Discover what I thought about the customisable online stationery from Paperless Post in this review.
Ad | Coins were gifted to use in collaboration with Paperless Post
I love the sentiment of sending and receiving cards for special occasions. But I’m not a massive fan of the additional waste traditional cards produce.
Okay, they can be recycled. And I’m sure many of us do recycle the cards we receive for birthdays and Christmas.
But there’s another way we can show our loved ones we’re thinking about them.
An eco-friendly way.
We can choose to use online stationery.
What Is Online Stationery?
The answer to this is actually pretty straightforward.
Online stationary is like having a greetings card shop at your fingertips. Any time of the day or night. Anywhere in the world (if you have access to the internet).
It’s having the convenience and ability to send your loved ones a “happy new home” card, or sending out your kid’s birthday party invitations at the touch of a button. Straight from your device to theirs.
Online stationery has you covered for every occasion, and includes:
- greetings cards
- invitations
- flyers
- save the date cards
- new baby announcement
- thank you notes
Why Use Online Stationery?
Let’s pretend that we’re all super-organised, and we’re not sending out ecards because we left it too late to go to the shops, pick a card, write on it, stamp it and send it. When is the last post collection again?
Nope. We ARE super-organised. We’ve got all the birthdays and special occasions synced across all our devices. Well, we can dream can’t we?
But, one of the most important reasons I think we should all be using online stationery more, is because it’s far more environmentally friendly than traditional paper-based cards.
Greetings cards that have glitter, ribbon or metallic embellishments on them cannot be recycled – or at least the glittery bits can’t. And it’s estimated that around 1 billion cards end up in landfill after the festive period in the UK each year.
One billion!
That’s just mind-boggling. And completely unnecessary.
If you do receive Christmas cards this year then chances are you’ll be able to put them in your normal paper / cardboard recycling for collection, once all the embellishments have been removed that is.
Or you can take them to your local recycling centre.
But you can save others from the hassle of doing all this simply by switching over to online stationery.
Okay, I’m In! But Where Can I Buy Beautiful Online Stationery?
The good news is that online stationery has moved on since the emergence of “virtual cards” back in the 1990s.
Yes I said the 1990s!
Technology has come a loooonnnnngggggg way since then.
And so has online stationery.
I was invited to try out Paperless Post. I have to admit that I’d never heard of them before. And it feels a bit like I’ve been living under a stone, because these guys are huge!
Paperless Post was established in 2009, is based in New York and their website boasts 100 million users.
100 million!
You can see why I felt a little daft at not having heard of them before.
Whenever I’m asked to review products or services, I always check them out first because the GinGin & Roo blog means something to me. I don’t want to fill it with any old trash.
If the company shares my ethos, or has killer products that I adore and would use, then I’ll happily include them in my posts or make room for them on the blog.
I was immediately impressed by the products available from Paperless Post after just a quick flick around their website.
What I Liked.
There is so much choice. Whatever the occasion and whatever your style, you’re sure to find something you like.
Plus, Paperless Post have teamed up with some fabulous designers to create truly stunning online stationery.
I particularly like these designers:
- Mr Boddington’s Studio because they’re so whimsical and fun
- Felix Doolittle for their nature-inspired cuteness
- Hello!Lucky because of the playful vibe
- Kate Spade New York for a more luxurious, grown-up feel
Of course your taste may well differ to mine but, there’s so many different designers, you’re bound to find a style you like.
You can upload your own images to incorporate into the stationery designs. And you can even design your own stationery from scratch using the powerful design tools available on Paperless Post.
I have to admit that I didn’t go that far! I was happy enough to use the designs I liked and simply customised the text to say what I wanted it to say.
The whole process of choosing, customising and sending cards was just so user-friendly too. It’s very intuitive, so I reckon even Jon could manage to do it. And he’s the ultimate technophobe!
I was able to keep a track of the cards I’ve sent. Plus I received confirmation of delivery for no extra charge.
Easy.
What I Didn’t Like So Much.
Heading into the website for the first time was a little overwhelming. But, and this is a big but, I think it was because I didn’t know what to expect or what to look for. I felt a lot more comfortable with the site after I’d clicked around for a short while.
It didn’t take too long to get used to how all the different options work. And, once I’d set my mind on what I was looking for, the sense of overwhelm was replaced with my usual curiosity at what I might find next.
Another thing that I think could be improved is the way backgrounds can be chosen. Now, you don’t have to have a background for your stationery. It’s an additional extra that you can choose to have. Or not.
I wanted the whole experience so I scrolled through the backgrounds.
And I scrolled.
Then I scrolled some more.
It was endless. I forgot what I’d seen, and which options I liked.
I think it would be a more useful option if there was a search function, or the ability to favourite – or shortlist – different backgrounds to see them next to one another easily.
It’s a small point, but one that I think is worth highlighting.
The last thing that I would have liked is for my login details and coins to be universal across the online stationery and paper stationery sites. Paperless Post offers paper versions of their stationery designs.
However, clicking the link took me to an entirely separate site where my username and password weren’t recognised. I was a little disappointed by that. It’s no big deal. And I’m sure there’s a really good reason. I would have just liked a more seamless transition from one to the other.
Would I Use Paperless Post?
Without a doubt I will use Paperless Post again for my online stationery. I absolutely adore the designs. And I loved the ease with which I could choose, customise and send ecards.
So, yes, I would absolutely use Paperless Post. And I think you should too.
If you’re already a fan of Paperless Post let me know your fave design in the comments below!
What Next?
If you like this post then you might enjoy these to:
- My 5 Top Picks: Gifts for a One-Year Old
- How To Make Your Kid’s Christmas Extra Special This Year
- Six Fabulous Gift Ideas For Fabulous Mums Keeping It Real This Mother’s Day
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Hi, I’m Jennie and I’m the blogger and content creator behind the award-winning blog GinGin & Roo, a UK parenting and lifestyle blog.
