Christmas cards declining in the US – newsagents need to engage

The Chicago Tribune has published an interesting report on the state of Christmas card sales in the US.  It reports some bad news on sales trends.

If it seems like you’re getting fewer holiday cards this year, don’t worry. Chances are it has nothing to do with your popularity.

The practice of sending Christmas cards is fading, collateral damage of the digital age.

After experiencing slowing growth since 2005, Christmas card sales declined in 2009. While the drop was slight, 0.4 percent, according to research firm Mintel International Group, evidence is building that the next generation of correspondents is unlikely to carry on the tradition with the same devotion as their parents.

While cards have had a rough 2010 in the newsagency channel in Australia, sales overall are good – for Christmas especially.

On 3AW earlier this week I heard a talkback segment discussing Christmas cards.  It was split 50 / 50 between people cutting back on cards and those continuing with the tradition.

We have an obligation to remind customers at every opportunity about the value of cards over an email or a text message.

• You can’t put a text message on the mantelpiece.
• You can’t keep a text message or e-card in a box for reminiscing later.
• You can’t replicate the emotion expressed through your own handwriting on paper with pixels on a screen.
• The card is the thing – you don’t need a device to read the greeting or a power source.
• A card is not just about the immediate greeting, it is also about giving a keepsake, a reminder of how you feel.

We certainly promote cards over text messages and e-cards in our customer newsletters.  It is an easier pitch for us because of the average age of our customers.

Through Christmas cards, and indeed all greeting cards, we help our customers express themselves in a unique and personal way and via a medium which can be cherished for decades – without the need for batteries.