The Home Depot®’s Eco Options program features several ways consumers can “go green” on Earth Day by using environmentally friendly and cost-efficient products. 

Awarded by the National Association for Business Resources

Wellesley, MA (PRWEB) December 31, 2015 - GiftCard Partners (GCP) has announced that for the third consecutive year, they have been named one of the nation's "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™” by the National Association for Business Resources.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) announced this week that 90% of shoppers still have last minute gifts, food, decor and/or other holiday items left to buy. The biggest reason people listed for waiting was that they were still trying to figure out what to buy.

What is third party distribution?

You have seen third party distribution when you’ve walked past the gift card displays at your grocery or pharmacy but may not know it by name. Third party is a common term in the B2B Gift Card Industry. It’s the opportunity to sell gift cards in retail locations that are independent of the brand represented on the gift card. By definition, third party sales refer to the three companies involved when selling to the consumer: the brand on the gift card, the company that sells the gift card, and the company that manages the operational component of the transaction. For most gift cards programs, third party represents their largest sales channel and the greatest opportunity for consumer awareness and marketing. Why’s this? Consumer traffic!

The third-party gift card segment has consistently been one of the fastest growing gift card distribution channels for the last seven years. Third-party can easily be your largest sales channel outside of your own stores. Actively engaging in third-party sales can increase your brand footprint, reaching consumers that may have not known about your brand otherwise. Having ongoing, frequent dialogue with your third-party aggregator is key to understanding what exactly their retail partners are doing to drive your gift card sales. The aggregators provide you with access to your sales, but do you know why your sales may be trending up or down? Ensuring that your third-party gift cards are properly merchandised and in stock is one of the most critical components to why your sales may be trending positively or negatively. If your gift card is not available when a customer wants to buy it, you have a lost a sale and a visit to your establishment. Here is a list of additional questions to consider when analyzing your third-party program: