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Recently, a longtime Greeting Card Association (GCA) member shared that its card designs were being stolen and sold by more than one foreign online platform at below- market prices. The loss of sales, coupled with the time and expense of monitoring those sites (which accounted for as much as 50% of the time of one of their designers!), emerged as a huge challenge.

In October, the GCA distributed an industrywide survey to determine the extent of the problem. The results are alarming.

According to the results, nearly two-thirds of respondents reported theft of their card designs — and this was not limited to solely GCA members, who comprised two-thirds of the group of respondents. Meanwhile, the negative impact is vast. Of respondents, 70% reported losses up to $5,000, but in 9% of the responses, the losses exceeded $100,000. Theft of designs and sale of counterfeit cards by online platforms is a drag on large publishers and an existential nightmare for small publishers. Something must be done to stop it.

The challenge is how to respond. Fortunately, GCA’s Public Affairs Committee is currently evaluating options, which range from determining what avenues are available under existing law, to potential changes that would make it easier to go after thieves. The outcome of the election should provide a viable path for seeking regulatory and legislative remedies, given the intense scrutiny of unfair and unethical practices in China.

However, remember the adage that “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” One of the more effective actions GCA members can take is to shine a light on what these platforms are doing. Greeting card consumers are among the most ethical members of society, with younger consumers placing a great emphasis on authenticity and sustainability. The strides we are making among this group can powerfully push back against theft. GCA will continue exploring these avenues in 2025.

Members can expect to receive additional information on new opportunities to respond to, bring to light and stop these flagrant abuses in the future.