Company Blog

Oh my days, possibly the worst case scenario you can possibly face. Forgetting your girlfriend of wife’s birthday is an absolute nightmare situation that you really must try and avoid at all costs.

And in all honesty there really is no excuse as to why you have forgotten it in the first place, as it’s only one date in the year (other than your mums) that you need to remember.

But if you have gone and failed or know you will fail and need to fully prepare in advance, here are some lame excuses that may just win your girlfriend over, but we are guessing that you won’t make it past the first word.

“But you look so young and never seem to age, how am I meant to keep up with your birthday when you always look the same?”

• “I know I haven’t got you a birthday card but I wanted to recite a poem I have thought of myself from the heart. I thought it would be much more personal and you would appreciate it more than a soppy card that someone else has written.” (Be prepared to recite the ‘poem you have made up’ on the spot!)
• “You know what, I was just thinking birthdays are for kids and with you being such a mature and wonderful human being I assumed you wouldn’t want all the fuss and hassle.”
• “I celebrate every day of my life that I am with you and see your birthday as just another happy day in my life.”
• “The reason I didn’t get your a birthday card or present this year is because I am saving for your Christmas present which will be huge! (This won’t work if her birthday is December 26th!)
• “Honey, I haven’t forgotten your birthday. I am in fact using the shire calender from Lord of the Rings which effectively means that your birthday is in five days time.

If all else fails then we seriously consider that you buy the biggest bouquet of flowers, lots of chocolates and sweet treats, little gifts and accessories, as well as one big present, a 25- course meal cooked by you and on top of that a huge sorry you will never forget their birthday again.

It really isn’t worth the hassle is it? In fact why not save yourself the stress and start your day by sending a personalised card via ecards.co.uk, the hassle free and rather cheap way to say Happy Birthday to the person you love.

If you have left the house for work and realised afterwards that you have forgotten your other half’s birthday, jump online to ecards.co.uk, choose a birthday card from the selection available on the site, add your personal message and then send it to their email address for free; a nice surprise for when they open up their emails and a quick solution to the fact that you have actually forgotten to buy them a card or present.

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Royal Mail’s income from customer penalty fees rocketed to 50 per cent after it created mass confusion by changing the way it charges for letters.

In August 2006 the organisation moved to a system of charging based on the size rather than the simple system of sticking on a first or second class stamp.

Many customers were finding that their Christmas and Birthday Cards weren’t being delivered as expected.

In response people received unexpected warning notices telling them that letter with underpaid postage would have to be collected from a sorting office.

These customers not only had to cover the underpaid postage - which was often just a few pence - but were also hit with a £1 administration charge.  

Concerns were raised by consumer groups who suspected that the charge was far too high and amounted to blatant profiteering.

The figures obtained by the Daily Mail using a Freedom of Information request confirmed that the organisation did cash in on the confusion created in charging.

And the total income from this source rose by 49 per cent in the year after the change came into effect - taking it up too £14.8 million in 2007/08 and then £16.5 million in 2008/09.

A break down of how many letters were surcharged was not provided by the Post Office but it is believed that at least 20 million were involved.

The new system has caused particular disruption around Christmas because a huge number of festive cards - as well as birthday cards - fell foul of the sizing rules.

Long queues formed outside the sorting offices as people lined up to pay penalty fees and underpaid postage in order to get a card from their loved ones.

Details about the income from the charges is being kept a secret.

The figures were first asked for in the run-up to Christmas 2008 by The Daily Mail. The Royal Mail repeatedly refused so the Daily Mail made a request under the Freedom of Information Act. The appeal was again refused claiming the information was commercially confidential.

19 months later and following a successful appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner Royal Mail has been forced to hand over the details.

The official customer body, Consumer-Focus, has questioned the £1 fee is a fair reflection of the actual costs suffered by Royal Mail when it expects the customer to come and collect their letter.

A spokesman said, “We have questioned Royal Mail on how they arrive at the £1 cost and also on the volume of mail that this applies to.

“Unfortunately only Royal Mail will be able to give you answers to these questions as we are not allowed to go public with this information.”

The official customer body, Consumer-Focus, has questioned whether the £1 fee is a fair reflection of the actual costs suffered by Royal Mail when it expects a customer to come and collect a letter.

Royal Mail said, “Royal Mail does not make a profit from the administration fee involved in the collection of underpaid mail as the fee simply reflects the extra work involved.

“If there was no system to collect unpaid postage, it is very likely tat the current tiny fraction of mail with no or underpaid postage on it would increase significantly - at a cost to all other customers who pay the correct postage.”

Royal Mail did admit that the administration fee charged to businesses which underpay on outgoing mail amounts to 20p an item. However they charge customers five times more.

It said that this was justified because of the extra work involved. “The extra work includes sorting underpaid letters and separating them form the rest of the post, informing customers through a card delivered to their address about the underpaid item, storing the item for up to three weeks until it is collected, and then returning the item to the sender free of charge…if it is not collected,” it said.

