Last month I highlighted some of our MarketTrends findings for the Apparel catalog sector, noting that while list universes were down in 2009, things were looking up for the area in 2010.
On the flip side, one of our other recent studies covers the Gifts/Collectibles market, and while our findings show similar universe losses, signs of a speedy turnaround are not quite as obvious. To be sure, the economy and unemployment have a significant impact on sales for non-essential gift items. But equally important are changes within the category itself. With the product expansion we’ve seen in larger gift titles, flat or discount pricing strategies, and the growth of smaller boutique books, the catalog gift market seems to be in the midst of its own unique transition.
For clarity, what we currently call the “Gifts/Collectibles” market is made up of marketers with a year-round product mix focused primarily on gift giving. Mailers in this category include a variety of well-known titles like Potpourri, Red Envelope and Signals. We do not include toy catalogers in this set.
To illustrate some of the challenges from the past two years, below is a look at the active 12 month buyer universe for over 100 gift catalogs.
It’s not every day that a retailer encourages customers to try yard sales, thrift stores and comparison shopping to get their children ready for school, but that’s what