Dear Comrades,
Every Diwali, Mohit Daga (24), an IT professional in the city, used to send cards
to his sister in Bangalore and other relatives. But not any more. This
time he sent a gift through one of the online sites and plans to send an
e-card wishing them Diwali. Mohit is not alone. The city has seen a
demand of Diwali cards go down by over 70 per cent in the last five
years, says an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(ASSOCHAM) survey.
This is also reflected in the fact that postal department is handling less number of cards this year. Earlier, the postal department used to handle about 8,000 post cards and greeting cards per day during Diwali but now the number is 500, reveals the survey.
"There has been a decrease in the number of people sending cards. But there is a selected group of people who still prefer sending cards. To ensure that the sending procedure is smooth, this time we have introduced different trays in 24 high-density post offices," said R K Jayabhaye, director Postal Services. "But the business mail section has still the same frequency as earlier as they need to keep up the personal touch," added Jayabhaye.
Around 55 per cent of the survey respondents fall under the age bracket of 20-29 years, followed by 30-39 years (26 per cent), 40-49 years (16 per cent), 50-59 years (2 per cent) and 60-69 years (approximately 1 per cent). The survey was done in cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabd, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun.
Majority of the card shop owners said they were
witnessing thin sales over the past five years. "Our sales are down due
to SMS and Internet. Earlier, corporate orders used to come in bulk, but
now that has also declined," said Sushil Shendre, store manager of one
of Archies shops. "Youngsters buy cards more on Valentine's Day,
Mothers' Day," Shendre added.
Express India
