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e-greetings replace traditional cards

DUBAI — It seems the festive past time of slipping open an envelope, seeing the creative design of the card and recognising your relative’s scrawl on your Eid Al Fitr card isn’t nearly as popular as the electronic ping alert that you have received an e-greeting.

As Eid Al Fitr approaches, UAE greeting card distributors and stores report traditional cards are still popular, particularly among corporations, but the e-greeting sector is outstripping them in growth. Cyber Gear CEO Sharad Agarwal runs the web site Dubai City Guide, which has a section dedicated to the distribution of e-greetings. Agarwal said part of the attraction of e-greetings was because they were free and instantaneous.

“Traditional cards are basically obsolete,” he said.

“We see nearly 10,000 visitors a month. It’s about one to five for traditional cards sold versus e-greetings.” Agarwal said the website and e-greetings were established around nine years ago and although slow to start, the form of well-wishing has taken off as functionality and range of card designs expanded.

Web site visitors could choose to send a photo of Dubai’s skyline to friends or relatives across the globe.

“It’s a free service. Just select, create and send,” Agarwal said, adding that the service was mainly chosen by individuals rather than corporations and text messages weren’t preferred.

UAE greeting card stores said traditional cards remained popular with those who preferred to give something tangible.

Jashanmal operations manager Ajay Khurana said the stores had seen some growth in sales this year but a clear picture of sales wouldn’t emerge until the end of the season.

He said traditional cards remained popular with corporations and the older generation. “A card is more physical, tangible,” he said.

“Someone has taken the effort to send it.” He said the younger generation tended to prefer sending e-greetings.

Renata Bosilij of Gulf Greetings said traditional cards had seen an average of 10 per cent growth in sales each year and there was a distinct difference between the two forms of greeting.

“E-cards increase social awareness and promote the idea of sending a real greeting card to the extra special person in your life,” she said.

“An e-card or an e-gift is a nice way of saying hello but it must never be confused with sending a real card or gift to show how much you truly care.”

However, she said traditional cards were popular with everyone as a way of showing someone how much you care.

“As long as people are still sending gifts they will continue to send cards,” Bosilij said.

Organisations selling cards which raised money for charity said their cards remained popular with corporations who also wanted to show they cared with a card that provided for a good cause.

Emirates Wildlife Society, in association with World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF), is one of a number of groups which sell cards during the festive season and the profits go towards their cause.

Ida Tillisch, business development and marketing director, said people could send on-line greetings free from the WWF website but most opted to buy the cards at Dh3 each.

“People who want to donate buy the cards,” she said.