How to Start a Greeting Card Business from Home

The greeting card business is perfect for those who enjoy creativity and want to turn their creative minds into successful ventures. A greeting card is an illustrated piece of card or high-quality paper featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiments.

Greeting cards are a billion-dollar industry now. People need it for plenty of reasons, like birthdays, anniversaries, and as well as for business reasons. The greeting card business is a fun, feel-good business and can be initiated with comparatively low startup capital on a home-based basis. Launching your greeting card brand has never been easier with the rise of e-commerce platforms, social media, and print-on-demand services.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started. It includes researching your niche and designing your cards for marketing, selling, and scaling your business. Whether you’re looking to start small as a side hustle or build a full-time creative brand, this step-by-step resource will help you lay a solid foundation and grow with confidence.

12 Steps to Start a Home-Based Greeting Card Business

1. Market Research

Before designing your first card, it’s important to understand the market you’re entering. The greeting card industry may seem simple on the surface, but it’s diverse, competitive, and constantly evolving. A bit of market research will help you find the right niche, identify demand, and stand out from the crowd.

Ask yourself:

• Who would love these cards?
• Are they young adults, parents, professionals, or teens?
• What kind of occasions do they usually celebrate?
• Are they more inclined toward humor, emotion, or aesthetics?

Understanding your audience will help shape your designs, pricing, and marketing strategies.

2. Understand the Greeting Card Market

Making Greeting Cards is a dynamic business. The trends change fast. You must conduct a detailed study on the latest demand in both the local market and the online market.

In addition, if you want to find the kind of searches people are making regarding greeting cards in the online space, Google Trends is a good option.

Greeting cards cater to a wide range of occasions and emotions. Here are some of the most popular categories:

• Birthday Cards
• Anniversary and Love Cards
• Thank You Cards
• Holiday and Festival Cards (Christmas, Diwali, Eid, New Year)
• Sympathy and Condolence Cards
• Congratulations Cards (New job, baby, graduation, etc.)
• Funny or Sarcastic Cards
• Minimalist or Aesthetic Cards
• Customizable or Personalized Cards

Spend some time browsing online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon Handmade, Not On The High Street, and local gift shops to see what styles are trending and which types of cards are best sellers.

3. Select your Niche

It is important to select a few categories of making and selling greeting cards when you are starting out as a beginner. When profit starts coming in, you can consider scaling it up.

It is advised to visit local retailers that are selling greeting cards and browse their collections. Another useful way of understanding the market is to search online on marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay.

4. Create a Business Plan

Once you have identified your niche and target audience, the next step is to create a solid business plan. Even for a small home-based greeting card venture, having a clear roadmap will help you stay organized, budget effectively, and plan for future growth.

Your business plan must address the following aspects:

• Target market
• Where are you going to sell – offline, online, or both?
• How big is the market locally
• Pricing
• Marketing Plan
• Financial Plan

5. Define Your Goals

Begin by setting realistic goals for your greeting card business:

• Is this a creative side hustle, or are you aiming to build a full-time business?
• What kind of monthly or yearly income are you hoping to generate?
• Will you sell locally, online, or through both?
• Are you planning to produce cards yourself or use print-on-demand services?

Your answers will shape your business model, marketing strategy, and growth path.

6. Choose a Business Model

Select a model that suits your skills, schedule, and budget:

• Handmade Cards: You design, craft, and ship each card yourself.
• Digital Download Cards: Sell printable cards (PDF/JPG) via Etsy or your website.
• Print-on-Demand (POD): Use services like Printful, Zazzle, or Redbubble to print and ship your designs.
• Hybrid Approach: Combine physical and digital products to maximize reach.

Each model has trade-offs in terms of cost, effort, and scalability.

7. Estimate Startup Costs

You can start small and scale as your business grows. Here’s a sample breakdown of the costs to start a home-based greeting card business:

• Design software/tools: $0–$60 (Canva, Procreate, Adobe)
• Printer & materials: $100–$300 (if printing at home)
• Art supplies (handmade): $50–$150
• Packaging materials: $30–$80
• Logo/branding: $0–$100 (DIY or freelancer)
• Website/domain/Etsy setup: $20–$100
• Miscellaneous: $50–$100
• Total estimated budget: $250–$600, depending on your approach.

Tip: Many platforms offer free trials or freemium tools, so you can keep initial costs low.

