Free Christmas eCards for Holidays are a win for both Consumers and Card Makers Alike

With a growing number of consumers using the internet to send last minute Christmas and other holiday greeting via e-cards and other online messages, there was some initial concern that the change could spell doom for traditional greeting card companies. However, by making a would-be problem into an opportunity, manufacturers have actually taken advantage of the trend to turn a profit.

For consumers the advantages of sending electronic greeting cards, or free ecards, are many. Cost savings is one obvious point, both in the cost of the ecard and the savings on postage. For the environment free online e-cards are an environmentally friendly option as they save on paper.

Beyond the cost savings, the instant delivery makes sending an electronic greeting card a great solution for those who waited until the last minute. Finally, the interactive and often humorous nature of e-greetings are something that was hard to duplicate with a traditional paper greeting card.

While the greeting card industry has indicated that sales have dropped by nearly half from levels a decade ago, companies are finding ways to make up the loss in ways the benefit both the consumer and the industry.

Taking ideas from the internet based e-cards, which can be found for free on a number of web sites, manufacturers have started using technology to make traditional paper cards more interactive, customizable and entertaining. The end result is a better product for consumers.

Manufacturers and card retailers have also started offering free e-cards for Christmas, Holidays and special occasions on their web sites as well. The companies then make revenue, previously lost to smaller sites, through advertising. Additionally the companies use the opportunity to interact with consumers to gather information, promote additional sale items, and encourage consumers to enroll in email alerts for upcoming promotions.