Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on an affiliate link, Nevue Fine Art Marketing may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Tailwind, Skimlinks, SareASale and StudioPress. To learn more visit Affiliate Link Disclosure Policy
How To Sell Greeting Cards
Over the years sending physical greeting cards became a thing of the past. However, many events and milestones are still worthy of physical cards and postcards, and recipients feel far more special when they receive one.
Birthday cards, graduation cards, thank you cards, wedding cards, and anniversary cards are still popular.
When it comes to purchasing greeting cards, you will find two groups of people:
- People who look at the front of the card
- People who read the card
Greeting cards show the recipient you think about them and care about them.
There are three types of cards you can design:
- Funny
- Emotional
- Milestones
You can also design notecards with just your artwork on the front.
The notecards have always been a hit for me at the local craft fairs.
How To Print Greeting Cards
Four options for printing greeting cards:
- Print them yourself
- Use a local printing service
- Use an online printing service
- Use a print-on-demand service
When I started selling greeting cards, I would use a print-on-demand service for greeting cards, but as my notecards became more popular at craft shows, I decided to invest in a printer and print them before the shows.
For more information about printers, visit 5 Best Printers For Art Prints.
The profit margin is much higher printing your cards at home after paying off the printer.
Local and online printing services will be the right choice if you sell many greeting cards.
Most local printing services have a specific quantity you have to purchase.
You might be better off with an alternative solution if you don’t think you can sell the greeting cards required to purchase from a local printing shop.
Online printing services like Vista Print and Moo are becoming more popular.
Search for Vista promo codes and Moo promo codes to save money on the prints before purchasing.
Print-on-demand sites like Printful, Zazzle, and Fine Art America are another option for printing greeting cards and other merchandise.
The positive with a print-on-demand service is that there are no upfront costs, and they will fulfill the order and ship the product directly to the buyer.
Where To Sell Cards Offline
There are two ways that you make money by printing cards to sell.
The first way is to sell the greeting cards and notecards offline at:
Local craft fairs and art shows – As mentioned earlier, note cards have always been a hit at local craft fairs.
Offering lower-cost items like greeting cards draw a broader audience to the table.
Not everyone attending craft fairs can afford an original painting or drawing but would love to have your art on a notecard or giclee print.
Related Post – Most Profitable Crafts To Sell
Consignment at local shops – Small local shops will often allow local artists to sell greeting cards and notecards on consignment.
House Parties – Selling note cards and greeting cards at an open house party often works well during the holidays.
Invite all of your friends and family who are passionate about your artwork and host a greeting card house party.
How To Sell Cards Online
How to sell handmade greeting cards online:
- Sell cards on your website
- Sell cards on Etsy
- Sell cards on print-on-demand sites
Selling greeting cards is similar to learning how to sell art prints online.
Sell Greeting Cards On Your Website
If you have been selling art online for some time, you probably own a WordPress website.
Uploading your handmade cards on WooCommerce is the same as uploading your original artwork.
Related Resource:
- How To Install WooCommerce On A WordPress Artist Website
- How To Add And Manage Products In WooCommerce
- How To Add WooCommerce WordPress Categories
Cost Associated With Selling Cards On A Website:
- Cards and craft supplies
- Packaging
- Shipping
- Hosting fees
- Payment gateway fees
Website Builders
Online website builders like Shopify and Weebly are available, making it easy to open an e-commerce site if you are not interested in owning a WordPress site.
For more information on the most popular website builders, visit 16 Website And Website Builders For Artists.
Differences between WordPress and website builders:
- Website builders offer limited themes and widgets, making it difficult to brand the platform.
- Website builders have a monthly fee, unlike WordPress (You will only have to pay for hosting and a domain name for WordPress.)
- WordPress has all the tools you will need to modify your site as your business grows.
- WordPress has a blogging platform that will drive traffic to your site.
Advantages Of Owning A Website
- You own the website, allowing you to control the site’s look and feel.
- Hosting and domain name fees are affordable, even if you are just starting.
