Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
CARDS still speak
LIKE IN any industry, the business season for greeting cards, in a year, begins with the Deepavali.
Though there are several occasions, throughout the year, for which greetings can be sent, still many make it a point to send greetings to their near and dear ones, particularly, during festivals.
Despite a plethora of websites offering eye-catching and mind-boggling greetings on the Internet, the practice of sending greetings has not died down among the people.
"This sale starts roughly 10 days prior to the Deepavali and goes on till the Valentine's Day in February", says Rajesh Venugopal, owner of Cosmos Creations on the Bye-Pass Road.
He says, "we brought in around 350 to 400 cards for Deepavali. Every day, on an average, we sell around 25 to 30 cards".
"Yes, we also sell a similar number of cards every day", endorses Jasmine, an attendant of Expressions, a card shop on West Veli Street, opposite the railway junction, adding, "but compared to last year, the sale has come down".
"We have cards for all occasions, which number more than 1000.
But, the peak time of sale will be from the Christmas to the New Year and similarly a week before the Valentine's Day", says Mr. Rajesh Venugopal.
Regarding the customers, both say, "the Deepavali customers are mostly from the middle class and upper middle class. They will be sending cards to their wards in other states or abroad".
"Of course, students also form a major chunk of our Deepavali customers", says Mr. Rajesh Venugopal.
"Deepavali customers mostly go in for cards which are priced between Rs.20 and Rs.25, and not with much grandeur", he says.
About the new arrivals, Jasmine says, "in our shop, we have Archies, Hallmark and Expression cards. For this Deepavali, the Archies has come out with cut cards, decorated with figures of lamps.
This model is priced at Rs. 22". But the Cosmos Creations has a different piece — the coin card.
"A silver coated coin, with Lord Ganesha on one side and the letter `OM' on the other, in a plastic pocket is pasted inside the card. The cost of this card is Rs.10 and this, at present, is going well with our customers", Mr. Rajesh Venugopal says.
M.R.ARAVINDAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
|
