Two publishers bet that handwritten greeting cards can grow revenue threefold despite digital competition
Executive summary: Two greeting‑card publishers stated they believe handwritten cards can succeed in the smartphone era and aim to triple their sales. Their confidence signals a potential niche market revival for traditional stationery, which could affect revenue models for publishers and retailers reliant on digital communication.
Who is involved: The unnamed greeting‑card publishers featured in the Handelsblatt report; indirectly, messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and postal services are referenced as competitive forces.
Likely next: The publishers may launch marketing campaigns emphasizing the personal value of handwritten cards and explore hybrid digital‑physical products to capture the projected growth.
The Handelsblatt article notes that while WhatsApp and other messaging apps have displaced holiday postcards, two greeting‑card publishers remain confident in the medium’s future. They plan to triple turnover by focusing on the personal, tactile appeal of paper cards and targeting niche occasions. The piece presents their optimism as a counter‑trend to the broader decline of physical stationery.
Timeline
- — Grußkarten: Handgeschriebene Grüße im KI-Zeitalter – funktioniert das? (Handelsblatt)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- Stationery and greeting card publishing
Sources
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