Hallmark brings greeting cards to virtual baskets
Hallmark is joining forces with retailers to drive greeting card profits in the online marketplace. The Kansas City, Mo-based company said this effort is focused on delivering new and innovative solutions, especially as the grocery industry sees a spike in online sales.
“There is a tremendous opportunity for us to add to her basket while she is shopping online,” Stacey Howe, Hallmark general manager and vice president of national accounts, said. “When she is looking at cake mix or birthday candles, we can suggest she also browse a selection of birthday cards and gift wrap to complete her order.”
U.S. online grocery spending could grow from 4.3% in 2016 to 20% by the year 2025, stated a Food Marketing Institute-Nielsen report. According to Hallmark’s research, those who shop for groceries online also are more likely to purchase cards. This has prompted the company to create an e-commerce team focused solely on developing strategies, solutions and tools that will allow its retail partners to expand their greeting card aisles to the digital space.
Greeting cards are a high-margin, non-perishable and low-weight item that is able to increase total purchase value without adding any complexities, the company said. Hallmark also is seeing month-over-month growth within all its e-commerce channels.
In order to provide the best shopping experience for the consumer, the greeting card company provides online consumers with imagery designed to showcase each card’s texture, scale and dimensions. The cards also will be accompanied by detailed descriptions — including the sentiment inside — online.
Each order placed online comes packaged specially for the e-commerce space, Hallmark said.
“Our initial partnerships with retailers are already generating strong results, and we are taking key learnings from these experiences to optimize our tools and drive even better results,” Howe said. “Flexibility in our operational approach is key. We adapt to fit within a retailer’s existing capabilities and iterate alongside them as they grow.”
“There is a tremendous opportunity for us to add to her basket while she is shopping online,” Stacey Howe, Hallmark general manager and vice president of national accounts, said. “When she is looking at cake mix or birthday candles, we can suggest she also browse a selection of birthday cards and gift wrap to complete her order.”
U.S. online grocery spending could grow from 4.3% in 2016 to 20% by the year 2025, stated a Food Marketing Institute-Nielsen report. According to Hallmark’s research, those who shop for groceries online also are more likely to purchase cards. This has prompted the company to create an e-commerce team focused solely on developing strategies, solutions and tools that will allow its retail partners to expand their greeting card aisles to the digital space.
Greeting cards are a high-margin, non-perishable and low-weight item that is able to increase total purchase value without adding any complexities, the company said. Hallmark also is seeing month-over-month growth within all its e-commerce channels.
In order to provide the best shopping experience for the consumer, the greeting card company provides online consumers with imagery designed to showcase each card’s texture, scale and dimensions. The cards also will be accompanied by detailed descriptions — including the sentiment inside — online.
Each order placed online comes packaged specially for the e-commerce space, Hallmark said.
“Our initial partnerships with retailers are already generating strong results, and we are taking key learnings from these experiences to optimize our tools and drive even better results,” Howe said. “Flexibility in our operational approach is key. We adapt to fit within a retailer’s existing capabilities and iterate alongside them as they grow.”