<The market for business gifts is highly fragmented.
According to eYantra, the global market for corporate gifts is $100
billion and is anticipated to grow by 30 to 40% this year. Big
spenders are IT and pharmaceutical companies. Garments like T-shirts,
jackets etc are one of the popular give-aways. (Source: eYantra plans
30 stores by May 2005. Business Standard.)
http://autofeed.msn.co.in/pandorav3/output/Technology/97793ed3-904c-4d79-b413-a06c64d118de.aspx
Business Market.
According to a report by the Incentive Federation, US businesses spend
more than $25 billion annually on gifts, awards, and promotional
items. (Source: New Technology for Managing Employee Recognition
Programs Online. PR Web.)
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb162721.htm
According to American Identity there are more than 21,000 promotional
products companies in the United States.
http://www.americanidentity.com/experience.asp
2003 estimate of promotional products distributor sales.
2003 sales were $16.34 billion compared to $15.63 billion in 2002.
Sales figures for all years from 1991 are included in this report.
Business gifts accounted for 17.9% of sales in 2003 and 16.1% in 2002.
The number of distributors with a sales volume of less than $2.5
million is 20,150. There are 815 distributors with a sales volume of
$2.5 million or more. (Source: Promotional Products International.)
http://www.ppa.org/MediaInformation/IndustryStatistics/SalesVolumeEstimates/
The top buyers of promotional products.
This lists the top 31 buyers by industry. The top five emerging
markets are also listed, as are the principal uses of promotional
products. The top five industries that had an increased trend to use
the internet to transact business are:
1. Financial
2. Education
3. Government
4. Healthcare
5. Computers & Software.
(Source: Promotional Products International.)
http://www.ppa.org/MediaInformation/IndustryStatistics/TopBuyers/
State of the Industry 2004.
This report shows that a small percentage of the top 40 companies are
using the internet for sales. The internet accounts for just 1% of
sales with traditional routes accounting for 28%, mail order 4% and
catalogues 7%.
http://www.asicentral.com/html/open/news/soti/article3.pdf
Top 40 Distributors 2004. (Source: Advertising Speciality Institute.)
http://www.asicentral.com/asp/open/EducationAndEvents/CounselorAwards/top40dist.asp
-------------------------------------------
Incentive study.
About 19% of participants use the internet when buying merchandise for
consumer promotions. 14% for buying merchandise for sales incentives,
12% for dealer incentives and 17% for non-sales recognition/motivation
awards. usage of the Internet is higher in the segment of users of
online incentive programs (36%) when buying items for most
applications. Internet usage also is higher in the segment of "heavy"
users (29%) when buying merchandise for consumer promotions
specifically.
The study shows that there is an increasing trend of buying from the
internet. For example in 1999, 7% of merchandise for non-sales
recognition was purchased over the internet. By 2003, this had
increased to 17%.
The average cost of merchandise has also increased from $121 in 1999
to $180 in 2003.
A breakdown of the most popular gifts is shown.
The top 10 items are:
Gift certificates, writing instruments, apparel, desk accessories,
watches & clocks, food & beverages, plaques & trophies,
tools/flashlights, sporting goods, and cameras & accessories.
(Source: Federation Study 2003: Federation Survey of Motivation and
Incentive Applications.)
http://www.incentivecentral.org/Federation_Study_2003__Incentive_Federation_Survey_of.458.0.html
Business gift giving survey.
According to the 2004 Small Business Monitor by OPEN from American
Express, 69% of business owners plan to buy gifts for valued customers
and clients, compared to 57% in 2003. Average budgets for these gifts
dipped 4% compared to 2003 ($923 vs. $966). The survey found that
giving cards or calendars is the overwhelming gesture of choice toward
clients and customers (41%), followed by gift certificates for retail
or restaurant purchases (24%) and food/fruit baskets (20%). Just 9% of
respondents plan to give flowers or plants to their clients and
customers.
http://sev.prnewswire.com/banking-financial-services/20041116/NYTU13616112004-1.html
A study by Richard. F. Beltrami of Wayne State University in Detroit
found that there is a direct correlation between gifts and sales.
Experiments were conducted with a local manufacturer. Clients were
divided into three groups. One group gave a $40 gift, the second a $20
gift and the third group no gift. The $40 group resulted in a 500%
increase in sales, the $20 group had a 50% increase and the no gift
group had no increase. (Source: Beware Entrepreneurs Bearing Gifts!
Businessweek.com.)
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/news/date/9812/e981223.htm
------------------------------------------
Companies providing corporate gifts online.
Top 3 companies:
1. Halo Branded Solutions.
HA2003, Inc.
They offer over 300,000 items that can be customized with corporate
logos. The company filed for reorganisation under Chapter 11 in 2001.
(Source: Hoover?s Online.)
http://www.hoovers.com/ha2003/--ID__10660--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
Halo Branded Solutions - Online catalogue
http://www.halocatalog.com/
2. American Identity
The largest privately held distributor of corporate-logoed
merchandise. Ranked second in terms of sales. Clients include 350 of
the Fortune 1000 companies. 2000 sales - $265.1 million.
(Source: Rough year is leaving its mark on American Identity. Katie
Hollar. The Businesss Journal. October 19, 2001.)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2001/10/22/story6.html
American Identity was established in 1998 when Swingster and K-Products merged.
2002 sales - $185 million.
