Summary

The global gift box market, particularly concentrated in Europe and led by France, has matured considerably since its rapid growth in the 2010s. With France accounting for a substantial share of the European market, estimated at 1 billion euros, the French market has matured, with changing trends indicating the need for market players to seek new growth drivers. The French market was valued at 255 million euros, highlighting a competitive landscape where brands such as Wonderbox and Smartbox dominate with almost 90% market share.

Consumer confidence, which struggled between 2010 and 2012 due to the bankruptcy of some market players, has since become paramount, with the French government implementing stricter regulations to protect consumers. The market has also seen shifts in consumer preferences, with a move towards intangible gifts and personalized experienceses, coupled with innovations such as digitization and an increase in niche offers to differentiate and meet different consumer demands. The average price of gift sets has seen a downward trend, from 90 euros to 80 euros, with price ranges widening to include both accessible and premium options.

Despite continued market concentration, niche players are finding opportunities by specializing in particular segments such as sports, gastronomy and ecotourism, capitalizing on the growing curiosity for new experiences and the continuing appeal of experiential gifts.

Quality and innovation boost consumer confidence in the French gift box sector

The French gift box market has evolved significantly since the concept gained popularity with the launch of key players such as Smartbox and Wonderbox. Initially driving rapid market growth, the novelty of gift boxes has faded, bringing the market to a more mature stage. This maturity translated into growth that began to slow, indicating the need for companies to look for new growth levers beyond the initial enthusiasm generated by the new concept. Demand for gift sets in France is strongly influenced by consumers' renewed confidence in the market, as well as their curiosity about new experiences.

After a period of scrutiny from 2010 to 2012 due to a series of bankruptcies among gift box companies, consumer confidence had to be restored. Regulation played a key role in this, with amendments to the Tourism Act strengthening protections and requiring gift box issuers to register with Atout France. These issuers, like travel agents, are subject to strict obligations towards consumers with regard to the performance of their contractual services, reinforcing consumer responsibility and confidence. French consumers of gift boxes are predominantly women, many of whom have already received a gift box themselves. This shows the importance of user experience in encouraging repeat purchases. The socio-economic population tends to belong to the middle or upper classes. In addition, a significant proportion of demand comes from the B2B sector, where companies purchase gift boxes for employee incentive purposes, for example.

Seasonality also has a significant influence on demand for gift sets, with peaks in December - probably linked to Christmas shopping - and, to a lesser extent, in October.l purchases - and, to a lesser extent, in spring, around events such as weddings and national holidays like Mother's Day and Father's Day. As a result, almost half of the sector's sales take place during the festive season, benefiting from the wave of gift-giving. According to the information provided, the French gift box market is significant, with over 3.5 million gift boxes purchased. This underlines the prevalence of gift box consumption in French culture, highlighting both its past growth capacity and its current need for strategic innovation to facilitate further market expansion.

Key players such as Wonderbox and Smartbox have dominated the market, having responded to past challenges by focusing on the quality and diversity of their offerings. Wonderbox, for example, has invested in a rigorous selection process and ongoing evaluation.

The main market players and their distinctive strategies in the gift box industry

In the dynamic landscape of the gift box market, a handful of influential companies stand out for their innovative approaches and niche targeting. The sector is dominated by two giants, Wonderbox and Smartbox, who together hold a substantial share of the market.

  • Wonderbox has carved out a place for itself in the market by focusing on quality and customer trust. The company imposes strict standards on its partners, ensuring that the experiences they offer meet the high expectations of their marketing teams. Surveys and mystery shopper programs are part of Wonderbox's efforts to maintain excellence and consumer trust. The company is also boldly innovative, launching new product ranges and personalized gift boxes, giving customers the luxury of tailoring their experiences to their unique preferences.
  • Smartbox is no exception, known for its wide range of options covering a broad spectrum of experiences. The acquisition of Dakotabox has strengthened Smartbox's position in the market. In response to changing consumer tastes and their need for novelty, Smartbox collaborates with local suppliers to create experiences centered on France, focusing on the charm and appeal of local tourism and national heritage.
  • Moving away from the generalists, **Ideal Gourmet** stands out for its specialization in gastronomic adventures. It is aimed at food enthusiasts who want to discover refined restaurants and gastronomic experiences.
  • NaturaBox caters to the eco-conscious segment, offering gift boxes that promote ecological and responsible tourism, reflecting the growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly travel options.
  • Tick and Box harnesses the passion of sports enthusiasts by offering boxes tailored to sporting events, catering to the preferences of those who enjoy the adrenaline and excitement of live sports.
  • Masterbox distinguishes itself by offering handcrafted products, attracting a clientele that appreciates the craftsmanship and authenticity of handmade products.

