Why Greeting Cards Are Expensive
By
Staten Island, NY Posted: 6/2/2017 1:00:00 AM
Greeting cards are EXPENSIVE. Here's Why.
A few weeks ago, I spent about $7 for a greeting card. There wasn't anything unusual about the card that would make you think it was special, in fact, most of the cards in the store cost between $4 and $7 each. This started me thinking about the reasons why cards are so expensive.
At first, I thought about the production costs. Some come in unusual shapes and sizes, and have interesting artwork or printing, but for the most part nothing about card production is any more complicated than producing colorful cardboard boxes for inexpensive grocery packages, so it can't be the cost of production.
Next, I considered the writing. After all, they always seem to have just the right words inside. Isn't it worth $7 for quality writing? I don't think so.
Think about it. You're paying as much as $7 for a piece of paper with a nice picture and a dozen or so words written inside it. By contrast you can buy a 900+ page paperback book like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the same price. Like a card, it has a nice picture on the cover and the words are absolutely worth every penny. But you can clearly say that J.K. Rowling spends a lot more time writing than card writers do, and her book sells for the same price.
So, I came to the conclusion that greeting cards are expensive for one simple reason, we feel GUILTY paying less. We've been conditioned by card makers to "Care enough to send the very best." Paying a premium price for a card makes us feel good inside. If you love the person you're giving the card to, why would you buy them a cheap card?
Meanwhile, when computers first came along, there were a lot of popular programs like PrintMaster that let you print your own cards, and people used to think making your own cards was being cheap. If you ask me, anyone who takes the time to use a program like that to make their own card is investing something far more than their money in their cards. They've invested their time and effort, and that's more personal and valuable than money.
Joe Crescenzi, Founder
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