GiftCard Partners Blog

Many retailers think of gift cards as a necessary item that gives consumers flexibility in purchasing and gifting. However, FirstData's
2014 Prepaid Consumer Insights Survey reveals that gift cards can actual hold the power to drive incremental sales for retailers, and the better news is that gift card sales are on the rise, with an 8% boost in sales between 2013 and 2014.
Incremental Sales Driver Gift cards drive incremental sales when consumers purchase past the value of the gift card. According to the FirstData study, in 2014 consumer spent an average of $23.41 over the amount of their gift card, up about $3 from 2013. As this consistent consumer behavior takes root, retailers can use gift card purchasing numbers to forecast this unique source of incremental revenue. The additional spending also represents the opportunity to gain new consumers and build a relationship with shoppers who wouldn't have otherwise entered the store. Using gift cards as a customer acquisition tool can help increase incremental revenue numbers that stem from gift cards and gifting.
Gift Card Popularity on the Rise Gift cards have long been a popular gift choice for those picky recipients and continue to offer consumers a safe gifting option that is easier on both the sender and receiver.
81% of consumers plan to spend the same or more in plastic gift cards, with
84% of consumers planning to purchase the same or more in e-gift cards. These strong numbers indicate a real opportunity for retailers to take advantage of the incremental revenue from extended spending on top of the value of gift cards. The flexibility of gift cards provides a desired convenience for consumers as well as a revenue opportunity for retailers. We want to know what gift cards do for your business? Leave us a comment.

Corporate wellness programs are a hot topic amongst corporate HR departments, especially given the incentives available through the newly minted
Affordable Care Act rules that can provide discounts to employers and employees for healthy behavior. If you don't have a corporate wellness plan, it's time to put one in place. Healthier employees are more productive, and represent less financial risk to your organization. Here are a few tips to help you get going.

86% of digital marketers agree that investing in implementation of omnichannel strategies outweighs the challenges. The outcomes can yield a great success story, but the challenges are many. Supply chain management, product availability, and now payments and gifting are all components of the customer experience that need to remain consistent across both online and in-store buying experiences. However, as retail marketers look for new innovative solutions to omnichannel adoption there may be one sitting right in front of them, ready to go. Digital gift cards can't solve all of the omnichannel questions but in terms of payments and gifting they offer an already packaged solution. Digital gift cards are flexible by design, making sending, delivery and redemption easier for the gift giver, the gift receiver and the retailer administering the card. The flexibility and ease of use of digital gift cards helps accelerate

Your front line retail associates are often overlooked. The store associates are the people who interact with consumers the most and ultimately have the greatest influence on your brand representation. That’s why it’s critical for you to make the investment in training and education so your employees are representing your brand  as it should be. There are a 
handful of traits that can make truly great retail employees. Here are my 4 favorite traits that create real leaders on your brand's front line.

New research has shown that stressed out or unhappy employees are 
10% less productive than happy employees who feel able to manage their stress and responsibilities. So how do you help your employees manage stress and boost general employee productivity? Feedback. Obtaining this feedback can be as simple as a suggestion box. Providing anonymous forums within your office structure where employees feel confident that their message will be received but also won't be targeted as a result is crucial to obtaining honest feedback and thus improving your organization. The more channels you can open up for feedback in your organization, the more ways you can improve and make your organization best for everyone. When employees feel more comfortable and supported, productivity peaks and the best work gets done. It’s no secret that the best workplaces produce the best work. Providing avenues for feedback allows your organization to remain agile and flexible to employee needs. As you grow or shift demographics, anonymous feedback allows your organization to maximize employee productivity and support. You need to know what your consumers want so you can deliver. Similarly, you need to know what your employees want to make them the best they can be.