8. Set Your Pricing Strategy

Your pricing should cover costs and leave room for profit. Here’s what to consider:

• Cost of materials and production
• Time spent per card
• Platform or transaction fees (e.g., Etsy’s 6.5% fee)
• Shipping and packaging
• Competitor pricing

Basic formula: (Cost of goods + time value) + 30–50% markup = Retail price

For example: If a card costs $1.50 to produce and takes 10 minutes of your time (valued at $10/hr), you may price it between $4–$6, depending on the quality, uniqueness, and branding.

9. Choose a Business Structure

Start by deciding on the legal structure of your business. Common options for U.S. small businesses include:

• Sole Proprietorship: Easiest and most common for solo entrepreneurs. No separate legal entity.
• LLC (Limited Liability Company): Offers personal liability protection and is relatively simple to set up.
• Partnership: If you’re working with someone else.
• S Corporation: May offer tax benefits if you scale.

For most home-based greeting card businesses, starting as a Sole Proprietor or LLC is the most practical.

Tip: You can always start as a Sole Proprietor and later upgrade to an LLC as your business grows.

10. Register Your Business Name

If you’re operating under a name other than your own, you’ll need to file a DBA (Doing Business As) with your state or county.

• Check name availability through your state’s business registration portal.
• Search the USPTO.gov database if you plan to trademark your brand.

11. Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)

Even if you don’t plan to hire employees, it’s wise to get an EIN from the IRS. It’s free, and you’ll need it for:

• Opening a business bank account
• Filing taxes
• Applying for wholesale or reseller permits

Apply online in minutes at IRS.gov.

12. Set Up a Business Bank Account

Keep your personal and business finances separate. Open a dedicated business checking account to:

• Track income and expenses
• Simplify tax filing
• Build credibility with customers and suppliers
• You might also consider getting a business credit card for small purchases or marketing expenses.

13. Designing Your Greeting Cards

This is the fun and creative part of the journey! Your card designs will define your brand and connect emotionally with customers. Whether you’re a professional illustrator or just getting started, there are multiple ways to create stunning cards from home.

⇒ Decide on Your Design Style

Start by choosing a style that aligns with your niche and feels authentic to you. Some popular options include:

• Hand-drawn or painted illustrations
• Minimalist typography
• Bold and colorful digital art
• Calligraphy or brush lettering
• Humorous cartoons or memes
• Collage or mixed-media design

Look at trending designs on Etsy, Pinterest, Instagram, and Paper Source to find inspiration, but always aim to create original work.

⇒ Design Tools & Software

You don’t need expensive tools to get started. Here are some popular options:

Tool	Best For	Cost
Canva	Beginners, templates, drag-and-drop	Free / Pro ($12.99/mo)
Procreate (iPad)	Hand-drawn digital illustrations	$12.99 one-time
Adobe Illustrator	Professional vector design	From $22.99/month
Photoshop	Image editing & layered design	From $22.99/month
Affinity Designer	Alternative to Adobe Suite	$69.99 one-time

Tip: Canva and Procreate are perfect for beginners and solo creators.

⇒ Sourcing Visual Elements (Legally)

If you plan to use external assets like graphics, fonts, or stock photos, make sure they’re licensed for commercial use. Trusted sources include:

• Creative Market
• Envato Elements
• Unsplash (check usage rights)
• Design Bundles
• FontBundles

Avoid using Google images or random Pinterest content, as these are typically not licensed for resale.

⇒ Tips for Effective Greeting Card Design

• Keep your designs clear, readable, and emotion-driven.
• Leave adequate white space — don’t overcrowd the card.
• Use high-resolution images (300 DPI) if you plan to print.
• Test color combinations to ensure print accuracy.
• Create standard sizes like 5×7″, A2 (4.25×5.5″), or square cards for easy framing or envelopes.

⇒ Gather Feedback Before Launching

Before you launch your designs:

• Ask friends, family, or online groups for honest feedback.
• Post sneak peeks on Instagram and see what gets the most engagement.
• Print a few test cards and check for clarity, spacing, and print quality.

Production Process: From Design to Ready-to-Ship

Once your designs are finalized, it’s time to bring your greeting cards to life. How you choose to produce your cards depends on your business model, budget, and available space.

Option 1: Print at Home

If you’re just starting and want full creative control, printing at home is a cost-effective choice.

What you’ll need:

• Inkjet or Laser Printer (Canon, Epson, or HP are great for color)
• High-quality cardstock (80–110 lb or 220–300 gsm)
• Paper trimmer or cutting board
• Scoring tool or bone folder for neat folds
• Envelopes and sleeves (A2 or A7 sizes)

Make sure to test ink compatibility and paper thickness with your printer before bulk printing.

