New Study Planned for the Greeting Card, Stationery and Paper Crafting/Hobby Markets
Call for Sponsors to Guide and Direct the Research Effort
"You can never know too much about your customers." That is my motto after more than 25 years of market research experience. In today's increasingly competitive environment where shoppers having more and more choices in what to buy and where to buy it, marketers and retailers must anticipate the consumers' passions in order to truly connect emotionally with their customers.
Understanding the consumers' mindset, their needs and desires is a critical investment in the future of any consumer business, and one critical to any stationery goods marketer or retailer.
The Market for Greeting Cards Isn't Growing as Fast as that for Other Paper Products -- How Can Paper Products Companies Maximize Their Opportunities in a Changing Marketplace?
The market for greeting cards is a tough one in today's environment with consumers having so many faster, easier and in many cases cheaper ways to send a greeting. Times have gotten even tougher as a result of the current recession, with consumers looking to cut spending anywhere they can.
The overall market for greeting cards reached $12,067 million in 2008 on a 2.03 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2002 to 2008, slower than growth in the overall $21.9 billion stationery market which posted a healthier 3.02 percent CAGR in the same period.
Many cultural trends are afoot that are changing consumers' demand for greeting cards, but one thing is for certain. The business of selling traditional greeting cards is only going to get harder as consumers turn to newer, faster and better communications alternatives.
In a tough market, the competition is getting even tougher as leading retail brands -- American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Papyrus-- consolidate and leading greeting card and stationary brands -- Schurman Fine Paper's wholesale division and Recycled Greetings -- consolidate under American Greetings leadership.
Testifying to the tough market out there, the Wall Street Journal headline for 6-24-09 reads "American Greetings' 1Q Earnings Down 25% On Store-Sale Loss…Revenue fell 3.6% to $412.9 million."
Unity Marketing has designed a major new research study to help marketers and retailers of greeting cards, stationery and papers for crafting and hobby uses find new opportuniteis in a changing market. The research will help marketers identify and take advantage of the emerging opportunities within the category for consumers' shifting communcations and hobby needs.
Unity Marketing Is Undertaking a Major Consumer Research Study on Greeting Cards, Stationery and Paper Goods
Unity Marketing has designed a major new research study to give future vision to marketers and retailers of greeting cards, stationery and papers for crafting and hobby uses. The research will help marketers identify and take advantage of the emerging opportunities within the category for consumers' shifting needs.
Study sponsroship is for those forward-thinking marketers and retailers that have a NEED TO KNOW about the future of the greeting card, stationery and paper goods markets. It is a very cost-effective research solution for sponsors to get customized consumer research, but not at the high custom-research price.
This study with use Unity's exclusive 'why people buy' market research strategy that combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
Qualitative Research Explores Consumers' Motivations and Desires
With the focus on the consumer, their needs, desires and preferences, Unity Marketing’s research study will include focus groups to find out what issues are of prime importance when shopping for and buying greeting cards, stationery and other paper products. Topics to be investigated in the focus groups include:
- Why do people buy greeting cards, stationery and specialty paper and paper crafting and hobby goods? What kinds do they buy? Where do they shop for these goods? How much do they spend and how often do they shop?
- What influences them when they buy these goods? What motivates and excites them in these purchases?
- What criteria drives them in choosing a store to shop for these goods?
- What brands are important and what stores do greeting card, stationery and paper products shoppers prefer to buy from?
- How often do they shop for these goods and how much do they spend?
- How important is price, style, material, brand and store in the buying equation?
- What drives the shopper into the store to shop for these goods? Are purchases planned or spur of the moment?
- What new opportunities are on the horizon for greeting card, stationery and paper goods marketers and retailers?
- How can marketers and retailers take advantage of consumers’ passion for these goods? What is next on the horizon in the paper goods arena?
Quantitative Survey Research Tracks Trends and Measures Purchase Behavior and Spending
Following the focus group research, Unity will take hypotheses and key findings based upon the focus groups and verify them through quantitative research among a representative sample of recent greeting card and paper goods consumers nationwide.
The quantitative research will focus on both greeting card, stationery and specialty paper goods buying behavior, including spending, as well as the motivations and drives that propel the consumer in the marketplace.
We will learn about both male and female buying patterns, as well as the different motivations that drive consumers in their quest for these goods. We will also explore the generational aspects of this market. We will learn how the younger and older consumers for paper goods differ in their product preferences and buying and shopping behavior.
Research Sponsors Guide and Direct the Research So that the Final Report Meets Their Specific Needs
In order to make sure that this new consumer research focuses on the issues of most importance to greeting card, stationery and paper goods marketers and retailers, Unity Marketing offers sponsorships to companies who want to be more involved in the research.
As a research sponsor, your company will be involved in both the qualitative and quantitative research development. The research will be ‘semi-custom’ as company sponsors will contribute directly to the research. Here are the deliverables:
- How Sponsors Participate in the Focus Groups
- Input on moderator's guide and questioning;
- presentation of a board of products or store pictures and discussion of board with the focus group respondents;
- Attend the focus groups and hear what consumers say in person;
- Deliverables will include focus group transcript, detailed analysis report and exclusive report of company-directed discussions and board presentations.
- How Sponsors Participate In the Quantitative Survey
- Input on the questions included in the survey;
- your company's major product category and/or type of store included in the survey;
- your company's brand name will be included in the brand awareness and purchase incidence questions;
- Deliverables will include topline quantitative survey results with demographic cross-tabs within 1 week of survey fielding, detailed analysis report and telephone consultation about key findings and implications.
- Plus you will get an early read on the results of the research ahead of everybody else and insider information only available to sponsors.
Sponsors Get More Value from Study Sponsorship than They Would Get from Simply Buying a Report
As a sponsor, you gain the competitive edge by getting this vital consumer information sooner and in more depth and suited to your needs. You set the research agenda so the final report is tailored to your specific research needs. You’ll participate in learning what drives the greeting card, stationery and paper goods buyer in shopping and product selection. You will discover how to tap into consumers’ passion for these goods in order to design new products to meet new needs.
You will learn how to sell more of your company's or store's products. You’ll get a view 'over the horizon' about where the paper goods market is going and find out how to get out in front of the consumer.
Exclusive sponsorships are also available for marketers that want to maximize their competitive edge.
Respond Immediately -- Time Is Limited
So if you are interested in participating in the stationery goods research project, please call me at 717-336-1600, complete the request form on this page at the right or respond by email to pam@unitymarketingonline.com right away. Please respond by October 15, 2008 if you are interested in participating.
Greeting Card, Stationery and Paper Crafting and Hobby Research Sponsorship
Two levels of sponsorship are available:
- Basic Sponsor: $3,500-5,000 (Quantitative Survey Only)
- Advanced Sponsor: $7,500-$12,500 (Both Qualitative/Focus Group and Quantiative Research)
[Sponsorship fee may vary depending upon total number of sponsors] |