Thanks to these varied approaches, each player in the gift box market holds its own, responding to specific customer interests and emerging trends. This segmentation enables them to diversify, innovate and maintain their relevance in a competitive and constantly evolving sector.

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  • Number of pages : 30 pages
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  • Last update : 19/11/2020
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Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

Un coffret-cadeau est un coffret qui propose une sélection d'activités, d'hôtels et de lieux de restauration et qui est destiné à être offert à un destinataire. Le coffret-cadeau repose sur quatre acteurs : l'émetteur du coffret, le vendeur, le prestataire et le porteur du coffret

Les coffrets cadeaux se présentent sous la forme d’une boîte qui contient :

  • un catalogue qui détaille les prestations auxquelles le bénéficiaire du coffret peut avoir accès 
  • un chèque cadeau que le porteur du coffret (celui à qui est destiné le coffret) remettra au prestataire en paiement de l’activité choisie 
  • les conditions générales de vente et d’utilisation du coffret

Cette étude exclut dont les coffrets à abonnement qui font l'objet d'une autre étude Businesscoot intitulée "Le marché des box livrées à domicile" et disponible ici.

Les prestations proposées se rassemblent par thème, parmi lesquels les principaux sont : les séjours (au château, en hôtellerie de charme, en chambre d’hôtes, etc.), le bien-être (soins en thalassothérapie ou en instituts de beauté, etc.), les activités sportives insolites (parachutisme, conduite sportive, etc.), la gastronomie et les travaux pratiques (cours de cuisine, séance d’œnologie, etc.). [Ministère de l'Economie, des Finances et de la Relance]

Le marché mondial des coffrets cadeaux est très récent. Si certaines offres existent dans des pays non européens, comme Coffrets Prestige au Canada ou BananLab en Australie, le marché se concentre en Europe, notamment en France. Le marché européen représente environ 1 milliard d'euros et la France est le marché national le plus développé d'Europe. 

Les premières offres sont apparues en France dans les années 1990 et le développement du marché s'est accéléré dans les années 2000, avec la création de Smartbox en 2003 et de Wonderbox en 2004. La multiplication des acteurs et l'accroissement de la concurrence a entraîné les difficultés et la disparition de plusieurs entreprises dont de nombreux clients avaient payé pour des offres dont ils n'ont pas pu profiter.

Il en a résulté une défiance de la part des consommateurs qui a conduit au renforcement de la qualité de l'offre restante. Cette qualité nouvelle et l'interêt croissant des consommateurs pour les expériences nouvelles expliquent la croissance du secteur de 2013 à 2016. Cette croissance a par ailleurs été portée par deux acteurs majeurs : Wonderbox qui détenait 45.6% des parts de marché en 2018 et Smartbox qui représentait 42.5% du marché (47.9% avec DakotaBox, entreprise rachetée par Smartbox en 2015).

Le ralentissement du marché à partir de 2016 est révélateur de sa maturité qui rend nécessaire la recherche de nouveaux leviers de croissance par les acteurs. L'effet de la nouveauté n'étant plus d'actualité, l'innovation est devenue le principal relais de croissance et s'accompagne d'un élargissement des gammes de prix et une diversification de l'offre. Les entreprises du secteur misent également sur la digitalisation et les nouveaux entrants se positionnent sur des offres de niche pour se démarquer.

 

1.2 A recent global market concentrated in Europe

The gift box market is a very recent market that does not exist in many countries. It is mainly concentrated in Europe.

The European market for gift boxes was estimated at * billion euros in ****. * billion in ****. France thus accounts for more than a quarter of the sales generated on a European ...

1.3 A mature French market

The French market for gift sets was estimated at *** million euros in ****. *** million in ****. More than *.* million gift sets were purchased in ****, compared with * million in ****. [***]

It appears that the recent market for gift sets has experienced a growth that accelerated in **** and slowed down from **** onwards, which seems to reflect ...

