Ecards Article

What are E-cards?

Simply put, e-cards are electronic postcards or greeting cards that can be sent via e-mail through the internet. There are thousands of websites that offer this service to anyone with an e-mail address.

The most common types of e-cards are postcards (which are static/un-animated cards), Flash (a development of Macromedia's Flash software), Animated, Javascript, and the most recent addition are Talking greeting cards. The most popular kind of e-card is Flash, since they tend to have better graphics and some are even interactive. An example of this would be an e-card that incorporates some sort of mini-game or where the recipient is required to click on a graphic image in order to proceed to the next part of the card.

The more artistic and oldest type of e-card is the Postcard. These cards typically feature nature images, such as people, sunsets, mountains, or animals, and are still a very popular option.

Most websites specializing in e-cards arrange their cards into a wide array categories for ease of choosing the right card for a specific occasion.

The way it works is that a person goes to the website, typically with a recipient and occasion in mind. They would find the category that best represents the type of e-card they wish to send, and then browse through the e-cards available in that area. Once they decide on the perfect card, the sender will be able to include a personalized message to their loved one. Many sites even have cards that the sender can personalize, for instance how the card is arranged, or how the recipient can interact with it. Once the sender personalizes the card, they enter in their own e-mail address and the e-mail address of the person they want to send the card to. Many sites offer the option to choose a future date on which to deliver the e-card, or the sender can opt to have the e-card delivered immediately.

The recipient will receive an e-mail notification that they have received an e-card. The e-card website includes a link in the e-mail, which the recipient must click on to view their card. The link takes the recipient back to the e-card website where the card is stored, and the recipient views it from there.

There are a number of benefits to using e-cards instead of paper greeting cards. First, it is much more convenient to be able to stay at home and browse through e-cards than it is to drive to the store. Another benefit is cost. Many websites offer e-cards absolutely free. One can also expect to find a much wider variety of types of cards, which means that people will typically send cards to their loved ones more frequently. The ability to personalize e-cards is also a big draw, since you will be able to send your loved ones unique cards.

E-cards are not without their drawbacks, however. Many people keep the greeting cards they receive for nostalgic or sentimental purposes, and this can't be done with e-cards. After an e-card is sent to a person, it only remains viewable for a certain period of time. And let's face it... Who doesn't like going out to check their mail during the holiday season and finding a Christmas card from their favorite relative or best friend? Finally, you are limited to who you can send e-cards to, because the recipient must have an e-mail address to send it to. This means that if your great grandmother doesn't have internet access, you cannot send her an e-card. :(

Despite the downsides to e-cards though, they still remain a very popular means of communication during special occasions for millions of internet users. Why not try sending an e-card to someone you care about, and see if it's for you?