NPD Reports Electronic Cards' Increased Popularity Should Not Encroach On Traditional Valentine's Day Card and Gift Purchases

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, February 8, 2000– If the number of Internet users planning to send electronic Valentines or shop online is an indication, Cupid will cross shopping channels to find Valentine’s Day cards and gifts this year. NPD Online Research reports two-thirds of Internet users surveyed plan to send electronic greeting cards this Valentine’s Day. While intentions are typically higher than actual behavior, this number is up from the 55% who intended to send electronic Valentine’s Day cards in 1999.

Despite the surge in e-commerce and the growing popularity of electronic greeting cards, the Internet does not seem to threaten traditional Valentine’s Day card and gift channels. Seventy percent of all respondents say they plan to purchase traditional greeting cards for their Valentines. Seventy-nine percent of those who plan to send an e-greeting say they also will purchase a traditional greeting card. Of those who intend to send an e-card and purchase a traditional greeting card, 87% plan to buy a card in a retail store.

Bluemountain.com is likely to capture the greatest share of Valentine’s Day e-greeting traffic again this year, according to the NPD Online Research survey. Seventy-five percent of those who plan to send electronic Valentines claim they will use bluemountain.com or bluemountainarts.com to send e-Valentines this year, up from 63% in 1999. Next was egreetings.com, where 17% of respondents who plan to send e-cards say they will go.

Among those who intend to send an e-Valentine, 66% plan to send one to a family member. Sixty percent of those respondents say they will send one to a friend; 32% will send e-greetings to a spouse; 22% will send them to a boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other; and 17% will send them to a co-worker. Of males surveyed, 55% intend to send e-Valentines. Seventy-seven percent of female respondents claim they will send e-Valentines.

“Electronic greeting cards have become an independent product within the card category. They don’t appear to be stealing consumers from other channels at this time, but instead offer consumers an additional vehicle for expressing their Valentine’s Day wishes. Even if half of those who claim they will send an e-Valentine actually do, Internet users will send millions of digital valentines this year in addition to all of the traditional cards sent!” said Pamela Smith, vice president of the Online Research division of The NPD Group, Inc.

Valentine’s Day gift purchasing is also going digital. While retail stores remain respondents’ top choice for planned purchases, they are also searching the Web for some traditional Valentine’s Day gifts.

The top gifts respondents intend to give their Valentines this year include tried-and true candy and chocolate (47%), dinner (31%), flowers (30%) and stuffed animals (16%). Other Valentine’s Day gift ideas that made respondents’ gift-giving lists included clothing (8%), gift certificates (5%), jewelry (7%), lingerie (6%), perfume/cologne (5%) and framed photographs (3%).

The NPD Online Research survey also uncovered other clues about respondents’ Valentine’s Day plans: 79% of respondents claim they have someone they consider to be their Valentine this year. Forty percent of respondents intend to celebrate the day by wearing red clothing, shoes or accessories. Four percent say they do not celebrate Valentine’s Day.