Group Cards - Frequently Asked Questions
New - Gifts are available to purchase from Group Cards!

Group Cards Site Content - FAQ


Using Group Cards


How to create an eCard event and gather messages



How to create an event and order a physical card



How to add a card message on behalf of someone else



How to Check Responders



How does it work?

Group Cards is an online card creation site that allows groups of card contributors to add personal messages to the same card, just like you would do for an office card or for a family member or friend.

We offer both physical cards and e-cards that multiple people can sign and add messages to remotely.

The process of choosing a card and getting that card signed by a group of your choice is very easy, Group Cards will prompt you through each stage of the process.


What are "Events"?

Events are the names given to the card-collection being arranged by the creator. For example if you’re arranging a birthday card for John, you may wish to call the event "John’s 21st birthday" to distinguish it from Sue’s leaving card. We recommend using memorable Event names for each event arranged.


How does the process work?

The Group Cards system will prompt you through each stage of the process. Very simply:

  • • Search for and select a Card
  • • Pay for the Card (or select a Free E-card)
  • • Enter Event Details
  • • Enter Completion Date / Details
  • • Generate and Send Link for people to sign

You will be prompted to register or log-in during this process if you haven't already, so that you can come back to the card you have selected.

Any time before the event completion date, anyone who receives the link can add messages to the card, and optionally change the font, colour and position of their message. The person who created the event can also:

  • • View the card and messages added so far at any time
  • • Add, edit or delete messages
  • • Move messages around
  • • Upgrade the card
  • • Invite more people to add messages

When the event completion date is over, you can make final edits to the messages if you have chosen to confirm it is OK first. The card will then be sent, by e-mail for e-cards or printed and despatched for physical cards.


What kind of cards are available on Group Cards?

Cards for all event types can be purchased on the Group Cards site. Examples of card types are Wedding, New Baby, Retirement, New Job, Office Leaving Card, Congratulations and Sorry You’re Leaving. If there are card types you would like, but cannot find, please contact us on customerservices@groupcards.co.uk. You can also upload your own custom card designs!


How do I let people know how to add messages to the card?

Once the event is set up, you will be asked how you want to do this. You can either have the system generate a link which you can send to people yourself, or choose to enter e-mail addresses for our e-mail system to send the link on your behalf. You can also choose a combination of both.

People who receive the link can add a message, and optionally change the font, colour and position on the page. They cannot edit anyone else's message.


Do people have to register with Group Cards to add messages?

No, only the person who creates the card has to register, so that they can come back at any time and look at the messages that have been added and optionally edit them. Everyone else will receive a link with a code which they can click on. The code is used to identify which card they are allowed to add messages to. They do not need to register, and once they have added their message (and optionally changed font, colour or position) they can leave the Group Cards web-site.


What is the difference between "physical cards" and "E-Cards" on the Group Cards site?

An eCard on www.groupcards.co.uk is a virtual card from a group of people that is delivered electronically (through email) to the given email address. This virtual digital card is sent in the form of a PDF document with a header and the friend / family messages below. You can also download the PDF card yourself and print or send it separately if you choose. Examples can be found on our Instagram site: www.instagram.com/group.cards/ A "real card" is a physical card that arrives through the post (postage within the UK is free). We use professionally produced cards, and print the messages that each person has added onto the cards (in their chosen fonts and colours).

The method for sending links to people, how they add messages and most other options are the same for both e-cards and physical cards.


Are there any message limits?

Messages for physical cards are added to the inside of the card, starting with right side, and when this gets full moving onto the left side. Messages are limited by space, so if lots of people add long messages you may need to purchase additional pages. These pages will be attached inside the card as if they were part of the design. Messages will never be printed on the back page of the card.

E-Cards are limited entirely by message count. You can choose which message band to pay for, up to 35 messages are free. E-cards start as a one-page card, but if someone tries to add a message and there is no space then an additional page will be created automatically. As many additional pages will be created as necessary for e-cards.

Each individual message has a 700 character limit, which we find is sufficient for almost all messages.


Can I upgrade an event once it is in progress?

Yes. Physical Cards can be upgraded to include more additional pages at any time. E-cards can be upgraded to higher message limits at any time. The upgrade cost is the same as if it was purchased originally. However if a message or space limit is reached, people cannot add more messages until the event is upgraded.


Can I edit messages added to the card?

Yes, the person who creates the event has complete control over the card. You can choose to edit messages for any reason, delete inapprpriate messages, and move messages around on the card. You can also add your own message and add messages on behalf of other users. You can do this at any time until the event is complete.

