The Stationers Guild

Another online invitation and announcement company surfaced today:   Chickadee Prints.    In the tag line of its online Press Release, Chickadee claims to be “a company that aspires to create unique designs for stationary . . .”  Well that stopped me in my tracks.  How can a company aspire to create “unique” designs for a market that they can’t even spell properly?  

A disturbing but not unanticipated trend is the rather hasty disappearance of the often maligned stationery and invitation sales representative.  For the most part,  knowledgeable sales representatives are being displaced by cheap catalogues and the dreaded phrase that is a certain harbinger of doom:  “You can see our products online.”

Since my husband and I acquired Therese Saint Clair seven years ago, I estimate that representative sales calls have fallen by more than two-thirds.  No longer do I have the benefit of seeing and touching paper stock samples and viewing designs in their natural state  – rather than making decisions based on hastily photographed reproductions that tend to populate most “stationery” and “invitation” websites.  Furthermore,  I was dealing with an experienced sales representative who understands my business and is in touch with current trends in stationery and invitations.  More than that, I got to know my sales representatives as human beings and my day was often enriched by their visit.

It would be amusing – if it were not so pathetic – to see how many companies attribute their lack of success in today’s competitive market to the “competency” of their sales representatives.  Instead of looking inward to their insipid Photoshop designs, cheap papers and poor merchandising, they tend to blame their over-worked and unappreciated sales representatives.  The overriding corporate logic seems to be that “our retailers will find it easier to shop online” and we no longer have need of our representative sales force.

Perhaps I am in a minority, but I tend to allocate a disproportionate amount of my business to companies that have sales representatives.   It is reassuring to have an extra set of experienced eyes helping me make my selections.  Furthermore, there is a sense of personal accountability and responsibility rather than the vague hope that “they will sort things out at the corporate level.”  Most importantly, there is a choice.  Most sales representatives handle a variety of lines and one uses these varied styles and designs to make informed cost/value decisions.   Unfortunately, sales catalogues and websites are one-dimensional, offering the retailer and, indeed, the consumer, little basis for comparison shopping other than price.

While I recognize the need for efficiency, I am hopeful that Sales Representatives will not become dinosaurs.  Our industry will sorely miss them.

Sheila P. May
Therese Saint Clair

In a letter to their dealers dated July 10, The Chatsworth Collection announced that it had been acquired by American Stationery Retail.  American Stationery Retail is located in Peru, Indiana and has been making fine stationery since 1919. 

Chatsworth, known for their eclectic and trendy stationery and invitation collections of Robin McGuire, Frederick Beck,  Gene Bliley and Blue Mug will now be consolidated into American Stationery Retail’s family of companies which includes Rytex and Inkwell, the personalized division of Inviting Company.

While it is difficult to imagine California’s Robin McGuire going entirely Hoosier, it is clearly a sign of the times that leading stationery design firms are having to seek the comfort of mass-merchandisers to survive.  According to the communique, several of the personalized albums will be consolidated.  As a dealer, we are hopeful that the integrity of Chatsworth’s great designs will survive the acquisition.

Checkerboard, a leading designer of custom invitations, is offering 25 free invitations with any custom invitation order of 25 or more paid invitations selected from their four party albums:  Soiree, Social Butterfly, Paper Palette or Checkerboarders.  This offer expires on August 2, 2009.

Today I came across a news release by Paper Divas discussing wedding trends for the 2009 season.   They claim to be a “preferred resource” for wedding style and etiquette, but I have always thought of them as a tech-savvy company selling template-based online invitations and stationery.   Paper Divas has done an outstanding job optimizing their website for search.  Nevertheless, their real challenge is to convince bridal couples to buy wedding invitations online.

While expediency sometimes gets in the way of common sense, buying fine stationery and custom invitations online is downright silly.  Gosh, would you would risk $500 or more for an online wedding invitation when the odds of getting what you want are stacked against you from the get-go? 

First, internet image resolutions are of poor quality and often purposely distorted to avoid reproduction.  With a limited internet color range, different monitor resolutions and poor quality image reproduction, it is almost impossible to determine the outcome of your printed invitation.

Second, paper texture and the weight of the paper stock are vital components in selecting your invitation.  Why not visit a qualified stationer and feel hundreds of paper samples rather than the one or two that might be sent to you by an online store? 

Third, colors change dramatically depending on the printing process you use.  Wouldn’t it be nice to see true color reproduction on different paper stock rather than leave it to chance with your online dealer? 

Fourth, most quality paper companies and designers recognize that crafting a custom wedding invitation is more than filling-in an online template.  In fact, many of the leading fine paper companies do not sell custom invitations online. They simply want the buyer to feel their papers, discuss printing options and receive expert advice from an experienced stationer before making a major financial commitment.  In short, they want the buyer to have a positive outcome based on “real” samples and expert advice rather than the “luck-of-the-draw” with an online store.

If you want expert advice, simply consult a qualified stationer in your neighborhood.  Many of the leading stationers can be found on the Guild website.  Don’t be seduced by the online hype.  Some things are best done in person and creating a custom wedding invitation is certainly one of them.

Richard W. May
Founding Member