Hallmark Embraces the Subscription Model with E-Cards

by Annette Giambroni

As you have probably guessed by now, we spend a lot of time talking about different types of businesses moving towards a recurring revenue model. So far, they fall into 3 categories:

• Industry disruptors - think Netflix and Zipcar
• Large IT companies announcing cloud initiatives - like Sun Microsystems or HP
• And a slightly slower moving group of Traditional Businesses

This week the old time greeting card giant Hallmark leapt into the new world order when it announced its first online subscription service. For just $9.99 a year, you’ll get unlimited e-cards with a free reminder service.

I remember well wandering the aisles of my local Hallmark store in Montclair, CA as a kid, picking out the perfect greeting card to make someone’s day and I’m delighted to see one of my favorite offline brands making a play for this new market.

Makes me wonder where they will take this next. Perhaps special upgraded cards or a tie in with a mail service where cards are ordered on line and delivered to someone's door. Maybe upgraded features for their contact management that tracks the history of what cards have been sent to whom. Or even integration with online photo-sharing site flickr so users can add photos onto a card, or better yet a card embedded with a personal YouTube video. The possibilities are endless… for a small upgraded recurring fee, of course.