Forgotten wishes of greeting cards

The outlets, once thriving on sale of greeting cards, present a deserted picture in the city ahead of the New Year revelry as greeting through apps and on social media platforms has become the norm.

The hustle and bustle, which was a common sight a few years ago at book sellers who sold greeting cards, is a no show now.

Similar scenes are evident at post offices; once busy dispatching large volumes of cards to their destinations now wear a deserted look.

"Sending the greeting in physical form is a cliche. I feel thrilled while accepting and sending the same through the apps like WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.

Apps help the greetings take a slew of forms with a myriad of hues, which include audio and video component as well. It is all instant,” says a student of Siddhartha Engineering College.

However, Rama Rao, a middle-aged employee, feels that sending greeting cards to a loved one was always lively. “Now, it has become mechanical,” he says.

People prefer social media and apps to greeting cards to wish their loved ones during the festive season these days.

The social media sites and apps like imo, skype, vider, hangout etc are being widely used to convey greetings. The advancement in the mobile technology made sending greetings easy, leaving its effect on greeting card business.

"Mobile technology these days has ruined the greeting card business," alleges Subba Rao, owner of Jays Durga book mart in one-town. Speaking on the sales of greeting cards in December, he narrated the sad saga.

"People are becoming lazy these days to come and select cards buy them and post/courier the cards. In the month of December most of the people would be busy selecting greeting cards to send them to their beloved ones.

But unlike the age old practice, the advancement in the mobile technology made sending greetings very easy these days," he adds.

"Apart from the effect of social media on the sales of greeting cards for the past three years, the demonetisation of currency had its role on the business and this year it is the worst," feels Srinivas, owner of Laxmi greeting shop, one-town in the city.

"This year the sales are 70 per cent down compared to last year,” he says and adds that there is no cash flow in the market and it is hard to get change for Rs 2,000.

“The other major factor is people are not spending money lavishly after demonetisation as before. At 12 noon we find very few people on the busy one-town streets,” he says.

PNV Suresh Kumar of Perumallu Venkateshwara & Co. who sells greeting and wedding cards is facing the double effect of the situation.

“There is no greeting cards sale because of social media and free internet and cheap smartphones available with every person. From November onwards, the central government’s move on demonetisation hit the business very badly.

Only a few wealthy people are opting to hold marriages and most of the middle income and below average income families have postponed weddings. So, it’s a big drop for me,” he rues.