So to save yourself the worry why not send all your birthday cards and Christmas cards with ecards.co.uk. The free to use website allows you to personalise birthday cards for your friends and loved ones then send them over via email.

For more information visit ecards.co.uk.

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At ecards.co.uk we are all about celebrating people’s birthday’s and what better birthday to celebrate than the famous Etch A Sketch toy we have all owned.

Over 100 million of the toys have sold worldwide since it first went on sale in the US on July 12 1960 for just $2.99.

“Etch A Sketch is a mum’s favourite toy. Children can be creative on any level with it and it requires no instruction,” said Larry Kilgallon of the Ohio Art Company, who have manufactured the toy since its inception.

“It doesn’t take batteries and makes no noise, and it is a toy that we can all relate to from our own childhoods.”

Its appearance and popularity remain more or less unchanged since the Etch A Sketch was first created by French inventor Arthur Granjean.

Now the toy is sold in the UK by Mattel at £14.99 and has fast become one of the world’s most popular toys, earning it a place in the exclusive US Toy Hall of Fame along with only 43 other classic toys.

In an increasingly technological toy market, the original Etch A Sketch, with its iconic red frame, continues to hold its own amongst the likes of the Nintendo DS.

In fact, the timeless toy - named one of the century’s top toys in 2008 - has seen a 20 per cent rise in worldwide sales this year.

This lasting success can possibly be attributed to the recent attention given to Toy Story 1 and 2 in the run-up to this month’s release of Toy Story 3, although it is revealed in the much anticipated third film that Etch has since been sold.

Toy retailer, Toys R Us said that they have “consistently supported the classic Etch A Sketch as it has always been a popular seller because of its timeless appeal.”

The world’s largest Etch A Sketch, unveiled only two months ago, is a staggering 8ft by 6fy and resides in the Indianapolis museum of childhood.

If you are looking to send a birthday card to your loved ones then why not send it for free at ecards.co.uk. The website has thousands of fabulous birthday cards online that you can easily email over when you sign up online today.

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She’s not just a pretty face Miss Swift!

The talented solo artist has designed ehr very own greetings cards for the American Greetings Corporation. The collection of whimsical cards features 14 all new designs and classic summer imagery enhanced by thoughtful real-life sentiments that continue to exemplify the qualities that have made the greetings such as a hit, the honest, open and sincere words through the voice of Taylor Swift.

And the latest collection offers birthday cards for your best friend, a little bit of romance for that special someone, and cards to share with anyone who puts a smile on your face - just to let them know that you are thinking about them.

The fun, iconic summer images maintain the ‘traditional with a twist’ look that fans love, and the numbered butterfly icons help card enthusiasts and fans alike collect all of the latest greetings. To date there are 43 Taylor Swift greeting cards.

“We had so much fun with the summer collection. All of the sparkle mixed with classic summer photography instantly put us in a good mood as we were working on the cards, and we knew that was a really good sign,” states Maureen Meidenbauer, Taylor Swift brand manager at American Greetings. “It is also great for us to see Taylor get excited about the products, and see that they are cards she loves and wishes she could already send out. We know there are others out there who can relate to the feelings in all of these cards, and we can’t wait for them to get a chance to share it!”

Cute!

Well we are no celebrity but we definitely have some top quality birthday cardson our site to keep you entertained. Our interactive ecards are the perfect way to make that special someone smile. For more information visit www.ecards.co.uk today.

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Making changes in your life can sometimes have a positive effect in the long term, and that’s why ecards.co.uk are with you all the way when it comes to changing from traditional greetings cards to ecards.

We understand the habits and withdrawal symptoms that occur when you don’t receive a birthday card from a friend or loved one on your birthday because they have forgotten or simply didn’t care.

And we also realise how hard it can be walking past a greeting cards store knowing it’s Susan’s birthday on Saturday and you still haven’t got her a card and you are panicking that the ecard you plan to send her she won’t receive.

Well don’t fret no more because ecards.co.uk are here for you to help you make that change.

They have designed some fantastic free personalised birthday cards for you to send to your friends and loved ones so you don’t have to worry about visiting a card shop again.

Simply choose the ecard you love, personalise the message and ping it over to their email! What a surprise they will get!

And it really will make your like better, you will be in pocket because the site is free, you will be saving the environment as you won’t be using paper, and you won’t have to worry about missing the post as an email can be sent and delivered in seconds.

For all the ecards collection visit ecards.co.uk today.

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Greeting cards retailer Clinton Cards said the total sales since its last statement in May have been weaker than expected. 

Their total sales are expected to be about 2 per cent behind the board’s previous expectations, impacted by the disproportionately poor performance in 13 stores trading in South Ireland.  

“As a result, the board now expects that the Group adjusted operating profit, for continuing operations will be similar to last year,” it said.