2002 employees ? 1,200 (Source: Hoover?s Online.)
http://www.hoovers.com/american-identity/--ID__126503--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
American Identity - Company website.
http://www.americanidentity.com/
American Identity ? online catalogue.
http://www.americanidentitycatalog.com/catalog/
3. 4Imprint Group Plc
Direct marketer of promotional products. Over 200,000 customers worldwide.
2003 sales $168 million
2003 Net income ($14.5 million)
http://www.hoovers.com/4imprint/--ID__105014--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
4Imprint - Online shopping.
http://uk2.4imprint.com/products/default.asp?UID=GST8D240D5F289D4F6491CAA6A5319642BA&ClickID=3
There are a large number of smaller companies offering corporate gifts
online. Some examples are:
Harrods Corporate Gifts.
http://www.harrodscorporateservice.com/
Gifts for Professionals
http://www.giftsforprofessionals.com/
E-corporate gifts
http://www.e-corporategifts.com/affiliate.html
E-corporate gifts - Company profile
http://www.e-corporategifts.com/profile.html
Red Envelope.com
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/266891
Red Envelope
http://www.redenvelope.com
Red Envelope Inc.
Established 1997
2004 sales $79.3 million. (Source: Hoover?s Online.)
http://www.hoovers.com/redenvelope/--ID__108234--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
The Corporate Gift Source.
Established 1999
http://www.thecorporategiftsource.com/midas/
Hoover?s Online has a number of reports about this company available
for sale. A company profile costs $14.99.
http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/company-information-hoovers.asp?referrer=hoovers.com&partner=hoovers&cm_mmc=eLicensing*Hoovers*SIMPLESEARCHRESULTS*Free+Member&key=009968905&bhcd2=1100507985
They launched a subsidiary Ashford Corporate Gifts in 2000 what exists
now is a small section offering corporate gifts on their main website.
http://www.diamondtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5524
Ashford.com ? corporate gifts.
http://www.ashford.com/family/index.asp?Sn=344496720&No=0&N=2147257654%2B112&Ns=PriorityAsh
Corporate Gift Showcase is a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative
Expressions of Tampa Bay, Inc (established 1995.) (Source : Corporate
Gift Showcase.)
http://www.corporategiftshowcase.com/
Their client list
http://www.corporategiftshowcase.com/ourcustomers.asp
Edine Gifts.
This company specialises in the delivery of restaurant gifts
certificates in the Chicago area. It estimates that the U.S. corporate
gift market is $18 billion per year.
http://www.edinegifts.com/membenes.htm>
------------------------------------------------
Online business gift companies that have come and gone.
WOWgift.com
Launched in 1999, no longer online.
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:6jID0zfjh_8J:www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m4PRN/2000_April_7/61401711/p1/article.jhtml+%22gift+industry%22+%22business+gifts%22+%22market+share%22&hl=en&lr=&strip=1
Bravogifts.com
Survey 410 million business-related gifts are given each year. 70
percent of Americans experience difficulty giving business gifts.
Name change to bravanta.com
Appears to be no longer in business
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_August_4/ai_55346463
Synergy Gift Company
Listed in a number of directories ? no longer trading.
http://www.synergygift.com/
-----------------------------------------------
Marketing.
Consultant.
Joanne Stone-Geier has 13 years experience in the corporate gift market
sector. She launched the corporate gift department for
Nieman-Marcus/Chicago and created and developed the corporate gift
program for Carson Pirie Scott.
http://www.citycare.com/sponsors/spotlight.cfm?companyID=272&SponsorID=183
Trade shows
There are lots of gift trade shows. Links to directories of these are
given below. In addition I have also included a directory of trade
shows for all industries. As the top 10 buyers of corporate products
are in various industries you may find it helpful to exhibit at trade
shows aimed at those industries.
International gift trade shows
http://www.com-to-us.com/redirect_10/int/giftshow/int/03int/intshows.html
US Gift trade shows
http://www.com-to-us.com/redirect_10/dom/giftshow/03dom/domshow_2003.html
Trade shows ? all industries
http://www.globalsources.com/TRADESHW/TRDSHFRM.HTM
Magazines.
Giftware Magazine
This magazine is aimed at the giftware industry and has a circulation
of 32,000.
http://www.equipsolu.com/main_content.asp?siteid=2
Incentive Magazine
http://www.incentivemag.com/incentive/index.jsp
<Additional links:>
<Promotional Products Association.>
<http://www.ppa.org/>
<2003 Gift Certificate Facts ? Incentive magazine.>
<http://www.incentivemag.com/incentive/images/pdf/gift_facts_1103.pdf>
<2003 Travel Facts Report ? Incentive magazine.>
<http://www.incentivemag.com/incentive/images/pdf/travel_FACTS_10-03.pdf>
<According to a study by AC Nielsen, the internet is increasingly used
by small businesses to make business related purchases. Fifty-nine
percent of small business use the internet to make business-related
purchases.>
<http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/article.php/3330091>
<Study ? Changing Gift-Giving Cycles in the Age of Online Shopping..
Jill McClure Lowery. University of Texas at Austin.>
<http://www.ciadvertising.org/student_account/fall_01/adv392/mcclure/onlinegifts.html>
<Search strategy:>
<"the corporate gift market">
<://www.google.com/search?q=%22the+corporate+gift+market%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N>
"corporate gifts" market billion
://www.google.com/search?q=%22corporate+gifts%22+market+billion&hl=en&lr=&start=20&sa=N
"corporate gift market" billion
://www.google.com/search?q=%22corporate+gift+market%22+billion&hl=en&lr=&start=0&sa=N
<Hope this helps.> |
