How to Save Money and Time with E-Cards
Sending Electronic Greetings Without Looking Cheap
Nov 15, 2009
By now, everyone knows the advantages to using email over traditional post or “snail-mail.” Assuming it’s not printed out, it saves paper and ink, it usually reaches it sender in a fraction of the time it would take by most postal systems. However, many people say that sending a greeting electronically is impersonal, or fear some online greeting card companies may sell email addresses for profit to direct marketing companies.
Where to Find E-Cards
Some greeting card companies like Hallmark.com and Greeting-cards.com provide free e-Cards. A company called e-Vite provides an online method for sending and keeping track of invitations online, as well as providing a forum for guests to leave messages to the host or other invitees, such as what they are bringing or going to wear.
Rubber Chicken Cards specializes in funny, animated greetings that are not for your traditional, “thinking of you” sentiment. More cards with international holidays or traditional messages can be found at 123Greetings.com. Any search on an engine for “free” and “e-Card” or “ecard” will yield results.
Some Concerns About Ecards
Many friends may not receive e-vites, if their security or spam folders are working as they should: Many also complain that some social invites get sent to email addresses at work, which may limit viewers. Still others fear that third party corporations that sponsor or buy advertising from these sites may buy email addresses or send advertising ‘spam’ to anyone who signs up or uses it.
A piece of advice is to closely read the fine print on the e-card provider's site to see what their privacy policies are. Often couched in legal terms, look for a small link at the top or bottom of your page that describes privacy. Some may post it within the “about us” link, or just simple information about the company. If there is any doubt about where email addresses or registration information goes, don’t sign up.
Netiquette and E-cards
Some prefer old-fashioned mail, if not necessarily hand written notes. In many cases, some feel that using electronic invitations may be fine for casual parties or get-togethers, but not to be used at weddings or more formal gatherings. Don’t feel shy to let electronic naysayers know that e-vites are sent for environmental reasons, not as a way of shunning past traditions, nor to suggest disrespect or contempt from the sender.
E-cards: Inexpensive Yet Sincere Gestures
Some guests may still express the concern over using a public, mass-produced tool, concerned that one-size-fits-all invitations may cheapen the event; Try making your own. Simple word-processing tools or even a program used for presentations, like PowerPoint can produce a small slide-show that can include photographs or graphics to liven and personalize the message, while still reducing paper and ink usage.
In all, assure the recipient that they are loved, and that by sending a sentiment electronically in no ways infers less respect than sending a paper one. To clean one’s house, traditional cards would get recycled, using energy and water supplies, where an electronic one would simply get erased once the recipient is bored of it.
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