Moonpig, the UK’s largest online card retailer, has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that aims to recreate the sentiment of a handwritten note—without the need to pick up a pen.
Announced this month, the tool allows users to generate a unique digital font based on their own handwriting, which can then be stored in their account and reused for messages on future cards.
According to Nickyl Raithatha, Moonpig’s chief executive, the innovation was a year in the making and addresses the biggest shortfall of sending digital cards. “Handwriting has always been a major barrier for people who think that e-cards aren’t personal enough,” Raithatha explains. “Our new tool bridges the gap between the convenience of online shopping and the warmth of a heartfelt, handwritten message.”
Customers can create their custom “font” by writing each letter of the alphabet—both upper and lower case—using their usual handwriting style. Once complete, the technology processes these samples and produces a bespoke digital typeface that’s saved to their Moonpig account, ready to lend 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 ramped up its focus on tech and data-driven features to personalise customer experiences. Earlier this year, Moonpig integrated ChatGPT, enabling users to generate written content for cards, whether it’s a playful poem or a thoughtful condolence message.
Surprisingly—though perhaps not for some—Raithatha says men are “twice as likely” as women to use the AI text feature. “It’s used a lot for Valentine’s Day, but we’re also seeing a spike in using AI for condolence cards because many customers find it hard to express such sentiments.”
Moonpig has already hinted at further AI innovations, including computer-generated stickers due to launch before the year’s end. Yet not all its ventures are running smoothly. The company reported a £33.3 million interim pre-tax loss for the six months leading to October, compared with an £18.9 million profit a year earlier. While revenue grew by 3.8% to £158 million—buoyed by a 10% rise at the Moonpig brand itself—an underperforming “experiences” division has delayed the company’s plans to integrate gift experiences more fully into its offering. That business, acquired for £124 million two and a half years ago, was recently written down by £56.7 million.
Despite these challenges, Raithatha is confident that AI-led personalisation remains a winning formula, promising a future in which ordering cards online no longer sacrifices the unique charm of handwriting. As the holiday season approaches, users seeking to add a dash of personal flair to their digital greetings have a new, technologically sophisticated way to do so—no pen required.