The group said it continues to work with significant headroom across all of its banking covenants.

ecards verdict: Everyone loves a nice card, however the prices of traditional cards in the greeting cards stores are becoming very expensive and at the present time people can’t afford to spend.

On top of this, many people are working full time or even two jobs and don’t have the time to nip and buy a card for their friends and loved one’s leaving them in a bit of a pickle.

This is why the world of ecards is the way forward because it tackles two birds with one stone. With ecards you can firstly choose your favourite and send it for free and secondly you can do it from the comfort of your own home or in the workplace.

ecards.co.uk have a fantastic selection of personalised birthday cards to send to your friends and loved ones. There is a wide choice available online, and you are sure to find at least one suitable enough for each and every personality.

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If you live away from your family and friends and can’t just pop round to their home to drop off their birthday card, then you need to get online to ecards.co.uk.

There is nothing worse than only remembering two days before that it is your mothers birthday and not having the added advantage of a ten minute drive if you live half way across the world. You know the consequences and if that card isn’t sitting on her door mat on the exact day, you can expect no roast dinners, to be completely blanked and more to the point no birthday card (or more importantly presents) when it is your birthday. It’s how the world of mothers work.

All they usually ask is, ‘don’t get me a present, just get me a card’ and if you forget this you definitely are a bad child and you are down in their books.

To prevent this nightmare scenario from occurring then why not make life hassle free by sending birthday cards to your friends and loved ones with ecards.co.uk.

The site has a range of free personalised birthday cards that you can send to all your family and friends, giving you no worries about catching the last post.

Simply sign up to the website, choose your favourite ecard and then ping it over to their email and that’s you set for another year.

There are a wide range of cards to choose from and all feature an array of different styles that suit everyone’s tastes and personalities.

For more information about the ecards visit the cool site today at www.ecards.co.uk.

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The ecard has taken the greetings card world by storm and High Street shops have seen a drop over the past few years.

And the fall has been blamed on the rise of the ecard, an electronic greeting sent via the Internet or by mobile phone. It has become increasingly popular with young people who say it is easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional cards.

A survey conducted a few years ago found that 40 per cent of 16-35 year old are now happy to abandon traditional cards in favour of ecards.

Another study by Mintel, the consumer research company, found that 53 per cent of consumers thought that greeting cards were too expensive.

David Bird, Mintel’s senior consumer analyst, said, “ecards are becoming increasingly popular among young people, businesses and government and other organisations.”

And supporters of the ecards world said electronic cards were more personal than mass produced cards because they could be customised.

And young people’s reluctance for pen to paper is reflected in the dying art of letter writing as most people turn to email to speak to family and friends.

Many believe that receiving a card is more personal than an ecard as that person has taken the time out to write it for their friends and loved ones.

Whatever type of card takes your fancy, why not just give ecards a go and send a free personalised birthday card to your friends.

For more information visit ecards.co.uk.

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Birthday cards have been getting a little fancy and pricey over the years. From over-sized birthday cards, pop up cards and  musical cards, there is no stopping the greeting cards industry, and now it has got even tastier.

A Brooklyn-based American Greetings Corporation, is releasing a line called Tasties; cards that come with a dissolvable flavour strip for the recipient to eat. Each of the flavour strips corresponds with the message that is on the birthday card. One flavour strip tastes like a vanilla cupcake.

“I can taste, uh, a little bit of vanilla frosting with sprinkles on a regular doughnut,” said one little girl who tried it. “It tastes really good.”

And from a taste of chocolate to a toast with a margarita, the idea is one which some say they are not surprised to see.

“Cards have gone everywhere now, we are gonna taste them now too,” said one man.

“Greeting cards are coming over the edge now, they are totally different, you gotta be up and on the cutting edge now, whatever’s new and different and this is good,” says a woman.

And better still the cupcake flavour won’t even break your diet.

If you are looking to send an extra special birthday card to the person you love, well then why not make it personal with ecards.co.uk. The website has a wide collection of cards to suit everyone’s personalities and interests.

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As your family and friends birthdays begin to crop and the usual ‘Don’t get me a present, just get me a card’ comes into play, you immediately think ‘Great, cheaper for me.’

It’s only after you arrive at your high street card shop and find your £5 on cards to mum, dad, bro, sis, grannies or Auntie Pat, doesn’t really go a long way. 

Well luck is in order for you at ecards.co.uk. The website features a wide range of different ecards that you can send to your loved ones for absolutely free.

The free ecards website is perfect for you to send personalised birthday cardsto your friends and loved ones. Simply visit the site, choose your favourite ecard and send it on to their email.

And if your granny doesn’t have an email, then set her one up and tell her she has an extra present and a card for her birthday. Should keep you in the good books for a while and possibly get an extra tenner in your birthday card (Unless she already uses ecards; then unlucky for you!)

In fact, ecards are the perfect way to say how you feel in a different but very special way. From happy birthday, well done, good luck, and I love you, you can say what you want and how you want it for absolutely free at ecards.co.uk.

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