10 Pros and Cons of Sending a Physical Card or a Digital Card

Whether you’re planning to send out wedding invitations or you’re trying to find the perfect bridal shower gift for your friend, you’ll need to decide between a physical or digital card. There are pros and cons for each option, and you should weigh them to find the right card for your needs.

10 Pros and Cons of Sending a Digital Card

According to the Greeting Card Association, Americans buy 6.5 billion greeting cards a year. That’s A LOT of cards! So, without further ado, here are 5 pros and 5 cons of sending a digital card as a wedding invitation or bridal shower gift.

5 Pros of Sending Digital Cards

Digital Cards are Great Last-Minute Gifts: eCards are convenient because they can be written and sent last-minute as long as you know the receiver’s email address.
Digital Cards are Usually Free: If you need to send out hundreds of invitations at once, it’s much cheaper to go digital. There are plenty of eCards you can send for free.
Digital Cards are Customizable: With digital cards, you aren’t limited to what you find at the store. Thanks to the internet, your digital card selection is virtually endless.
Digital Cards Work Well With Gift Cards: Don’t know what to buy your friend, work colleague, or family member? Get a digital card and send it with a gift card attached.
Digital Cards Can Last Forever: Anyone who gets your card can save it on their hard drive or print it out. Either way, you’ll always have an extra copy on their computer.

5 Cons of Sending Digital Cards

Digital Cards Can Insult Some People: Since digital cards are often sent last minute, your kind gesture may ring hollow. They may get upset that you forgot about them.
Digital Cards Can Come Off as Cheap: If you simply send over a generic digital card without a gift card or other gift attached, the receiver may think you’re cheap.
Digital Cards are Prone to Hardware Failure: While it’s true that digital cards have an endless shelf life, a simple hardware failure or accidental deletion could spoil your plans.
Digital Cards May Get Lost in an Inbox: Sending over a card is a nice gesture, but there’s a chance the receiver will miss your card if you don’t warn them beforehand.
Digital Cards aren’t Always so Customizable: Some free (or even paid) digital cards can’t be customized unless you’re a designer, making the card look rushed or generic.

Digital cards can cut down on wedding invitation costs. You can save a lot of money on your wedding planning if you send them digitally. However, some guests may still prefer to be invited with a physical invitation.

On the other hand, digital cards are perfect for last-minute gift ideas, but they can come off as insulting to certain people. If you don’t think the receiver would appreciate a digital card, consider picking up a physical one.

10 Pros and Cons of Sending a Physical Card

The typical purchaser of greeting cards is 35-60 years old, and they usually buy them for birthdays, weddings, and baby showers. Here are 5 pros and 5 cons of sending physical cards.

5 Pros of Sending Physical Cards

Physical Cards are More Sentimental: Since you took the time to go to the store, pick a card, and write a message inside, the receiver will see the card as more sentimental.
Physical Cards are a Refreshing Change: Everything is technological or electronic these days. A physical card can be a refreshing change in a world with computers.
Physical Cards Express Creativity: Physical cards can be customized without computer design skills. They will also include your handwritten note and signature.
Physical Cards Show Prior Thought: Physical cards can’t be picked up and thrown in the mailbox last minute. This proves to the receiver you were thinking about them.
Physical Cards are Physical Mementos: Some people appreciate holding onto physical gifts or mementos. Physical cards are perfect for this type of person.

5 Cons of Sending Physical Cards

Physical Cards are Often Expensive: High-quality physical cards can be expensive and aren’t always budget-friendly. Plus, you have to pay to ship physical cards.
Physical Cards Take a While to Ship: Physical cards take a long time to ship, so you need some prior thought and/or planning to ensure your cards are delivered on time.
Physical Cards need Physical Gifts: If you’re sending a card for a baby shower, it needs to accompany a physical gift. This can make your present even more expensive.
Physical Cards are Thrown Out: If the receiver isn’t fond of cards, they will wind up in the rubbish bin. Even when they do, they will inevitably go to the landfill eventually…
Physical Cards are Destructible: Unlike digital cards, physical cards will bend, tear, and crumble. This can be a problem if you’re sending the card across state borders.

Physical cards are considered more sentimental than digital cards, as there’s an assumption you spent time picking out and sending the card. With that said, digital cards will last longer than physical cards if the receiver takes the right precautions and stores them in a thumb drive.

There you have it, some pros and cons of sending a physical card and a digital card. Which one do you prefer? Can you think of someone in your life who would prefer one over the other? Let us know in the comments below.