2 Demand Analysis

2.1 Consumer Profile and Consumption Patterns

Regained confidence and curiosity for new experiences

Between **** and ****, the period was marked by a deep crisis of consumer confidence in gift sets. Indeed, the novelty effect gave rise to an ultra-competitive market, pushing some players into bankruptcy and making it impossible for their distributors to honour gift box offers. The ...

2.2 Seasonality of sales

The graph above represents the proportion of searches for a given clé́ word in a specific region and for a specific period of time, compared to when the use of that clé́ word was highest (***). Thus, a value of ** means that the keyword was used less often in the region concerned, ...

3 Market structure

3.1 Economic model of the players

The graph below describes the price breakdown of a Wonderbox **.* euro holiday package and thus provides an overview of the distribution of the remuneration of the market players. The partner receives approximately **% of the price, while the issuer of the box receives **% and the seller **%.

Distribution of the price of a ...

3.2 The main actors

The gift box market is highly concentrated, with two players sharing almost **% of the market share, namely Wonderbox and Smartbox. In addition, the number * in the market, namely Dakotabox, was acquired by Smartbox in ****.

Market shares in value of gift box players France, ****, in % Source: ****

The market is organised around two ...

3.3 The distribution of gift boxes

The large influx of customers generated by hypermarkets and supermarkets, combined with their sales and marketing clout, enable them to capture most of the end customer base. They are therefore essential partners for gift box designers, but also formidable potential rivals. Indeed, they may one day launch their own white-label boxes ...

4 Analysis of the offer

4.1 Product typology

There are many different types of gift sets, which are distinguished by the duration of the activity (***), the theme of the activity and its price.

The distribution of Wonderbox gift box sales highlights the most popular types of products. Staycation boxes represent **% of Wonderbox's gift box sales but also represent **% of ...

4.2 Prices

The average price of gift boxes has decreased in recent years, from ** euros in **** to ** euros in ****. This decrease is explained by the expansion of price ranges, in particular the development of more accessible products. The prices of gift sets can thus vary from ** euros to more than **** euros.

Average price ...

4.3 Main challenges and development areas

Sourcing et contrôle de qualité pour garantir la confiance des consommateurs

Apparu dans les années ****, le marché des coffrets cadeaux s'est développé en un temps record, notamment avec l'apparition de Smartbox en **** et de Wonderbox en ****. Le succès des coffrets cadeaux lié à la nouveauté a conduit à la ...

4.4

5 Regulation

5.1 French regulations

For services falling within the scope of the Tourism Code, publishers of gift sets are subject to the provisions relating to the sale of trips and stays (***) of the French Tourism Code the law n° ****-*** of July **, **** on the modernization and development of tourist services ,

The following services are not ...

List of charts

  • Taille du marché français des coffrets cadeaux
  • Typologie de l'acheteur de coffrets cadeaux
  • Interêt de recherche pour le terme "coffret cadeau"
  • Occasions privilégiées pour offrir un coffret cadeau
  • Répartition du prix d'un coffret séjour Wonderbox à 99.9 euros entre les différents acteurs
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Latest news

Magazines: Reworld Media aims to expand internationally - 23/03/2023
  • The group controls "Marie-France", "Grazia", "Science & Vie" and "Top Santé" and has grown through acquisitions
  • Magazine leader in France with the acquisition of Mondadori in 2019
  • Acquisition of Unify (Marmiton, Aufeminin etc.) from TF1 last summer
  • - Sales of 500 million euros by 2022
  • - 25% of group revenues come from abroad
  • - Revenue breakdown: 256 million for B-to-B and 244 million for B-to-C
  • - Around 1,200 employees, including 800 journalists
  • - Over 20% growth in digital activities
TF1 sells aufeminin and Marmiton to Reworld Media - 28/06/2022
  • Aufeminin and Marmiton, two of France's best-known digital media brands, to be sold to Reworld Media
  • This should enable TF1 to focus on its core audiovisual business.
  • TF1 has written down the value of Unify by 75 million for 2020
  • Bouygues announced Tuesday evening the sale of its online media division
  • Reworld Media has agreed to take over 300 employees of TF1's Unify Publishers division, which also includes an advertising network and social media brands

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Smartbox Group
Wonderbox
Ideal Gourmet
Naturabox
Tick & Box
Masterbox
Reworld Media
Unify Groupe (Au Feminin)
Gretel (Au féminin)
Nuoo (Haco)
Woufbox

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