GCU Forum - ecards

Linda_132742

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1796

ecards
Dec 13^th, 2009, 6:07am

I would really like to see the free ecard feature in our stores again. One of my customers wanted to send one of my cards as an ecard. Obviously she couldn't so I sent out 15 free ecards for her after she sent me the addresses.

If GCU is going to offer free ecards anyway, doesn't it make sense that they would utilize the talent we have here? It would also be good advertisement and extra exposure for the artists.

It could work the way it used to, allow artsts to opt to offer free ecards or not.
Any feedback? Suggestions? Other opinions?
Linda

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Jeff_135713 Gold Member artist Posts: 620	Re: ecards Reply #1 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 6:34am I'm all for them. I was sad when they removed them, but they said they would be back soon. I think that was Feb. last year. -Whisper-
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Norma_133903 Senior Member artist Posts: 485	Re: ecards Reply #2 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 7:00am I was glad they removed them. We are in the business of selling cards, not giving them away. We should be encouraging our customers to buy the paper cards. If everybody sent free ecards we would make no money at all!
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Donna_138541

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Posts: 46

Re: ecards
Reply #3 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 8:46am

My thoughts are mixed...

I'd like to see it return IF and only IF artists can opt in certain cards, opt out all together, etc. No different than before.

I also see merit in Norma's reply... ultimately, we are in the business of selling when we join any POD. Having said that... I think if the artists have the ability to be selective with what is offered as "free" I have no problem what-so-ever with it's return and offering up some of my cards in the process.

D.

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Doreen_137017

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Posts: 5274

Re: ecards
Reply #4 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 8:57am

Donna, brilliant idea! I agree with Norma, that in general we should not be encouraging customers to send free cards, its just not good for business.

Donna's idea is great, maybe artists could opt in 6 designs at any given time, like our Featured Cards, that they can change whenever they want. These are offered as e-cards. This gives the artist the choice of making card specifically for this use or make a design available only for 24-hours. Great marketing ability for us actually IF WE CONTROL what is offered. And like the photo card choice, perhaps artists can opt out completely by not choosing any of their designs.

I certainly don't want anyone to be able to choose ANY card in my store ANYTIME and send it to someone for free...WHAT??? No way...not good business.

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Jeff_135713

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Posts: 620

Re: ecards
Reply #5 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 10:23am

Doreen,

The way I remember it being done was you could select a checkbox when sending the card for review.

I understand Norma's view but I felt if I had people receiving them for specific needs that they would be likely to want to see my designs for the other non-ecard needs.

If they don't come here for ecards there are lots of other places they can go and we lose the possibility of gaining a customer.

-Whisper-

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Doreen_137017

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artist

Posts: 5274

Re: ecards
Reply #6 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 10:32am

Quote from Jeff_135713 on Dec 13^th, 2009, 10:23am:

Doreen,

The way I remember it being done was you could select a checkbox when sending the card for review.

I understand Norma's view but I felt if I had people receiving them for specific needs that they would be likely to want to see my designs for the other non-ecard needs.

If they don't come here for ecards there are lots of other places they can go and we lose the possibility of gaining a customer.

-Whisper-

Whisper,

Like the checkbox idea when creating a card...nice way to deal with it.

My experience is different, it says that customers who choose e-cards don't buy paper greetings anymore...so to me its not gaining much, if any new customer base.

Just how things have looked over the years from my end of the planet Grin

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Jeff_135713

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 620

Re: ecards
Reply #7 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 11:42am

Quote from Doreen_137017 on Dec 13^th, 2009, 10:32am:

My experience is different, it says that customers who choose e-cards don't buy paper greetings anymore...so to me its not gaining much, if any new customer base.

Just how things have looked over the years from my end of the planet Grin

If that is the case, then why does GCU have ecards at all? If we are going to have them, it would be nice to get the artists some exposure. If it hurts sales then perhaps they should not be there at all.

I recall there was the possibility mentioned, perhaps by Mindy, that there might be micro-payments coming back for artists on the e-card program when it restarted. (Sorry, Mindy, if it wasn't you)

I personally don't have enough data to know if sales are hurt any with e-cards, but I feel if they are available in any form the artists should be involved and get some credit.

-Whisper-

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Norma_133903

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 485

Re: ecards
Reply #8 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 12:21pm

The Microstock site often give images away free. This is an interesting discussion about the results and exposure that the artists get. It is generally thought to be of no benefit to the artists, with the customer just grabbing and running, without even noticing who had donated the images.
I think the ecards could be something similar. The fewer people who use free ecards the better!

http://www.microstockgroup.com/123royaltyfree-com/donate-free-images-is-it-good/

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Jeff_135713 Gold Member artist Posts: 620	Re: ecards Reply #9 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 2:12pm Thank you Norma, Excellent reply. Great link. Artists are under-appreciated in an age of snatch and grab. -W-
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Penny_134243

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artist

Posts: 1337

Re: ecards
Reply #10 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 4:14pm

Greetings!

When we had the option of the free ecards for our images, I only had one 'card' that I selected as a free ecard, and that was my one and only Earth Day card. In general, I believe that if you give away your time and talent, then people will value it at exactly what they paid for it: Nothing.

Just as an aside, yesterday, I received an exquisite ecard from a friend from the Jacquie Lawson website. These ecards are not free and they're not basic either.

I really think that if something is a quality product, then people will pay for it. (I'm not saying that GCU should go this route. Just saying, in general terms.) For me, I say if the free ecards are turned on again, then, fine with me, as long as I can choose which cards are free.

Penny

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Donna_138541

GCU Newbies
artist

Posts: 46

Re: ecards
Reply #11 - Dec 13^th, 2009, 4:55pm

Quote from Penny_134243 on Dec 13^th, 2009, 4:14pm:

Greetings!

Just as an aside, yesterday, I received an exquisite ecard from a friend from the Jacquie Lawson website. These ecards are not free and they're not basic either.

Penny

Penny,

So glad you mentioned Jacquie Lawson... I've been receiving her cards from a few friends who've subscribed to her website for over a year, and almost mentioned her in my initial post on this subject...

I had 17 ecards on GCU (out of over 1500 cards) in my previous life and I'd be willing to bet that in the 2+ years I had my store back then, I had less than 17 ecards sent. That was truly heartening since most people were willing to pay for paper greeting cards vs ecards. Ecards didn't sell paper greeting cards for me.

Having said all of that, people ask me to give up my paintings for free, as gifts. I don't do that anymore, but I do recognize that there are some people who can't afford to pay, don't have a credit card, etc... and a few designs out of many can be seen as a gift to the less fortunate. I am all about that. Sometimes, it's not about $.

As I see it, there is great beauty in GCU reinstituting the option of ecards as long as artists are allowed to decide what is and isn't, free - having options is a wonderful thing.

Best,
d.

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Mindy GCU Administrator Community Manager Posts: 6567 Gender:	Re: ecards Reply #12 - Dec 14^th, 2009, 11:58am Agree...we miss it too Please see here for the discussion of its removal: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/forum/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1232749892/13#13 When it comes back there will be great flexibility in participation and fee vs free. No date set, sorry. There are many ways to offer Ecards w/o cannibalizing paper card sales.
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cheryl_133782 Gold Member artist Posts: 1350	Re: ecards Reply #13 - Jan 6^th, 2010, 6:23pm Just a quick question..we artists currently can send out our own ecards for free and some use this way to preview a card for a potential sale..... are the artists now going to have to pay for the new pcards too? Just something that crossed my mind. Cheryl
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