- Thousands of free and premium themes are available for branding your online business.
- Thousands of free and premium plugins are available to allow you to add specific features to your site.
- Build a customer base by collecting email addresses.
Popular Hosting Services:
Selling Greeting Cards On Etsy
You can use numerous platforms to sell handmade and greeting cards with art.
Etsy is an option if you are not interested in owning a website or paying monthly fees associated with an e-commerce solution.
Starting an Etsy shop is free.
However, there is a $0.20 listing fee for four months or until the product has been sold.
There is also a 5% transaction fee and a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee when an item is sold.
Etsy’s fees are very reasonable, but if you find that you are starting to sell a lot of your handmade greeting cards, the charges will start adding up, and you might find it more cost-efficient to own a WordPress website.
For tips about selling art and crafts on Etsy, visit:
- Selling Art On Etsy: What You Need To Know
- How To Sell Art Prints On Etsy With Printful
- How To Sell Art On Etsy And Make Money
Some Costs Associated With Handmade Cards:
- Blank cards
- Envelopes
- Rubber stamps
- Pens
- Paint
- Fabric
- Shipping materials
Costs Associated with Printing Original Art On Cards:
- Printer
- Ink
- Cardstock
- Envelops
- Shipping materials
- Printing costs if outsourced
Note: The costs above are just a guide and may or may not be the only costs associated with making cards.
More Platforms For Selling Handmade Cards
Below are some other platforms you can use to sell your cards.
The fees will vary between platforms, so research the costs and terms and conditions before creating an account.
Sell Cards On Print On Demand Sites
Print-on-demand services are becoming more popular for artists and photographers due to the rise in online art sales.
Some POD platforms allow you to decide what you would like to charge per item, while others give you a set percentage of each sale.
Review the commissions for each site to see what works best for you.
Popular Print On Demand Sites That Sell Greeting Cards:
Advantages Of Selling Cards On Print-on-Demand Sites
- No upfront costs: You only pay a fee when an item is sold and processed.
- No shipping: POD sites ship the product after processing the order.
- No questions from customers: POD sites handles all customer questions.
- No payment hassles: Pod sites handle all payments and pay the designers commissions for each sale.
Top Selling Greeting Cards
Doing some research about the card market is important if you want to have a chance to make money selling cards online and offline.
What Greeting Cards Sell The Most
Everyday Cards:
- Birthday cards
- Wedding cards
- Anniversary cards
Seasonal Cards:
- Christmas cards
- Valentine’s Day cards
- Mother’s Day cards
- Father’s Day cards
- Graduation cards
This list is a guide for deciding what type of cards you might want to create.
As I have mentioned earlier, creatine notecards with images of my artwork sell very well at local craft fairs, but they do not sell as well online.
How Do You Price Handmade Greeting Cards
The market and your name recognition will determine the price you set for your cards.
The price of greeting cards ranges from $0.99 – $10.
The average price is $4 – $6 per card.
If you are a well-known artist selling art at art shows, you can charge more than if you are new to selling art and greeting cards.
Before setting a price for your greeting cards, research and visit some local shops and craft fairs to see what other artists are charging.
The information you gather will give you a good idea of what people are willing to spend in your area.
Final Thoughts On Printing Greeting Cards To Sell
Selling greeting cards and note cards with prints of your original artwork is a great way to supplement your income.
We covered many options for creating greeting cards and where you can sell your handmade cards.
Go through all the options to determine the best solution for your art goals.
When pricing your cards, know the profit margin for each card sold.
Add all the costs associated with creating a card minus the selling price.
The number you get will be the profit (how much money goes into your pocket.
You Might Also Be Interested In:
- How to Overcome Self-Doubt for Artists (Imposter Syndrome)
- How To Seal Oil Pastel Paintings
- 10 Time-Saving Hacks Every Artist Should Know
- Unveiling the Secrets of Encaustic Painting: Unlock Your Artistic Journey
- Unleash Your Creativity on the Go: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling Art Kits
