Paperchase is launching its first transactional website next week as part of a “major strategic initiative” to grow sales in the UK and abroad.

Paperchase.co.uk will open up the design-led greetings card and gift retailer to the UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland, Canada and New Zealand.

It already has stores in the Middle East and concessions in the US, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The move will pit Paperchase against established online player Moonpig and recent online launches by Clinton Cards, Marks & Spencer and Asda.

Paperchase was bought in a management buyout backed by private equity firm Primary Capital in July for £30m. The new owners said then it would be able to expand more quickly than under its previous owner, US bookseller Borders.

Paperchase chief information and ecommerce officer Karen Selway said: “[The website] is seen as a major strategic initiative for Paperchase which, over time, will grow and offer our customers a multichannel shopping experience.

“The online market has matured and the UK has one of the world’s highest internet usages.”

The retailer said the website design would “reflect the clean and colour-led style” of Paperchase stores. Its services include a gift finder, personal calendar with email reminders, store locator and multiple delivery options.

Paperchase said it would not be offering a personalisation function, like that offered by Moonpig.

Selway said the prices on the website would be the same as those in stores. She added that not all of Paperchase’s products would be offered online, since some are “not suitable for sending via post or to certain countries”. But she said there would be a “good representation of all of product categories”.