Only the person who creates the event can do this. Other people can add and edit their own message, but nothing else.


When will the card be sent?

You will be prompted to create a cut-off date and time for messages. After this time, nobody else can add messages. For physical cards we recommend this is 2-3 working days before the card needs to be received.

You will also be given the option to approve the card before sending. If you select this option, you will receive an e-mail when the date passes, but you can still edit, delete or move messages or add other messages until you approve the card. Once you are happy, you can click "Confirm OK to Send" and the card will be finished. If you do not choose to approve the card first, the card will be finished as soon as the end date/time passes.

E-cards will be sent a few minutes after the card is finished. Physical cards will be printed and posted shortly after the card is finished.


If I order an E-Card, can it be printed?

Yes. All our e-cards are sent by e-mail to whoever you choose (or you can choose not to send them and just to download it yourself). They are designed to be A4 size if printed. So you can do whatever you like with the PDF, including printing it, laminating it, framing it, etc. - the choice is yours!


Can I download an invoice for my purchase?

Yes. Just go to Manage Events, View Order for the card you are selecting, and towards the top right there is an option to Download Invoice. If you have purchased any upgrades these will also be included in the invoice.


Can I get an E-Card copy of the Physical Card?

Yes, at any time you can download a PDF version of the card so that you can see how it will appear. If you purchase additional pages, these will be displayed after the back page of the card, but when printed will be included within the card in the most appropriate way.


Can I order presents at the same time?

Only cards can be ordered from Group Cards for now. You can set up a collection to purchase gifts, however at the moment we only refund this to your account (minus an admin fee). We are planning to allow gifts to be ordered through Group Cards very soon.


If I set up a collection, what admin fees are deducted?

Typically deductions work out at around 5% of the overall total collected. Our payment gateway (Stripe) takes a percentage of each payment to the collection (1.4% + 20p per transaction). Group Cards will take a 2.5% Admin Fee from each collection (after payment gateway deductions). The remainder will be transferred to the account specified by the card / collection organiser.


Can I see how much each person has contributed?

No (although we retain this information in case of queries). The collection organiser can see how much has been contributed in total (before and after deductions) at any time, but not each individual totals.


If I set up a collection, does everyone have to contribute before they sign the card.

No, this is entirely voluntary. People can choose to skip the collection and just add a message to the card if they prefer.


When will the collection money be transferred?

As soon as the card completion date is finished, we start the process of making routine checks and making the money transfer. The money should arrive in the account shortly after the card has been sent. If you have chosen to confirm the card is OK to send before it is sent, we will wait until you have confirmed this (or 7 days have elapsed) in case you want to extend the timeframe to allow more messages and contributions to the collection.


Can I design my own cards or upload my own images?

Yes! We have recently introduced this facility. Simply choose the Custom E-Card or Custom Physical Card from our range of cards. You can upload your images and view how they will appear before you buy.

For our e-cards, you can upload a banner image that will appear at the top of all pages.

For our physical cards, you can upload a full-page front cover image and choose an A5 or A4 size card, and select portrait or landscape. You can also optionally upload an image to appear in the middle of the inside page of the card, and also optionally upload an image to appear in the middle of the back page.

Please note that the free option for e-cards under 35 messages does not apply for cards where images have been uploaded.


What format images can I upload?

Full details are in the image technical guidance which you can view on the upload screens. All images must be supplied in .PNG or .JPG/.JPEG formats.

E-Cards

Ideally e-card banners should be between 1000 and 2000 pixels wide, and the width should be more than twice the height. Lower resolution images will be accepted but the lower quality may be noticeable on the finished card.

If the width is less than 1.4 times the height, the image will be squashed to fit the top half of the card.

The image you upload will appear at the top of each page. Nobody can add messages over the top of it. Additional e-card pages will be created when there is no room for new messages on existing pages.

Physical Cards (Portrait format)

Front Page - the front page of physical cards should be 1754 pixels by 2480 pixels for A5, or 2480 by 3508 for A4. Lower resolutions will work, but may affect image quality.

The height should always be approximately the width multiplied by 1.41 (or the width should be approximately the height divided by 1.41) to ensure the image isn't squashed or elongated.

Inside Pages - the page on the left of the inside of the card will always be blank, and is available for people to add messages.

The page on the right of the inside can optionally have an image in the middle (maximum half the page width and/or height). This can be a photo, or some large text saved as an image if preferred. People will be able to add messages to this page but will not be allowed to overwrite this image.

