In the cards: Designer Greetings celebrates 40 years in business
When graduation time comes or anniversaries and bat mitzvahs roll around, people don’t send emails or text messages. Instead, they head to a store to buy greeting cards because the industry says greeting cards are still a relevant and thriving category at retail pharmacies and other outlets.
This year, greeting card brand Designer Greetings celebrates its 40th year in business so Drug Store News spoke with president and CEO Steven Gimbelman to talk about the company’s legacy and the future of greeting cards.
Drug Store News: Designer Greetings is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, what do you see as the future of the card business?
Steven Gimbelman: I have been in the greeting card industry my whole life. There is an undeniable emotional reaction that we all experience when we receive a physical greeting card, no matter the occasion or sentiment. At Designer Greetings, we believe that the practice of sending greeting cards will always be ingrained in our culture. Sending a greeting card has a far greater emotional impact than an emailed message or social media post. That is why greeting card sales are still thriving and the future of the industry looks bright.
DSN: With technology, why are greeting cards still relevant?
SG: Greeting cards are able to help people express things that they may not be able to say on their own. The level of intimacy in the editorial of our greeting cards is not always the same; it reflects the unique relationship of the sender and the recipient. Since we have an ever-growing catalog of over 23,000 cards, we are able to ensure that one can send a card to a person that reflects your own feelings and words.
[Read more: Q&A: Designer Greetings emphasizes value, quality cards]
DSN: Why is it still important to have an in-store display for greeting cards?
SG: From statistics provided by the Greeting Card Association, 7 out of 10 people consider greeting cards as “absolutely essential.” Unlike a lot of products, consumers spend time shopping and browsing for that perfect card to send. Women, the core demographic of greeting card buyers, spend more time choosing a card and are more likely to buy several at once. This is a tactile purchase that is based on emotion; a product that consumers can touch and feel to sense the intrinsic value and the message that it conveys.
DSN: What is your Card$mart Store-in-a-Store format and what is the value for pharmacies?
SG: To meet every consumer’s need both in quality and value, Designer Greetings is proud to offer our Card$mart Store-in-a-Store program. For more than 25 years, Card$mart has been the only nationally recognized value brand of card and gift shops in America with the attractive and successful value proposition of “50% Off Cards, Every Day” concept. This program is a proven traffic driver and outvalues the regular-priced cards that are found in CVS and Walgreens. Having such a nationally recognized value brand as Card$mart entices customers to view a location as a destination shop. It also helps to attract new customers seeking to purchase high-quality products at a tremendous value.