Moonpig, the UK’s largest online card retailer, has rolled out a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that aims to recreate the sentiment of a handwritten note – without having to pick up a pen.
The tool announced this month allows users to create a unique digital font based on their own handwriting, which they can then store in their account and reuse for messages on future cards.
According to Nikhil Raithatha, CEO of Moonpig, the innovation has been a year in the making and addresses the biggest shortage in digital card sending. “Handwriting has always been a big barrier for people who think e-cards are not personal enough,” Raithatha explains. “Our new tool bridges the gap between the ease of online shopping and the warmth of heartfelt, handwritten letters.”
Customers can create their own personalized “font” by writing each letter of the alphabet – whether uppercase or lowercase – using their usual handwriting style. Once completed, the technology processes these samples and produces a custom digital typeface that is saved to their Moonpig account, ready to add a personal touch to any card.
Launched in 2000 by Nick Jenkins, Moonpig went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2021. Under Raithatha’s leadership since 2018, the retailer has strengthened its focus on technology and data-driven features to personalize customer experiences. Earlier this year, Moonpig integrated ChatGPT, enabling users to create written content for cards, whether it’s a fun poem or a thoughtful condolence message.
Surprisingly – though not to some – Raithatha says men are “twice as likely” as women to use the AI-powered text feature. “It is used a lot on Valentine’s Day, but we are also seeing a huge rise in the use of AI for condolence cards because many customers find it difficult to express such sentiments.”
Moonpig has already hinted at more AI innovations, including computer-generated stickers that are set to launch before the end of the year. However, not all of her projects go smoothly. The company reported an interim pre-tax loss of £33.3m for the six months to October, compared to a profit of £18.9m the previous year. While revenues grew 3.8% to £158m – supported by a 10% rise in the Moonpig brand itself – the weak performance of its Experiences division delayed the company’s plans to fully integrate gift experiences into its offering. This business was acquired for £124m two-and-a-half years ago, and was recently written off for £56.7m.
Despite these challenges, Raithatha is confident that AI-led personalization remains a winning formula, promising a future where ordering cards online no longer sacrifices the unique magic of handwriting. With the holiday season just around the corner, users looking to add a touch of personal flair to their digital greetings have a new, technologically advanced way to do so — without the need for a pen.