Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Despite digital alternatives, a high percentage of people buy cards
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- Figure 1: Consumer spending on single greetings cards, 2009-19
- Emphasising the emotional engagement of cards
- Intensely competitive retail scene
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- Figure 2: Share of UK retail value sales of singles greetings cards, by outlet type, 2014 (est)
- Differentiation is important
- People want gifts to be relevant
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- Figure 3: Important factors when choosing a gift for someone, March 2015
- Buying cards dominated by birthdays and Christmas
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- Figure 4: Purchases of greetings cards, by occasion, March 2015
- Almost half bought from the Card Factory
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- Figure 5: Retailers where purchased greetings cards, March 2015
- Factors influencing choice of retailers
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- Figure 6: Factors influencing choice of retailer for greetings cards, March 2015
- Habits are being reshaped
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- Figure 7: Changing greetings habits, March 2015
Issues and Insights
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- Will the digital generation learn to love cards?
- The facts
- The implications
- Will changing grocery shopping habits mean lower card sales for supermarkets?
- The facts
- The implications
- What is the impact of the personalised online sector?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Robust market performance
- More budget cards available
- WH Smith eyes the budget sector
- Print-on-demand reaching 5% by value
- Everyday cards take two thirds of the market
- High postage costs dampen demand at Christmas
- Gift cards more popular than paper vouchers
- More than eight in 10 buy gifts at Christmas
Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 8: UK retail value sales of single greetings cards, at current and constant 2014 prices, 2009-19
- Figure 9: Consumer spending on single greetings cards, 2009-19
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- Figure 10: UK retail value sales of gift vouchers to consumers, at current prices, 2010-14
- Spending on gifts
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Segment Performance
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- Figure 11: UK retail value sales of greetings cards, by segment, 2013 and 2014
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- Figure 12: UK retail value sales of greetings cards, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, 2013 and 2014
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Key Players – What You Need To Know
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- Growth for Card Factory and the supermarkets
- Specialists capture high market share
- Two major card publishers dominate the market
- Print-on-demand retailers are the biggest advertisers
- WH Smith goes head to head with Card Factory
- Hallmark goes online with Amazon
- Ways of creating wish lists
Channels to Market
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- Broad availability
- Impressive growth by Card Factory
- WH Smith tests Cardmarket
- Clintons being turned around
- Convenient supermarket shopping
- Few other card chains
- What’s happening to online cards?
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- Figure 13: Share of UK retail value sales of single greetings cards, by outlet type, 2009-14
Market Drivers
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- Population will grow by 3.8% from 2014-19
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- Figure 14: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2009-19
- Plenty of reasons to give cards
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- Figure 15: Births, marriages and deaths, UK, 2009-13
- Rising postage costs turn people off at Christmas
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- Figure 16: Price of first and second class letter post, 2009-15
- Convenient access to the internet
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- Figure 17: Ownership of personal technology products, November 2014
Market Share
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- Figure 18: Brand shares of greetings cards, UK, 2010-14
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Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Little investment in advertising by greetings card retailers
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- Figure 19: Main media advertising spend, 2011-14
- Advertising strategies
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- WH Smith trials budget card shop
- Keeping up with the pure-plays
- Apps to help with gift lists
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- Figure 20: Argos’ Christmas list app
- Encouraging gifting
- Virtual greetings
- Saying thanks
- Purchasing unwanted gift cards
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Getting the right gift
- Robust demand for greetings cards
- Where they shop
- Changing habits
Important Factors When Choosing a Gift
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- Figure 21: Important factors when choosing a gift for someone, March 2015
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Purchases of Greetings Cards by Occasion
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- Figure 22: Purchases of greetings cards, by occasion, March 2015
- The consumer – 2006, 2010, 2013
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- Figure 23: Bought cards in the last 12 months, by occasion, 2006-13
- Figure 24: Purchases of greetings cards, birthdays and Christmas, by age, March 2015
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Where They Purchased Greetings Cards
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- Figure 25: Retailers where purchased greetings cards, March 2015
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Factors Influencing Choice of Retailer
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- Figure 26: Factors influencing choice of retailer for greetings cards, March 2015
- Differentiating Clintons and Card Factory
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- Figure 27: Factors influencing choice of retailer for greetings cards, Clintons and Card Factory, March 2015
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Changes in Greetings Habits
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- Figure 28: Changing greetings habits, March 2015
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Market sizing and segment performance
- Fan chart forecast
- Abbreviations
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