WHSmith is to trial the introduction of stand-alone greeting card shops, which will be branded Cardmarket.
The shops will target the “value” end of the card market, in contrast to the company’s existing greeting card offer, which is focused on premium products.
WHSmith said it would trial the shops in “low-rent, non-prime-pitch locations” on short-term leases.
The move is designed to tap in to a growing part of the market.
The announcement came as the group announced a 9% increase in pretax profit to £112m for the year to August 2014.
The company’s travel division performed best, with an 11% increase in trading profit to £73m, compared with 4% growth in the high street business.
The high street businesses closed 11 shops over the course of the year and now trades from 604 locations, occupying 2.9m sq ft.
However, the travel business continues to grow, with 30 new shops opened during the year and a similar number of openings anticipated this year.
The company said: “Looking forward, we anticipate opening around 20 stores each year over the following three years, with around 10 each year in hospitals.”
