Staying Ahead of the Curve: The Opportunities of the Stationery Supplies Industry in the Age of Digitalisation
Writing, drawing, note-taking and filing — In the past, this was almost impossible without pens, papers, rulers, highlighters and post-it notes. In our present-day world, we have found alternatives to using traditional stationeries along with the advancement of technology. Many users have opted to manage their work digitally, such as using tablet devices for note-taking and filing scanned documents digitally. In this blog post, the exciting opportunities that digital media and technology could offer to the stationery supplies industry and how they could supplement the success of businesses will be explored.
Implementation of E-commerce
A key initiative for businesses in today’s world would be to sell their products electronically. E-commerce allows businesses to save the costs of a physical distribution network and allows consumers to view the range of stationery supplies easily, widening their options while saving their time and resources. Drawing inspiration from large stationery companies, such as Faber-Castell and Staedtler, it can be seen that their ranges of products are well-advertised from the front pages of their websites and their categories of stationeries are listed systematically for increased accessibility.
Use of Social Media for the Promotion of Stationery Products
The use of social media is essential for promoting products, especially to the members of “Generation Z” and “Generation Alpha”. According to research, Generation Z’s interaction with social media is a ‘significant portion of their socialising behaviour’. Gen Zers react more positively to social media advertisements rather than traditional ones and better brand awareness and product perception is seen. Interestingly, several days before Christmas, the “most wished for” tablet accessory on Amazon was the BUDDIBOX iPad case, a product targeted to Generation Alpha for its kid-safe feature. These cases reveal the impact of good social media marketing on the younger generations.
The Use of Aesthetics on Social Media
The question we would ask ourselves is — How, then, should we promote stationery products on social media? The use of aesthetics would be a way to connect effectively with Gen Zers. Nostalgic elements could be used to capture Gen Zers attention, as they seek comfort through nostalgia. For instance, the Y2K trend could be applied in the designs of products. The use of emojis, animated GIFs and memes is also useful in connecting with Gen Zers. Additionally, Gen Zers prefer short video advertisements on social media and it is important for brands to be authentic while focusing on the visuals of the advertisement.
Advertising Stationery Products through Influencers
In recent years, many influencers have been filming vlogs and uploading pictures on their blogs or social media platforms. Stationery supply companies could work together with such influencers to promote their products, especially those who fit with their brand image and aesthetics. The influencer’s personality, lifestyle and engagement with their followers determine people’s perception of the brand being promoted. The power of influencer marketing is seen in many cases, and marketers agree. Content such as unboxing videos would achieve the aim of introducing the products to the influencer’s followers.
Implementing Trends in the Creation of Stationery
Generation Z appreciates individuality and uniqueness. E-commerce platforms should be used creatively. Existing designs of products could be customised based on the consumer’s preference. The customer’s desired quote could be printed on the cover of a notebook, or their name could be printed on the first page along with their desired words. The products could be advertised as a wonderful gift too, where the consumer could write a particular message to their friend. Images could also be uploaded to be used as the cover or printed on the pages of the notebook.
Development of Products in line with Technological Advancements
Nowadays, many people turn to digital notebooks instead of traditional ones. Likewise, stationeries could also be innovated. As wireless stylus pens are used for digital notepads, pen cases with trendy designs could be produced. The writability of pens is highly dependent on the design of the pen grips, their materials and their features. Similarly, the comfort of using a stylus pen can be elevated with pen grips and pen cases. For computer users, keyboard stickers, mouse stickers and mouse pads could be designed in accordance with the style of the brand.
Moreover, if aesthetic notebooks or planners have been designed, digital versions of the designs could be published as well for those who prefer digital note-taking. An application could even be developed where users could access the available notebook designs. Not only that, digital calendars, planners and diaries could be made available for their users too. Certain notebooks have delicate and detailed paper designs. This could also be implemented in the digital versions. The digitally written notes could be printed out or saved as PDFs for easy access across multiple platforms and devices.
Other Product Suggestions include:
- Personalised laptop sleeves. For example, customised words could be sewn onto the laptop sleeve. The laptop sleeve could also be crocheted or accessorized with charms or pearls.
- Cable organisers, both as clips or storage bags.
- Tablet covers with a pocket for the stylus pen
- A stylus pen case that is attachable to the tablet case, as it often gets lost.
- A mini pomodoro timer for studying, working or preparing for exams. Although there are free-to-use applications for this function, a physical timer aids in avoiding distractions.
- Phone cases with a section to insert cards.
A world of opportunities is waiting for the stationery supplies industry, including branching out in their production of goods and services to supplement digital advancements. Nonetheless, traditional stationeries are still a necessity for everyone. Therefore, efficient and effective social media marketing could be utilised to introduce the brands and their products.
I agree that handwriting is able to bring joy — whether it is writing a message to a loved one or even encouraging words for myself. The importance of this industry is crystal clear, and I look forward to the products that will be produced.
