What excites shoppers when buying greeting cards? "The image on the front of the card is probably the first thing that grabs the shopper's attention. Whether it's a beautiful photograph or an interesting illustration or design, the visual element helps to initially differentiate one card from another. Then the card has to have a good, solid message or it's not complete, especially with inspirational cards. ... Any value-added features are a nice touch, too, such as a card that doubles as a bookmark, bonus cards in a box (or) a card that doubles as a picture frame. ... Lastly, shoppers always notice good prices. Greeting cards come in such a wide range of price points, from the extra value of boxed greeting cards to very specialized cards with extras such as embossing, foil, glitter, die-cutting, you name it. The main thing is to give the consumer even more than they expected regardless of the price point."

"Boxed cards are an excellent choice for churches, those with a card ministry, people looking for extra value in their card purchases and for those who send a lot of cards. According to our research, most of these boxed card buyers tend to be women age 45-plus."

How important is price in today's market? "I think price is probably more important than ever. Considering today's economy, the rising cost of postage and the increasing popularity of other forms of communication such as e-mail and e-cards, pricing is a major consideration. Not only are card companies competing with one another, but we also have these other communication options to contend with."

Does the inspirational card market look prosperous in the future? "Absolutely. People always need an encouraging word, a special birthday wish or to know that someone is praying for them when they're ill. Greeting cards are still the best way to send a message with a personal touch. There's something about receiving that card in the mail, being able to hold it in your hands and then setting it where you can see it. E-cards can't do this. Postcards don't either. Greeting cards help us keep in touch with those we care about. In a busy society that always seems to be rushing from one place to another, knowing that someone spent the time to select a card and even write a personal note inside means a lot."

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