Top 5 Tips for Going Green With Ecards This Earth Day

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 7 billion paper greeting cards are sold annually in the United States, and as stated in a recent issue of Rutgers University’s environmental newsletter, The EPIB Trail, “one year’s worth of U.S. holiday cards alone could fill a football field 10 stories high”!

With Earth Day fast approaching, consumers can now opt for a more eco-friendly and paper-free solution to their greeting needs with VerveCards.com!

Eco-friendly intentions aside, there is a lot of fear-based buzz right now swirling around the topic of computer viruses hidden in fraudulent ecards. So much so, that the Greeting Card Association has posted a warning on its homepage that states: “Beware of fraudulent emails stating you’ve received a greeting card or ecard from a ‘friend’ or ‘schoolmate’ or other unnamed person.” With the meteoric rise of virtual greetings, and their uncontested environmental benefits, what’s a quality-conscious, security-minded cyber sender to do?

In response, VerveCards.com — home of “wry and snappy – never sappy” ecards for savvy senders — offers these Top 5 Tips for switching to ecards this Earth Day without having to sacrifice security, speed or style:

Distinguishing Benevolent From Malevolent Ecards

Tip #1 – Beware of vague labels such as “co-worker,” “family member” – or no name at all – in ecard notification emails. Legitimate ecard sites will always include the sender’s first and last name in this type of email. And even if a full name is provided, immediately delete any ecard notification emails from senders you don’t recognize.

Tip #2 – Don’t be fooled by an authentic looking email from a reputable ecard company. Scammers have become quite skillful at replicating bona fide correspondence from established sites you know and trust. (But tell-tale typos and grammatical errors may tip you off that something is fishy.)

Tip #3 – If you’re at all in doubt, do not click on the site link-back to retrieve the ecard in question. Instead, go to the real ecard site directly (not via the link), find the pick-up area on the site, and manually
type your ecard retrieval information. (Do not copy/paste any information from the link, as this may take you to a rogue site where a virus or malevolent software could be downloaded to your computer). If no ecard awaits you, the email was a hoax.

Go With Linkless Ecards for Safety and Speed

Tip #4 – Avoid link-related uncertainty altogether by sending and viewing only linkless ecards like those from VerveCards.com. Instead of linking back to a host site for retrieval and viewing, linkless ecards show up right in your email for instant gratification. So, there’s no virus worry from clicking on unknown links, and no waiting for the site, then the ecard to load.

Look Beyond the Obvious Ecard Sites for Style and Savings

Tip #5 – One-of-a-kind ecard boutiques, like VerveCards.com, offer the originality and creativity of high-end greeting cards in a virtual format. At VerveCards.com an unlimited number of ecards can be sent for a modest annual fee equal to the cost of 3-4 paper cards with postage. And special features like future scheduling and a Personal Ecard History are time-saving and efficient.

“In our quest for a quick, quality, linkless experience, we’ve pumped up the color, graphics and attitude to make up for the absence of Flash components – like music and animation – that require a link-back to a home site,” explains VerveCards.com Co-founder, Leigh Copin. “Security, speed and peace of mind are high on our list of priorities, since many folks simply won’t click on an unknown link – and many who do dislike waiting for the site, then the ecard to load and go through its paces. By addressing common concerns and reservations, we hope more people will make the switch to ecards this Earth Day,” adds Nancy Rielle, Co-founder.

Since so many approach ecards with misperceptions and fear, VerveCards.com hopes to shed some light on safe practices and options that do exist for enjoying quality ecards without worry or compromise.

About VerveCards.com:

VerveCards.com was founded by mompreneur and graphic designer, Leigh Copin, and her cousin/Co-founder, Nancy Rielle, a copywriter, marketing consultant, and former fine artist/painter.

When an ill-fated search for a decent ecard uncovered slim pickings, they created “wry and snappy – never sappy” ecards for savvy senders like themselves to fill the void. With their vibrant design and ingenious wit, paper-free VerveCards provide a secure, eco-friendly, time-saving and cost-effective way to send quality online greetings with style!

VerveCards.com is wholly owned and operated by VerveCards, LLC, a Florida company based in West Palm Beach, FL with an office in Brooklyn, NY. For more information, please visit www.VerveCards.com.

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