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 paper products to communicate, express oneself, celebrate, and craft. With a focus on consumers, their buying behavior, needs, desires and preferences, this research study includes research data and statistics about: Stationery Goods Market Size and Growth: What is the size of the overall stationery goods market, as well as the six key product segments (e.g. greeting cards, social stationery, custom-printed cards and stationery, gift wrap and party goods, paper crafting products and other stationery products) and how rapidly is it growing? How is the stationery goods market segmented by type of product? Demographics of the Stationery Goods Market: What are the demographic characteristics of people who buy stationery goods products? How is stationery goods buying behavior influenced by demographic segments (e.g., gender, age, household income (HHI), size, composition, ethnicity/race, education, etc.)? Stationery Goods Buying Behavior: What are the primary characteristics of the consumers’ buying behavior related to stationery goods in general and the five product segments (e.g. greeting cards; social stationery, including custom printed stationary and cards; other stationery products; gift wrap and party goods; and paper crafting products) in particular? Why do they buy these goods and how do consumers’ motivations differ by product category segment? Where do people shop for the different types of stationery products; what factors influence their decision making; how much do they spend within each of the stationery goods product segments and across the entire stationery goods category; what is the role of brand in stationery goods product selections and shopping choices? How do different demographic segments differ in their shopping and buying behavior? Psychographic Profile and Segmentation of the Greeting Card Markets: A psychographic profile of the greeting card buyers is developed in this report. The profiles identify four different types of greeting card consumer personalities. These profiles identify different drives and motivations found among consumers in purchasing greeting cards; what factors are more or less important in driving greeting card purchasing decisions; and how can greeting card marketers and retailers better understand the hearts and minds of their consumers. In essence, we will discover “why people buy greeting cards.”

Additional Information

Report Excerpt:

METHODOLOGY

This report is based upon findings from both qualitative and quantitative research.

Quantitative Consumer Survey

An in-depth quantitative survey was conducted in November 2009. A total of 2,033 consumers were surveyed to find the core sample of 1,436 U.S. consumers who recently bought one or more stationery goods products. That represents a response rate of 83 percent. Overall the results of the current survey are compared to similar surveys fielded in October 2007 among 1,205 stationery goods buyers and a 2005 survey among 1,326 stationery goods buyers. Thus the survey results provide powerful trend tracking information from 2005 until the present.

The products included in the survey were:

• Cards, such as greeting cards, note cards with no preprinted greetings, boxed greeting cards, Christmas cards, invitations, thank you cards, including custom-printed cards and invitations, etc.;
• Social Stationery, such as writing paper, social stationery, business stationery, specialty paper for stationery uses, special paper for computers, custom-printed stationery, etc.;
• Other stationery products, such as decorative hanging calendars, date books, blank books and journals, specialty pens and writing instruments, such as fountain pens, calligraphy supplies, desk accessories, etc.;
• Paper crafting and hobby supplies, such as scrapbooking supplies and kits, make-your-own card supplies and kits, stamps and stamp supplies, stickers, photo albums, memory books, like baby or wedding memory books, glitter, paper crafting tools, such as specialty scissors, cropping equipment, etc; and
• Gifting and party supplies, such as paper gift wrap, gift bags, ribbons and bows, partyware and paper party supplies.