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Was just listening to a report on the news. Several Hallmark stores in my state are closing. They just said the greeting card business has changed, but didn't specify how its changed. Wonder if its because people don't send cards, maybe they make their own like us, or if email and social media have taken over. What do you think?
I do believe people are sending fewer cards, more texts. Oh, but the joy I feel as I open a real card...purchased or handmade with real heartfelt words inside.....pure bliss!
I also agree that people are sending greetings via social media and e-mail. Sad. But between the cost of purchased cards and postage, it is certainly cheaper to find other ways to send greetings.
I receive more handmade cards than ever. I know I'm not a barometer since I'm in this industry - but even my techie friends I work with at Blogathon send handmade cards - not stamped, but handmade. I think Pinterest and the resurgent DIY movement have made printed cards more irrelevant. Most people I know handmake their wedding invitations or have friends do them.
I got a handmade wedding invitation in the mail yesterday. I have loved cardmaking since the day I was introduced and can't see giving it up ever. I have a dry spell once in a while but then it rains!
The other day a friend said to me that three people in her life now make cards. I blinked at her and she said yep. Around here that's high.
Commercial cards have gotten really expensive. 5 bucks for not much and going up from there. I guess people will pay that for coffee but not cards.
Plus I can testify they were not rotating the stock enough with new. I have seen designs there for 3-4 years...they got rid of great ones like Susan Branch...just bad.
I dont know how much people are sending e-cards. I know at both my work and my DH's, we were told to never open cards sent there b/c they so often had viruses. His company has very strong systems and they still said that.
I guess the kids are all tweeting each other. But they love to get cards, I can tell you that. I get hugs for it.
I just thought of something else..as higher min wages settle in places...we can expect chains to close some stores and possibly thin staffs. I was just talking about that with a friend from my old retail store as to what they will do.
I believe hallmark is a franchise, just like if you decided to open a McDonalds... they are independently owned. ( sometimes by corporations that own a bunch of them)
the one where I live closed years ago because, the owners wanted to retire, what was odd about it was they did not even try to sell it or see if someone would take it over they just flat out said we are retiring, its all for sale.
and in the time since no one has seen a need to fill that space with a card store. the big chain grocery stores did not add extra isles of cards to their stores either.
I think Stacy is probably on the mark. A Hallmark store needs clientele to make it, and many places really can't support a store that sells only cards and related stuff. Not when every CVS and Walgreens or the local supermarket has aisles of cards. Most people are not all that fussy about their cards. They want them to say the right thing, but they aren't going to make a trip to a Hallmark store to find something mind-blowing.
That's where we come in! (The mind blowing part.) ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
This is strange but.... Before I became "crafty" I never bought cards. I would keep a a variety of plain blank cards and write a small note with a gift card / cash. So I haven't been into a hallmark store in probably ...8 years
__________________ Creativity is intelligence having fun. - Albert Einstein
I send e-cards! Yep, I do. And everyone I know opens them, because I always tick that box to be notified. But yes, some spam filters automatically block the company I mostly use, which is the one I subscribe to.
But I was a little sad in work the other day when someone mentioned that she had got her first paperless wedding invitation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavejumper
The other day a friend said to me that three people in her life now make cards. I blinked at her and she said yep. Around here that's high.
Commercial cards have gotten really expensive. 5 bucks for not much and going up from there. I guess people will pay that for coffee but not cards.
Plus I can testify they were not rotating the stock enough with new. I have seen designs there for 3-4 years...they got rid of great ones like Susan Branch...just bad.
I dont know how much people are sending e-cards. I know at both my work and my DH's, we were told to never open cards sent there b/c they so often had viruses. His company has very strong systems and they still said that.
I guess the kids are all tweeting each other. But they love to get cards, I can tell you that. I get hugs for it.
People will pay 5 bucks for coffee because they get to drink it. Unless they think the person they are sending a card to is really going to be either suitably impressed or delighted, they aren't going to spend that much money on something that doesn't benefit them. Everyone always says that it's the thought that counts, right?
But hey, let's face it. Most of us don't make cards because we need a card to send. That's just an excuse to go play with our stamps and stuff.
And I've never sent an e-card (although I got one once), but I do buy cards. Not everyone on my list gets a hand-made card. I have to feel they will care that it's hand-made.
A e-card wedding invite - does sound sad to me, but probably to the young it's merely the next obvious step.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
While I agree that people send fewer cards these days, Hallmarks sell far more than cards. They used to sell all sorts of "collectibles" like Boyds Bears, Precious Moments, etc. DH and I went into a Hallmark just before Easter, and was surprised at how few of these items are now in their stores.
A friend of mine gets e-cards every year. Last year it was a Christmas scene that she could decorate every day. I loved it. Wish I had gotten one. I haven't bought a card since I started making cards either. I am afraid if I bought a card I would never make one again and all my "stuff" wouldn't get used. I love cardmaking.
The other day a friend said to me that three people in her life now make cards. I blinked at her and she said yep. Around here that's high.
