Wishing each other on New Year included giving greeting cards with meaningful messages. But those days are past now with almost everyone sending good wishes as messages through SMS, Whatsapp or social media.
“I used to buy greeting cards well in advance and post them to my near and dear ones. I also used to eagerly wait to receive similar greetings through post. Those days were really exciting. Now, technology has made the world a global village where everyone is accessible, but none communicate except for sending messages on mobile phones or posting wishes on social media,” says N. Srinivas, a senior citizen. Five years ago, there were several greeting card shops in various parts of the town. But they have come down to three as there are no takers for the cards. Ganesh, a gifts emporium trader at the busy Tower Circle area, says: “Earlier we used to make business ranging between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 per day. Now, we hardly sell greeting cards worth Rs. 1,000 a day,” he says. The only saving grace is that schoolchildren, mostly from primary sections, are still using greeting cards, though the least priced ones. Laxman, a trader at Bhagathnagar, says there are no takers for the branded greeting cards ranging between Rs. 40 and Rs. 150. “Our only business is from schoolchildren,” he adds. Superintendent of Posts J. Pandari says the dispatch of greeting cards has come down drastically. Only a few entrepreneurs and others send the traditional greeting cards and a majority of them have taken to social media, he maintains.
