Published on: Friday, January 27, 2006 |
Sandakan: Modern technology at the palm of the hand is said to be the main reason behind the decrease in the sale of printed festive greeting cards for the Hari Raya, Christmas and Chinese New Year celebrations.
Shops selling greeting cards could only moan at the gradual loss of sales over the past few years, having to accept the fact that short messaging service/multimedia messaging service (SMS/MMS) is the upward trend in sending greetings through the mobile phones.
When was the last time you sent or received a greeting card from a friend or relative?
A random survey at the town here showed sales of the recent Hari Raya and Christmas cards had decreased, and sales of the Chinese New Year cards have been rather slow.
Most of the shopkeepers have undoubtedly resigned to the fact that they might have to keep the unsold stock and perhaps put them out again for next year's sale.
Chin Mui Nen, 30, owner of a stationery and sports store here, lamented that the public demand for greeting cards had plunged over the last few years.
She was nevertheless thankful that there were still some people who prefer the traditional practice of sending greeting cards.
She agreed that it is simpler and cheaper to send greetings through the SMS, some laced with graphics. A more elaborate greeting with colour pictures and even music is now possible through the MMS.
She acknowledged that sending a greeting card is costlier, coupled with a stamp purchase and the inconvenience of going to the post office, by today's standards.
Civil servants Jairon Lambow and Mary Anthony, both 41, said they would prefer to send festive greetings to friends and relatives by SMS, while greeting cards are also sent for formal occasions.
"This is a trend nowadays where people would choose the most convenient way of conveying their messages," they added.
They sent only 10 cards last Christmas, and receiving some, much less than they did before.
Everyone including school children could afford a mobile phone nowadays compared to the situation 10 years ago, they said, adding they believed the high standard of living had influenced today's lifestyle.
Friends Rodney Sanurt and Maria Gondila, both 28, said they had never exchanged Christmas greeting cards since two years ago, with preference for Christmas picture messages.
It is relatively cheaper, they added.
Rodney said it would take a week or so, or even more, for the cards to reach their destinations, while the SMS/MMS would take only a few seconds.
Salesgirl Leela Abdul, 23, could not recall the last time she sent or received Hari Raya greeting cards.
It was much better conveying greetings through the mobile phone services, some even accompanied by festive music.
All admitted having used the Internet to send their festive greetings to their friends and relatives via e-mails, before the craze on the mobile phone services.
