Buying greeting cards: the five main factors you need to consider

Author: Le Belou

Buying a card for someone means that you have been thinking about that person. It is therefore important to take into consideration some factors which if ignored might destroy the meaning and purpose the cards were intended for. These factors are:

1. The recipient: The first thing you need to consider when buying a greeting card is the recipient. Getting the right card for that person is so important that deep consideration here is paramount. This is because cards are designed to fit different people in different occasions. Find a card that the recipient will connect with, be it the design, color or size. You can also consider if handmade cards will be more appreciated than commercial designs. Also, you should consider their age and social position. You cannot send the same greeting card to your elderly parents and to a nine year old niece.

  1. The message: The message in the cards is important too. There has to be a similarity between the message in the card and the message you want to pass on to the recipient. The reason is that a wrong message may weaken or dilute what you had in mind. It would be better if you found a card that is blank on the inside and then proceed to write a personalized message therein.
  2. The occasion: There are different cards for different occasions. The biggest mistake you can make is to send a person a card for a different occasion than the one that was intended. A careful study of the special occasions’ cards is essential. What you need to do is get the right card with the right message for the right occasion if your card is to be of any meaning to the recipient.
  3. The vendor: If you are ordering the card online, you are well advised to be careful in your selection of the seller. His integrity and sense of time is important. You do not want to receive your cards too late to be sent and received on time. A late card will often be misconstrued to be an afterthought. If the seller does not have a reputation for delivering the right cards and on time, he is better avoided.

5. Your budget: How much do you want to spend on a card or cards? Sometimes your budget may constrain you from picking your choice of cards. You may then have to compromise on some factors bearing in mind not to mess up with the meaning and purpose of the card. This is especially so when you are buying different cards for different people.

Buying greeting cards or special occasion cards need not be a headache. A consideration of all the factors above will assist you in making the right purchases.