It’s been another weekend of reasonable greeting card sales in Melbourne with all other categories challenged. In my own experience, checking basket data, people are buying 2, often more. Some are buying and many as 10 in a purchase. There is good caption depth in the basket too.
Whereas card sales crashed in the early days of COVID-19 in March, this time around sales are down but they have not crashed. This is based on data from a handful of stores.
There is no doubt that the situation is ‘helped’ by other card outlets being closed. That said, even our regular card shoppers are purchasing more. Father’s Day card sales continue to be strong.
More broadly, though, in Metro Melbourne newspaper sales have declined significantly, 50% in some cases, more so than magazines, which are down too.
Stationery is doing okay with home office supplies and similar necessities doing well.