Affordable Trends

Kathy Krassner
Editor-in-Chief
Greetings etc.






With the economy the number-one topic on everyone's minds these days, Greetings etc. chose to focus on product trends from a different perspective this year: price point. To help retailers stimulate sales in their stores, we've taken some of the most popular stationery-merchandise categories and grouped them by retail price – showcasing new products that are fun, fashionable, functionable and very affordable.

WEDDING FAVORS UNDER $5: With the high price of weddings, one way brides can save is with low-cost, high-value favors. From personalized tissues that retail for less than $1 per package, to chocolate-filled favor boxes in the $3 range, wedding favors bought in bulk can help make the couple's special day more affordable. 

STICKERS UNDER $5: Always a popular, lower-priced seller, stickers remain an affordable craft item for both juveniles and adults. Whether you merchandise stickers for scrapbooking projects or as kids' party favors, customers will appreciate the value of these items year-round. 

GIFTWRAP $5 & UNDER: Customers might be spending less on gifts, but they don’t need to spend a fortune to make those gifts look fabulous! With most giftwrap rolls and flat sheets retailing below the $5 mark, it's easy to offer an assortment of quality papers featuring colorful, fashionable designs.

IMPRINTABLES $15 & UNDER: When budget is a factor, imprintables are an affordable alternative to custom-printed invitations and announcements. Offer boxed imprintables to customers who choose to print at home, and in-store imprinting services for those who don't mind spending a little extra.

MAGNETS $15 & UNDER: Attract sales with magnets that are strong on design. Whether customers are looking for a decorative magnet for their refrigerator or a set of super-strong magnets for their workplace –  these little items offer a big range of uses and price points.

NOTEPADS UNDER $25: From personalized notepads that retail above the $20 mark to memo pads that sell below $5, fashion notepads offer value and versatility. Especially popular right now are "purse pads," which appeal to women's sense of style as well as their budget.

NOVELTIES UNDER $25: Novelty items that light up, have sound, are cuddly or just plain fun are helping to keep the impulse purchase alive at retail. Look for items with value-added, sensory-appealing extras – such as notecards and journals with LED lights, or greeting cards and gift bags with sound chips.

For more examples of the trends above, be sure to pick up a copy of the May/June issue of Greetings etc. magazine while you’re at the National Stationery Show, either in the bins in the Crystal Palace Lobby or at one of Greetings etc.’s booths (located at #2676-2777, and with the Greeting Card Association at #2221). We'll also be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Greetings etc. at the Show! I look forward to seeing you there.

Caroline Kennedy
Executive Editor
Gifts & Decorative Accessories


This year, more so than at any other time, reading what is prevailing on the horizon as to trends is more difficult to read than ever before. With the economy in crisis, consumers paring back on their spending and certain segments of the retail sector in difficulty, vendors are being more cautious with their new product introductions, focusing more on established lines and classic design. That’s not to say that things aren’t happening out there; it’s just that they are more evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

• Palm Beach is one influential bright spot on the design and color horizon, not only in stationery, but also in gifts, fashion accessories and home decor. This current blends together sunny bright colorways associated with southern Florida and the Caribbean, preppy elements of country-club-meets-yacht-club, and coastal motifs. Characteristic colors include bright pink, lime green, cerulean blue and a warm yellow. Lilly Pulitzer, whose name and designs are synonymous with the Palm Beach lifestyle look, has entered the stationery category with a licensed line with Lifeguard Press. Look for tropical florals, palm trees and flamingos, as well as shell motifs.
  
  
• Pink is tickling the fancy of designers. Although the near future may not look too rosy these days, stationery products are putting on a happy face and blooming in bright roses and pinks. Two pinks, a dusty rose and a fuchsia, figure prominently in Pantone’s spring fashion color forecast, while deeper rose pinks will emerge in the fall.
  
  
• Happy Birthday and other special occasions take on greater importance — birthday, because every day is somebody’s birthday. And in spite of the economy, consumers will continue to get married, have babies, and celebrate the holidays. These are all occasions that keep driving the card, stationery and gift market for specialty retailers, and vendors are providing ways to make them more special. Instead of going out to celebrate, more customers will choose to entertain in their home, thus requiring the necessary invitations and party accessories to mark the occasion with appropriate celebratory style. And even though some consumers may be paring back on gift purchases, they will still at least give a card, giving the card and its message even more importance. But when a gift is given, customers want to have the right notecard to say thank you.
  
  
• Letterpress continues to be a very strong medium in the stationery industry, where it is being used by companies small and large to produce creative lines that range from edgy to elegant. While established companies such as Crane have incorporated letterpress as a part of their more traditional invitation and stationery offerings, young artists and designers continue to experiment with the medium and create new motifs.
  
  
• Eco-Friendly continues to be a strong focus with more manufacturers emphasizing not only recycled or recyclable content, but other eco-conscious elements of their business and their products, from sustainable resources to FSC certification to wind/solar/human-powered manufacturing to promoting “greenness” that has always been an integral part of a company’s core product. (i.e. cotton rag paper). But no matter how “green” a product line is, it won’t sell unless it has good design. So while eco-consciousness is a selling point, it is secondary to a well designed, attractive product. “Green” is going creative and design-forward with designers using materials in new and different ways, emphasizing natural motifs, and in general making green and design equal partners.
  
