The Sensible Side of Stationery

Think stationery is just another token “accessory”? For some, stationery IS an important means of self-expression. There is, however, another argument to be made; that stationery is a logical investment that will make your life easier and save you some money.

Consider this:

The average birthday card retails for $4.

Greeting cards range in cost from $1 to $10, with the average generic greeting card retailing for $3.

Now consider the following facts, courtesy of the GCA (Greeting Card Association):

U.S. consumers purchase approximately 7 billion greeting cards each year, generating nearly $7.5 billion in retail sales.

More than 90 percent of all U.S. households buy greeting cards, with the average household purchasing 30 individual cards in a year.

The average person receives more than 20 cards per year, about one-third of which are birthday cards.

The most popular everyday cards are:

Birthday (60%)

Anniversary (8%)

Get Well (7%)

Friendship (6%)

Sympathy cards (6%)

The most popular seasonal cards are:

Christmas (60%)

Valentine's Day (25%)

Mother's Day (4%)

Easter (3%)

Father's Day (3%)

The Logic:

An elegant, multi-functional stationery ensemble of 150 pieces = $46
Vs.
150 store-bought cards at the $3 National average = $450

Even if you only have a need to send the National average of 20 cards per year, you’re better off purchasing the 150 pieces for $46 than 20 store-bought cards for $60. You’ll STILL be saving money, and you’ll have 130 cards left over for the next year…and the next…and the next…

The bottom line:

Nine out of 10 Americans say they look forward to receiving personal letters and greeting cards. Receiving cards in the mail allows us to keep in touch with our loved ones makes us feel they we are important to someone else.

Over the course of any given year, you will need birthday cards, holiday cards, and greeting cards to send to your friends and family…not to mention invitations and other miscellaneous occasions. By investing now in a great set of stationery, you’ll be able to avoid the “dash to the card aisle” for good.

Take a little time to master the art of letter writing and you’ll be able to skip the sappy verbiage and steep price tag of the standard store-bought card. Even better, in many cases, a considerate, thoughtful, and timely letter can stand in place of (or help bolster the sentimental impact of) a traditional gift. It’s a sentimental, personal, and (who knew? economical!) way to let your loved ones know you’re thinking about them, holiday or not.