Greeting cards have changed a lot over the years. From minimal to colourful, from rectangular to square and now even into virtual cards. The evolution of greeting cards can be divided into three distinct phases: The paper phase, the e-card phase and the hybrid phase. In this, we will take a look at how these phases evolved, what were the major reasons behind it and what are some of the new trends that are emerging in today’s card industry.
How did greeting cards evolve?
Greeting cards have evolved from simple printed cards to digital format. During the first phase, the card industry was dominated by the printing industry. The process of printing a card was very expensive and the paper was more expensive than today’s paper. Thus, greeting card printing companies were only interested in printing large quantities of cards at a time. These companies were not interested in printing customized cards for their customers. Thus, it was very difficult for people to order customized cards from these companies. Greeting cards were used as a means of connecting the people across the country. The paper used for the cards was usually a pale blue colour with the image printed on it. Such cards were usually sent to relatives who were far away from home.
Greeting Card Evolution: From Printed Cards to Online Stores
Online greeting card stores were introduced in the early 2000s. Online stores played a major role in expanding the market for printed cards. People started ordering online cards because they could design, upload and order their cards without visiting a store. Online stores also played a major role in making paper cards obsolete. Popular online stores such as Etsy, and Snapdeal created an environment where anybody could easily start an online store selling greeting cards. People didn’t need to invest in large inventory and equipment anymore and they could simply sell their cards online. These online stores provided attractive commission rates and made it possible for anybody to start an online greeting card store. The ease of starting an online store and the commission rates encouraged a large number of people to start their own online greeting card stores. As more and more people started selling greeting cards online, the paper card industry started facing a threat.
People Are Using Their Greeting Cards for Marketing
Nowadays, people use greeting cards to promote their brands and products. People use customized greeting cards to highlight their key messages and run contests using these cards. A customized greeting card becomes a great marketing tool when someone uploads the card online and invites people to LIKE the card. People use these cards to invite people to their websites, Facebook pages, Twitter handles, etc. This is an effective way of marketing because the recipient receives the card and is most likely to read the message on the card. Another reason for the popularity of customized greeting cards is to share special moments with your loved ones. People use greeting cards to send birthday wishes, love quotes, anniversary wishes, etc. Custom greeting cards transform these messages in a special manner as you can choose any image and font for the card.
The Future of Modern-Day Greeting Cards
Expressing through virtual cards is growing at a rapid pace. Virtual cards are replacing traditional greeting cards. The future of greeting cards is very bright. People can now send virtual cards online through e-card websites or using a mobile application like Greet Karo. Virtual cards are more interactive and fun than traditional paper cards. Using Greet Karo, people can now upload their own custom photos, write their own messages and send virtual cards to their loved ones. The popularity of e-cards is increasing every year. The trend of virtual gifts will also increase in the coming years. People are increasingly using their social platforms like Facebook and Twitter to share virtual gifts.
Conclusion
The evolution of greeting cards can be divided into three distinct phases. Initially, the paper card industry dominated the market. Paper cards were very expensive to produce and people didn’t have access to online stores to order greeting cards. Later, online greeting card stores made it possible for consumers to order customized greeting cards online. Now, the virtual card is the new norm to wish loved ones. Virtual cards are expected to flourish because it allows complete personalisation and can send in an instant to anywhere in the world. Now that you know how greeting cards have evolved, start using Greet Karo and Make Someone Feel Special!
