Creative Leisure News - Category Reports

What's new in various product categories; monthly update.

Gift Trends For 2004

Predictions from a leading magazine, and comments on the relevance to crafts.

(December, 2003)

Below are edited highlights from a new survey conducted by Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine, the leading trade magazine for the gift industry. To read the complete summary (and to sign up for the magazine's free newsletter), visit www.giftsanddec.com. For the complete survey, read the December issue. To subscribe, call 800-309-3332.

1. Selling gifts successfully requires making shopping fun, educational, and engaging. (Comment: Probably true for all of retailing.)

2. Purely decorative objects are out of favor. (Comment: That's the "stuff" George Carlin talks about.)

3. Decorative accents must serve a function � vases, bowls, baskets, boxes, tins, files, albums, and other products that can hold or organize everyday items. Wall art and wall decor will be popular because they help decorate without adding to clutter. (Comment: Hmmm, that means photo/scrapbook albums, paintings and cross-stitch wallhangings, etc.

4. One exception to the anti-clutter trend is holiday decor. That's particularly true of Christmas, and it's growing for early fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. (Comment: Not sure that was true of crafts this past Halloween.)

5. As part of the concern for personal environments, Americans will turn to home fragrancing products such as potpourri, oil rings, steamers, and sprays. (Comment: Does everything have to have a nice smell?)

6. Soft goods such as pillows and table runners are gaining in popularity because they change a room's "look" inexpensively. But too much can lead to clutter. (Comment: crafts are the perfect way to make things that change the look of a room, at very little cost.)

7. "Traditional" remains the leading design direction, but "retro" and "nostalgic" are close behind. Design trends in decline include "Americana," "lodge," and "safari/adventure."

8. "Earth tones" or "neutrals" will dominate the color spectrum, punctuated by "brights" and "jewel tones," such as oranges, yellows, reds, and purples. Greens and blues will also be popular, and brown is making a comeback.

9. Licensing continues to be a major force; new and expanded licenses include Todd Oldham, the National Geographic Society, Betty Crocker, Mary Engelbreit, and a host of others. (Comment: Completely new product lines are such an expensive gamble these days, licensing a popular designer can be seen almost as insurance. This may be similar to Broadway producers investing in a remake of Oklahoma rather than sinking money into a new play by an unknown playwright.)

10. Perceived value is key � high-quality, but value-priced. Low-end merchandise is out. (Comment: But some craft retailers keep discounting and discounting and ....)

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