How Many Greeting Cards Should I Print?

Start Small. Sell More Cards.

If you’re thinking about printing greeting cards, this is usually the first practical question:

“How many should I print?”

It’s a sensible thing to wonder. Print too many and you waste money. Print too few and you miss sales.

The good news is — there’s a very safe way to start that removes the guesswork.

At Redcliffe Imaging, we offer no minimum order for greeting cards, so you can begin with small quantities and build up based on what actually sells.

Not sure if greeting cards are right for you yet? Read our guide: Are Greeting Cards Worth Selling for New Artists?

The Right Way to Think About Quantities

When you’re new to greeting cards, your goal isn’t to predict your bestseller.

Your goal is to test your designs in the real world.

A reliable starting point for most artists, illustrators and designers is:

• 6–12 different designs

• Around 25 of each design

This gives you:

• Enough variety to look professional

• Enough stock to sell properly

• Room to learn what customers are drawn to

Let Sales Tell You What to Print Next

After a few weeks of selling (online, at markets, or in shops), a pattern always appears:

• A couple of designs sell quickly

• Some sell steadily

• One or two barely move

Now you’re not guessing.

You simply print more of the designs people are already buying and replace the slow ones with new ideas.

If You Plan to Supply Shops

Retailers don’t want large quantities of one design. They want variety.

A typical shop order is often 6 cards of 6 designs.

So printing modest amounts per design gives you the flexibility to:

• Sell to shops

• Sell online

• Sell at markets

• Keep backup stock

Without tying up money in piles of one card.

Is It Better to Bulk Print?

It can look cheaper per card to print hundreds.

But if they don’t sell, those are the most expensive cards you’ll ever print.

Starting smaller means you only invest more money into designs that have already proven themselves.

Why This Is Easy With Redcliffe Imaging

Because we have no minimum order, you can:

• Test new designs safely

• Print sensible quantities

• Reorder quickly when something takes off

• Grow your range without pressure or risk

You don’t have to guess big numbers. You can build gradually and confidently.

The Simple Rule Most Successful Sellers Follow

Print more designs, not more copies.

Start with variety. Let customers show you the winners. Then scale up.