Click and mail: Postal Service card shop cuts out middle man (you)

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - You're busy. Add in a lengthy holiday to-do list and you are beyond busy. Sending holiday cards to family, friends and business associates is important, but do you realistically have the time?

Well, maybe this year those cards will actually be sent. The U.S. Postal Service has an online partnership with Cardstore.com that is meant to make holiday card sending easy and less time consuming.

At usps.com, users can click on the Cardstore option and find an online shop where cards can be selected, personalized, addressed and mailed. No need to go to the store, buy stamps or find a mailbox.

"The one-stop shopping and mailing is very key here, it saves time," said Mikal Sutherlin with the Postal Service in Chicago.

So how does it work? First, users select a card. For winter holidays, there are dozens of Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's cards. There are also non-denominational and interfaith cards.

The card decisions don't stop with the design. Users can choose a postcard, photo or 5-by-7 flip card. There are 16 options for gift cards from stores such as Starbucks and The Home Depot.

After picking a card, users choose from more than a dozen fonts and add a message. The fonts include cursive and print options, and more than one font can be used on the same card. Users can also change the font size, color and alignment.

While the message may be typed, it does not have to feel impersonal. "It's always great to use first names, nicknames," Sutherlin said.

Once the message is added, the user can decide whether to send the card directly to the recipient or have the card, or batch of cards, sent to themselves for personal signing and mailing. If the card is headed straight to the recipient, the user types in the recipient and return addresses.

There is also an option for businesses to upload their logo and send cards to their clients. Cardstore also carries thank-you notes, recipe cards and other marketing materials.

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