Back Cover - the back cover can also have an image in the middle (maximum half the page width and/or height). No other messages can be added to the back cover.

For the inside and back cover image, the maximum pixels are 877 width, 1240 height for A5, or 1240 width, 1754 height for A4. The image proportion will always be maintained.

Physical Cards (Landscape format)

The recommendations are exactly the same as for portrait, except in each case swap the width and height.

What times can I order

The Group Cards website is available 24x7. Please select the date for delivery of the card when setting up the event. Please allow 2-3 working days for delivery for physical cards. E-cards will be automatically sent shortly after the date.

We do occasionally have to take the site down for maintenance (usually during the early hours of the morning UK-time). Any orders already placed will be fulfilled as requested. Any new orders can be placed as soon as the site returns. Please check back regularly if the site is unavailable due to maintenance.


I’ve lost / forgotten my login details, what do I do?

Go to the Log In page and click on the ‘Forgot password’ link. Enter your email address and click “Submit” to receive a password reset by email.


Partnership requests

We will offer gifts for sale very soon. Please get in touch if you are a gift company that would like to partner with us to offer gifts or vouchers on customerservices@groupcards.co.uk


Is there a Group Cards mobile phone app?

Not yet, but iPhone and Android apps for Group Cards will be available very early in 2021, making it even easier to set up a Group Card and add messages. Everything that can currently be done on the web-site will also be available via our app.


Questions about my order

What if something is wrong with my order?

At Group Cards we hope that every customer is happy with their order. We double-check every physical card before it is sent out. However if there is a problem with your order please contact the customer services team on customerservices@groupcards.co.uk. We will need your order number, the event details and the registered email address.


When will my card arrive?

At Group Cards we print and post every physical card at latest one working day after it is ready for printing. So if the card is ready for printing on the Tuesday then we would print and post it on the Wednesday and ideally it should arrive on the Thursday.

We post everything by 1st class mail. However there may be postal delays (especially due to Covid-19) which are outside of our control.

If you set the card to finish automatically it will be ready for printing as soon as the date passes. If you set the card to need approval, it will only be made ready for printing when you confirm on the system that it is OK to send.

E-cards are sent automatically within minutes of the card being finished (and confirmed if necessary). They may sometimes arrive in junk or spam folders so if the card is being sent directly from Group Cards please check with the recipient to ensure it has been received.


What if I want to change the completion date on my order?

Please log back on to the site using your username and password. Go to the event for the date you want to change, use Change Event Details to update the date, and resave the event.


What if my delivery is late?

Please check the requested delivery date for the event. If the order is later that the agreed date, please contact us on customerservices@groupcards.co.uk. Please note that the post office are sometimes experiencing delays in delivering mail to their normal standards due to Covid-19, unfortunately this is outside our control.


Can I cancel my order?

In exceptional circumstances you may be able to change or cancel your order providing it hasn't already been printed. Go to your Manage Events and check the event status.

As long as the status for a card order is 'In Progress' then you may be able to change or cancel it. Contact customerservices@groupcards.co.uk


How do I change the delivery address on my order?

You can change the address your order will be delivered to providing it hasn't already been printed. Go to the Manage Events screen when you are logged in, and click View Order at the top of the order you want to change. Then scroll to the bottom and on the right side there will be an option to Update Address. Click this, enter the new address and click Update to save the new address.

If you get any problems, please e-mail customerservices@groupcards.co.uk. Also if you are changing the delivery country the postage charge may be different, so please contact customerservices@groupcards.co.uk to arrange this.


How can I track my order?

All of your order information is saved in your Account under the section Manage Events.


Refunds and lost orders:

Royal Mail aim to deliver over 90% of 1st Class mail the next working day after posting but they are unable to provide a guaranteed service. Items that have not been delivered by Royal Mail 5 working days after the posting date will be either replaced or refunded.

For all refund or lost orders please contact Customer Service and they will arrange to reprocess or refund your order.


Cancelling Orders

For E-Cards
An eCard event can be cancelled at any time before it has been ‘Completed’.

For real card orders WITHOUT collections:
As the service is a bespoke one, we are unable to process refunds. However, if the order is cancelled prior to it being completed we will credit the account by the cost of the event.

For real card orders WITH collections:
As the service is a bespoke one, we are unable to process refunds. However, if the order is cancelled prior to it being completed we will credit the account by the cost of the event. Any monetary collections processed to the point of cancellation will be returned, as a single deposit, to the account given. The event creator will be responsible for any onward return of contributions. As the collections will already have been processed by the banking services, the single deposit returned will be minus the service charge.