'2-3 sold in a month': Is the greeting card business dying a slow death in Guwahati?

The old greeting card is becoming obsolete with the onset of the internet, WhatsApp, etc.

Guwahati: Are greeting cards, those once cherished symbols of love and affection, becoming completely obsolete? Children who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s probably have fond memories of selecting cards for their favourite teacher on Teacher's Day or their friends and loved ones on New Year's at their nearest store. That trend, however, appears to be declining all too rapidly. I mean, do you actually remember the last time you used a greeting card to wish a loved one? 

Interacting with Guwahati businesses who trade in cards shows how stark the scenario is in comparison to, say, a decade earlier! “Many of our stores have closed down,” a senior staff at the Archie’s Gallery in Zoo Road told to Business North East. “Only 2-3 cards are sold every month”, she revealed. In its heyday, New Delhi-based Archies Limited, spread across 120 cities, was a household name with a store in every 'nukkad'. 

Recent years, however, have seen both Archies' revenue as well as aura fade away. E-greeting cards became so widespread around the turn of the millennium that the company was compelled to change its name (from 'Archies Greetings and Gifts Ltd') and expand its product range to include artificial jewellery, crystal ware, chocolates, and perfumes.

Archies would be packed around New Year's time, visitors to its stores snatching up the best-looking cards from robust stocks, costing anywhere between Rs 10-100. With time, however, people are becoming more comfortable with e-cards that can be sent with the flick of a finger on dozens of social media platforms. This, however, does not mean that the physical card has gone completely out of fashion.

"A big group of people is still into the old-fashioned way of gifting, but they want something personalized", says entrepreneur Nayana Goswami, a co-founder of Offhand, a brand that sells customized paper-related items including greeting cards. "These people, however, are into handmade things - something that holds deep meaning. Whereas, Archies does not offer a customized experience and appeal directly to the person who is being gifted."

As per available data, the global greeting cards market size, estimated to be worth $7508.8 million in 2022, is forecast to shrink to $6530.4 million by 2028 (a decline of -2.3 percent). Although greeting cards still hold sentimental value for many and are a great way to keep people connected, it is clear as day that traditions are giving way to more tech-friendly options.

In the wake of the decline of greeting cards, invitation cards are also going the 'e' route. Due to the rising costs of custom-made material, a vast number of people opt for GIFs, WhatsApp, Facebook, reels, and e-cards, to extend invitations to special events. That is perhaps another sector that we need to keep an eye on. 

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