Youngsters prefer SMS to greeting cards

SMS is becoming more popular than traditional greeting cards among the younger generation, particularly in Chennai, for greetings on festivals and other occasions.

Short Messaging Service (SMS) is becoming more popular than traditional greeting cards among the younger generation, particularly in Chennai, for greetings on festivals and other occasions.

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Going by stiff competition, leading mobile service providers Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Airtel, Hutch, Reliance and Aircel have frequently been reducing their STD, ISD and SMS tariffs.

According to the statistics given by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), till November 2008, there are 67,32,187 mobile users in Tamil Nadu.A majority of the people, encouraged by the reduction, look forward to extended talktime with friends and relatives residing in other states and countries, instead of sending cards for different occasions.

The greeting card industry is the biggest casualty of this recent phenomenon."There is no doubt that in the last five years greeting card sales have declined by more than 25 per cent," said Mohammed Ithrees, sales in charge of Archies Gallery, a greeting card showroom in the city.He said sales of greeting cards was gradually decreasing each year.

"Last year, we sold an average of 1,900 cards per month. But this year we could sell an average of only 1,500 cards," he added.