How to boost gift card sales: 5 ways

1. Pair them up
2. Be social and accessible
3. Show them off
4. Reward buyers
5. Train your staff

Benefits of offering a gift card program

A robust gift card program can offer:

Convenience

Unlike household goods or clothing, gift cards fit everyone’s tastes and budgets. Your business can make them readily available to purchase online or in-person. A display near your POS system will keep gift cards top of mind with consumers who visit your brick-and-mortar locations.

Profitability

Shoppers using physical or digital gift cards at your business can help boost your sales volumes. Typically, shoppers spend more than the gift card’s value when redeeming them. And, about 76%* of shoppers prefer to buy gift cards over gifting other merchandise. This can also  drive in more new customers without the need to spend a cent more on marketing!

Versatility

Gift cards can be sold and packaged just about any way you can imagine. Combine gift cards with other merchandise to make gift-giving simple for shoppers. Or  incentivize buyers  to purchase gift cards– like offering free merchandise with purchase, or a bonus gift card of a smaller amount.

Better experiences

Gift cards are super easy for givers and recipients alike – and can help create an even better customer experience for the recipient. If you operate a salon or spa business, for instance, encourage clients to add extra cash to gift cards for tips, so the recipient has their entire service covered.

Sell more gift cards year-round

Gift cards can be a boon to your business. Here are five gift card promotion ideas to help you increase sales and throughout the year.

1. Pair them up

As customer expectations continue to evolve, try adding dimension to your gift card program by pairing gift cards with other items. Pair a bottle of wine with a gift card, box a gift card with a greeting card, or offer ready-made gift card sets for couples, kids, or pets. You could also bundle a gift card with an experience – for example, wine shops can offer a tasting experience with a gift card to spend in-store. This makes the gifting experience feel more complete for the giver, and offers extra revenue opportunities for the business.

2. Be social and accessible

Go loud and proud with your gift card ideas on social media. It’s an inexpensive – and shareable – way to reach followers. Making gift card purchases available online allows the business to meet the customer where they shop.

3. Show them off

65%^* of buyers purchase gift cards directly from the retailer where the gift card will be used – that’s if they are displayed in a visible, high-traffic area. 46%^* of shoppers expect to find gift cards near checkout lanes. Whether your business is a bagel shop, nail salon, or hardware store, turn-up the lights on your gift cards by displaying them in a prominent store location. A host stand, a checkout counter, or even a store entrance can make a great home for  your gift card display.

4. Reward buyers

Boost  your gift card sales by offering a free item, service, or bonus gift card for the purchase of a gift card of a certain amount. For instance, give a free coffee for the purchase of a $30 gift card, a $10 bonus gift card for gift card purchases over $100, or free greeting cards and boxes for gift card purchases of $20 or more. These rewards can encourage loyalty from a customer as they spend all year long.

5. Train your staff

Sometimes a simple reminder at checkout is all it takes to increase gift card sales. So, make sure your staff knows all about your gift card program – and how to load,  redeem, and refund gift cards.

Efficiently manage your gift card program

After your business implements a gift card program, it’s important to utilize technology solutions to manage it efficiently. Consider ways to efficiently manage your gift card program by choosing solutions that enable you to:

• Activate and redeem physical or digital gift cards

• Offer gift cards as on-the-spot customer refunds and rebates

• Track across multiple store locations and access comprehensive reporting

• Simplifying billing and processing

While adding or adjusting a gift card program can seem like extra work, small changes can have big returns. As you plan for consumer milestone celebrations this year, a robust gift card program can help take your business to the next level.

For additional information about Clover Gift Cards, contact us at 1-855-290-7262 or at support@giftcards.clover.com.

* Fiserv proprietary consumer survey results

Editorial Team

Gift cards, Payments & processing, SMB

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