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CARDSHARP
The Future Is Bright-ish Cardsharp sat down after breakfast on a recent Sunday to relax and digest the newspapers. He soon wished he had not bothered! He was bombarded with negative story after story in both the business and news sections. So what does this all mean for the card trade? As Cardsharp flicked through the pages on a so called ‘lazy Sunday’ he saw that the September retail figures were 0.3% down and UK consumer debt is at its highest level ever and only going to get worse. Inflation is at 3%, a whole percentage point above the average wage increase, while productivity per employer is at a lower level than 13 years ago, and still deteriorating. And of course there is the uncertainty over Brexit holding back business investment. It was enough to make Cardsharp want to get back under the duvet! Add to that the specific challenges in the UK’s retail scene. The increase in the minimum wage, the decline in footfall as bricks and mortar retail as online sales continue to grow. Plus, there is the increase in business rates imposed on many retailers in April 2018, and it would be easy to conclude we are heading for a perfect storm! But, thought Cardsharp, although we can’t run away from the facts on the ground, it is not all doom and gloom. It was certainly not happy reading, and there is no doubt that the retail economy, the overall UK economy and the UK consumer is going to be in for a testing time in the next year or so, but, reflected Cardsharp, the greeting card industry has seen downturns,
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
recessions and technological challenges in the past and has come back fighting. To his mind, we in the greeting card industry have a lot going for us, certainly compared to some other retail sectors. We have become adept at adapting to challenges, whether they be the changing tastes of the UK consumer or incoming new technology. Cardsharp didn’t need to look far for cause for a little cheer. In the last year the UK greeting card industry grew to its highest ever level. According to the GCA’s recently published annual Market Report the total market value was estimated to be £1.75 billion. Technology gadgets aside, how many other non–food retail categories can boost such a solid performance? It would seem that many UK consumers still have a love affair with cards. And that should help us keep our spirits up amid all the gloomy headlines.
Top: In all the doom and gloom, the card sector’s future looks bright. Above: Paperchase is performing strongly on the high street. Left: Scribbler is attracting the younger card senders, helping to keep the tradition alive.
Cardsharp likes to do a little party trick when at social gathering. When speaking to any woman, the conversation inevitably comes around to what you do for a living and the subject of greeting cards comes up. Nine times out of ten, it is revealed to Cardsharp that they love buying greeting cards and will list where and when they buy their cards. Their knowledge of design styles and different retail outlets is quite incredible. And then Cardsharp throws in the statement, that he is sure they have a secret drawer at home where they buy and store cards they like, keeping them ‘just in case’