Option 2: Local or Online Print Shops

Once you scale up, outsourcing to a local print shop or online printer like Vistaprint, Moo, or GotPrint can save time and improve quality.

Pros:

• Professional finish
• Bulk printing discounts
• Faster production for large orders

Cons:

• Higher upfront cost
• Less control over each print run

Option 3: Print-on-Demand Services

If you want a low-risk, inventory-free option, POD platforms can be a smart solution.

Top Online platforms:

• Zazzle
• Redbubble
• Printify
• Greeting Card Universe

How it works:

• Upload your design
• Customers place orders on your site or store
• The platform handles printing, packaging, and shipping
• Downside: Lower profit margins, and less brand customization compared to DIY production.

Packaging Your Cards

Presentation matters! Clean, protective packaging helps your cards look professional and arrive undamaged.

Essentials:

• Clear cellophane sleeves (for single cards)
• Rigid mailers or bubble envelopes
• Branded thank-you cards or inserts

Optional: Eco-friendly packaging for sustainability-focused buyers

financial disputes.

Where and How to Sell Your Greeting Cards (Online & Offline)

Now that you’ve designed and produced your cards, it’s time to get them into the hands of customers. Whether you prefer selling online, in person, or both, there are plenty of channels to explore.

Sell Online

Selling online gives you access to a nationwide (or global) audience and allows you to operate 24/7 from home.

1. Etsy

• Perfect for handmade and digital greeting cards
• Built-in audience of shoppers looking for unique, creative items
• Low setup cost: $0.20 per listing + 6.5% transaction fee

Tip: Use relevant keywords in your titles and tags, and invest in great product photography.

2. Your Own Website (Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace)

• Full control over branding and customer experience
• Ability to collect emails and build customer loyalty
• More professional and scalable in the long run

Bonus: Use platforms like Printful or Printify for automated fulfilment.

3. Amazon Handmade

• Trusted by millions of U.S. shoppers
• Great for reaching a broader, non-craft-specific audience
• Requires approval to join

4. Other Online Platforms

• Zazzle or Redbubble for print-on-demand
• eBay for broader exposure
• Not on Amazon or niche handmade marketplaces

Sell Offline

Selling in person builds community connections and allows customers to physically experience your product.

1. Local Craft Fairs and Markets

• Great for getting feedback and building your local brand
• Booth fees vary from $25 to $200, depending on the event

Keep your display neat, branded, and weather-proof

2. Consignment at Gift Shops and Boutiques

• Partner with local shops to display and sell your cards
• Typically, you’ll share revenue (e.g., 60% to you, 40% to the store)

Tip: Approach stores with a catalog, sample cards, and wholesale pricing.

3. Pop-Up Shops

• Rent space for a day or weekend in a co-op or local event
• Collaborate with other artisans for joint events

4. Wholesale to Retailers

• Sell your cards in bulk to bookstores, gift shops, or stationery stores
• Consider creating a wholesale line sheet with pricing, MOQs (Minimum Order Quantities), and turnaround time

Conclusion

Starting a greeting card business from home is an exciting and accessible way to turn your creativity into a source of income. Whether you’re crafting heartfelt handmade cards or designing digital downloads, this business offers both emotional reward and financial potential.

By following a strategic path, from identifying your niche to building your brand and reaching customers, you set yourself up for long-term success.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is the Greeting Card Business Profitable?

The US greeting card market is a substantial industry. Consumers purchase about 6.5 billion cards annually. This generates around $7 billion in retail sales. The market is expected to reach $8.166 billion by 2030

On average, most greeting card business owners earn $50,000 per year. It is seen, big greeting card brands like Hallmark make a whopping $20 billion on special occasions like Valentine’s Day.

How Much Does it Cost to Start a Greeting Card Business?

You can start a greeting card business with as little as $1000 if you start on a small scale at home. However, it can rise to $10000 if you plan it on a larger scale. The costs mainly include product sourcing, design sourcing, manpower hiring, and promotional costs.

Do you need any Software to run a Greeting Card Business?

To deliver high-quality greeting cards, relevant software comes in handy.  You can create, print, and send high-quality greeting cards with a few clicks of your mouse. There are thousands of ready-to-share templates. And also, you can customize them. One of the most popular free greeting card software is Adobe Spark, Canva, and Movavi.

As your greeting card-making business grows, you can apply for a Patent and Copyright License. You will need to submit the designs along with your company name in a specific application format, with fees.