slingshot cards
“The World’s First Reusable Trackable Card” — Original but redundant
Slingshot cards claims to be an eco-friendly card that’s also fun to gift and receive. How it works is the card remains message-free but the sender prints off an a greeting off of slingshot’s website and attaches it through the paper insert. The card has a unique chip that allows you to track the card’s location when you enter a code into slingshot’s website. Without much marketing at all (except for a facebook group, a youtube video and its website), I wonder how this product has survived or if it ever will in the future. Its target market is most likely the eco-friendly crowd, with equally eco-friendly friends who would be willing to continue sending on these cards. However, I see so many ways how this card is absolutely redundant and contradictory to its company objectives.
1) Any type of greeting card at all is a waste of money and a toll on the environment. E-cards are the most effective way of eliminating this problem and no other paper-based solution will beat that! Despite being able to use this card for an “infinite” number of times, this card is still being printed using paper materials.
2) Users cannot write on the card itself so they need to print out another piece of paper for their message. Senders need to go online to print out sheets of paper to insert into the card! Why don’t buyers just save themselves the money and write their message on this slip of paper and give it to their friend.
3) You need responsible, eco-friendly people to be recipients and senders of the card. You also need people who are extreme advocates / passionate about being green! If in the hands of people who dont care about sustainability, or who care but not enough, the card will most likely not be re-sent, and will have no difference in effect as any other greeting card in the market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuvAS76g4k8&feature=player_embedded#!
Overall, I think Slingshot was never a good idea to begin with, and the company should probably focus on creating a completely new product that’s green.
