How to Assort Your Greeting Cards to Maximize Sales

If you receive our Tuesday's with Alan column, you've likely read this article before. We have made this a permanent fixture on our website because it really is important and will make a difference in your sales.

Alan Harnik, sometimes known affectionately as "Big Al", started Notes & Queries nearly 40 years ago. Notes & Queries cards have won numerous awards including "Louies" and the British equivalent, "Henries". This regular column is meant to help you compete successfully and sell more greeting cards. While Alan would very much like you to buy our cards, the advice given here will work no matter where you get your greeting cards.

Your Assortment

Over the years I've gone into many stores to see how they show cards. It always shocks me to see not enough Birthday or no Sympathy. Stores often justify this by saying that there is some special thing about their store that makes it different from the rest of our business. Balderdash!! These recommendations are based on how cards sell not only for Notes & Queries but in the industry as well, and is the best way to maximize your sales.

The simplest way to do this is to consider that you have 10 "bays" or display spaces for your greeting cards. This is how you should display your cards:

Birthday 5 Bays or 50% of the space
Blank 1 Bay or 10% of the space
Wedding
Anniversary, Shower
1/2 Bay or 5% of the space
1/2 Bay or 5% of the space
Thank You
Thinking of You
Get Well
1/2 Bay or 5% of the space
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space
Sympathy
New Baby, Shower
2/3 Bay or 7% of the space
1/3 Bay or 3% of the space
Friendship
Love
New Home, Good Luck
Congratulations
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space
1/4 Bay or 2.5% of the space


As an example, our popular 72-pocket spinner breakdown would look like this:

  • 36 pockets of Birthday cards
  • 7 or 8 pockets of Blank cards
  • 5 or 6 pockets of Sympathy cards
  • 3 or pockets each of Wedding, Anniversary and Thank You cards
  • 2 or 3 Get Well Cards
  • 1 or 2 each of Thinking of You, New Baby, Friendship, Love, New Home and Congratulations cards