  
• Blue and White is one of the classics that consumers love and designers return to time and again. It is a comfort combination that is an evergreen successful sales generator. Dinnerware companies led the way by reintroducing classic and reinterpreted blue-and-white patterns. And at this winter’s the leading French trade show, Maison et Objet, blue and white were prominent across other categories. In stationery, Anna Griffin and Design Design are already riding the wave of blue-and-white’s popularity.
  

So while this year might not have the headline-grabbing, just-got-to-have-it trend sensation, well-designed, moderately priced, quality stationery products will keep customers happily shopping.

Nuptial Notes

Elena Donovan Mauer
A writer who’s contributed to Modern Bride, Bridal Guide and The Knot


Today, there are no longer rigid rules when it comes to wedding style. The more color and creativity a couple infuses into the details, the more personal the entire day becomes. Here's what to look for in wedding stationery at this year's show. 

The Name Game
Big names like Vera Wang, Lily Pulitzer and Martha Stewart are debuting eponymous lines of invitations. To check them out, visit William Arthur, Lifeguard Press and Crane & Co., respectively. Note the designers’ signature styles, like the chic simplicity of a Vera Wang gown, replicated in the elegant calligraphed lines of a Vera Wang on Weddings Invitation.

Gray’s Anatomy
First, it was chocolate brown, then it was basic black. Now, whether it’s slate, pewter or silver, the hottest neutral is a shade of gray. Find it paired with serene turquoise, cheery yellow or as an addition to stark black-and-white.


Letterpress for Less
Brides are still infatuated by the antique feel of letterpress printing. In the past, the high price tag has made this method accessible to only big spenders, but this year many designers are making it available for budget-savvy brides, too. How, you ask? Instead of completely custom designs, they’re creating collections that are pre-printed. In some, the design is letterpressed, and any personalization is done in a more affordable method, like offset printing.

DIY Designs
Customization is key and many brides are choosing imprintable stationery so they can print it exactly how they want it. The do-it-yourselfers aren’t just sticking to invitations — they want all the luxe details of a high-end wedding — escort cards, menu cards, save-the-dates and more. Imprintable products make having them a cost-effective option.

It’s in the Details
Classic invitations are being dressed up with tiny embellishments, for a look that’s luxurious without overdoing it. Sparkly crystals give a little bling. Patterned envelope liners add interest. Custom envelope seals lend personalization and make the mail seem extra-special. These small details go over big with guests!

3-D Effects
Forget flat cards! Many save-the-dates and invitations have an extra dimension, making opening them a hands-on experience for guests. One popular style is the pocket invitation, which has slots to hold extras like RSVP cards, maps and weekend itineraries. Other 3D features are simple, a vellum sleeve to pull the invite from or a ribbon to untie. Guests feel like they’re opening a beautiful gift.

Purple Reign
Look for lavender, plum, raspberry and other shades of purple. They can be paired with contrasting green or orange, but they’re making a bold statement layered together for a one-of-a-kind monochromatic effect.

Culture Club
Brides have been inspired by bold Indian, Moroccan and Mexican colors and patterns. Think bright red, gold, magenta and green with intricate, cultural patterns as borders and backgrounds for lively invitations.

Lace About-Face
Elegant lace has been given a twist. Instead of being added as a textural accent, its pattern is being printed in ink — in not-so-typical hues like orange, black and olive, instead of wedding white.

Enjoy the show!

New Buyer 101

Packing your bags?  Wondering where to start once you hit the Show floor?  Following are some great tips, particularly for new buyers, from veteran retailer Hannah Rodewald, The Pleasure of Your Company; and seasoned exhibitor Mike Oleskow, Lime N’ Roses and Max & Lucy.

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes
• Extra tote bag
• Credit sheet
  • Full contact information
  • Store description
  • Bank information
  • Six companies I have net 30 credit
  • Years in business / established 1980
  • Copies of your state resale tax exemption certificate
  • Business Cards
  • Cell phone
  • Plenty of pens
  • Side spiral notebook
    
  • Personal identification on everything
    
  • Store order forms
  • Breath mints, water, energy bars
    
    

• Do you have a Show special?
  
• Are you selling directly on the internet?
  
• At MSRP or a discount?
  
• What is your policy about us selling on the internet?
• Do you have products on a CD that we can use?
  
  

• Don’t walk past a booth if you haven’t done well with the line. See what’s new and different.
  
• If you can, walk every aisle in both directions.
  
• On busy days, don’t start at the extreme left or right aisles – everyone does.
  
• If coming with a colleague, split up, start at different ends and meet in the middle to compare notes.
  
• If a new line will require you to rearrange your store, wait until you get home to place the order.
  
• Shuttle buses are great!
  
• Meet and talk to people everywhere and share ideas.
  
• Don’t miss the LOUIE and New Product displays.
  
• Try to attend at least one of the great seminars offered.