Commercial cards have gotten really expensive. 5 bucks for not much and going up from there. I guess people will pay that for coffee but not cards.
Plus I can testify they were not rotating the stock enough with new. I have seen designs there for 3-4 years...they got rid of great ones like Susan Branch...just bad.
I dont know how much people are sending e-cards. I know at both my work and my DH's, we were told to never open cards sent there b/c they so often had viruses. His company has very strong systems and they still said that.
I guess the kids are all tweeting each other. But they love to get cards, I can tell you that. I get hugs for it.
I sent my 25 year old grandson a handmade birthday card, and he thanked me on Facebook, and posted a picture of the card stuck to his fridge, alongside the Valentine card I had sent him. It made this grandma's heart melt to see that he saved and displayed the cards.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
We had a Hallmark store in a local mall close down about 2 years ago when new mall owners took over. It had been there since the mall opened in 1988. I haven't bought a card since Feb 2009 when I started making them!
Store bought cards aren't cheap anymore either except at dollar stores.
The other day a friend said to me that three people in her life now make cards. I blinked at her and she said yep. Around here that's high.
Commercial cards have gotten really expensive. 5 bucks for not much and going up from there. I guess people will pay that for coffee but not cards.
Plus I can testify they were not rotating the stock enough with new. I have seen designs there for 3-4 years...they got rid of great ones like Susan Branch...just bad.
I dont know how much people are sending e-cards. I know at both my work and my DH's, we were told to never open cards sent there b/c they so often had viruses. His company has very strong systems and they still said that.
I guess the kids are all tweeting each other. But they love to get cards, I can tell you that. I get hugs for it.
Susan Branch is my favorite artist! I adore her "cozy" style. I also agree with everything you mention in your post.
I have a daughter graduating H.S. this Spring. It is very popular here to post an "invite" to the reception on Facebook. She happened to do this...before talking to me about it...ugh! Regardless of this, we bought 200 invites from our photographer to mail/hand out. I like to mail them; she likes to hand deliver hers.
I have received a lot of invites per Facebook, but am now starting to get them in the mail too. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not likely to go to an event that I am invited to on Facebook; I feel like they are just a "blanket" invite. I am more than happy to buy, address, and send an invitatation when I host an event.
A friend of mine gets e-cards every year. Last year it was a Christmas scene that she could decorate every day. I loved it. Wish I had gotten one. I haven't bought a card since I started making cards either. I am afraid if I bought a card I would never make one again and all my "stuff" wouldn't get used. I love cardmaking.
As well as the e-card company I pay an annual subscription to, I also buy/send a few e-advent calendars each year from another company. I know they are always well received, and the daily element is fun (I give myself one too).
I'd like to mention that I do also send a lot of snail mail cards too ;-); I don't want to work out how many a month or I might get sticker shock from calculating the postage. But sometimes the e-cards are handy, and they are instant relative to a snail mail card, especially for sending internationally.
I recently went to the dollar tree and saw that they had some really pretty cards there (they might have been older hallmark cards) for 1.00 each and some were 2/1.00
I know many people go there to buy gift bags and wrapping paper, and will probably pick up cards there too. Which is probably another reason why some Hallmark stores are closing...
I'm in PA as well and we have 5 Hallmark stores closing. It seems to me that their merchandise and marketing has changed significantly in recent years. Their cards are way overpriced - and the bulk of their inventory is no longer cards and stationery. You can get everything from home decor to shoes and to find cards you generally had to walk to the back of the store through all that other merchandise. The digital age or whatever we call it has certainly affected card sending, but I too find more people sending handmade rather than a $6.00 canned greeting. I'm sad however to see them go as it's unfortunate with so many retailers closing and job losses.
I don't know where the Hallmark stores are in the rest of the country but in California, most if not all are malls. I only tend to go to the mall in the months before Christmas so Hallmark stores are not convenient for me.I know more the one Hallmark store employee/owner told me that they were going to be closing their doors because the rent for a spot in the mall was exhorbitant and were only getting worse. That combined with the lack of convenience is also contributing to the downfall of independent card stores.
__________________ Shellie G
Aspire to be a better person than you were yesterday
I send cards to people but the amount of cards myself & my husband receive are getting fewer and fewer as the years pass. My husband just had major surgery a week ago & outside of myself & daughter, he received one Get Well card from his sister & one from my best friend (both of whom are over 65 yo) - all the other Get Well Wishes from friends & family were on Facebook or via Text. Social Media seems to be the "thing" even when it's an expression of condolence because people want the recipient to know that they got the news & want to express their feelings of compassion/empathy etc.
I guess it means even more to me if I actually receive a card in the mail for my birthday, Christmas or whatever occasion!
Last edited by JoBear2; 04-30-2016 at 04:46 AM..
Reason: added something
Another contributing factor is that most people can buy greeting cards at dollar stores. E-cards, e-vites, and other electronic media are other factors. I (sadly) don't think it's because more people are hand-making their cards, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop any time soon.
some Hallmark's are closing
