GiftCard Partners Blog

GiftCard Partners, Inc. has been at the forefront of B2B gift cards since we started out more than a decade ago. Some might call it obsession, others might say it's our job, but we like to use one word in particular, passion. That passion led us to commission a B2B Gift Cards Study back in 2013. We teamed up with
Shapiro+Raj, a research company with more than 50 years of experience of conducting behavior and opinion research, to get a clear pulse on the B2B Gift Card Industry. As a company we are constantly learning and evolving in the marketplace as trends in technology, payments, wellness and much more continue to grow. In order to be the best partner for our clients, we needed a strong understanding of what was happening out on the front lines, with the consumer, not just B2B. Our 2014 B2B Gift Card Study did just that. We focused on two key areas:

Whole Foods locations will be increasing almost three-fold in the coming years. America's healthiest grocery store saw an 8% increase in sales in their third quarter, a record $3.6 billion. Strong cash flow and increased revenue have allowed room for this expansion. To start, Whole Foods has recently signed 8 new leases for both Whole Foods Market and the first opening of 365 by Whole Foods Market Stores, expected to hit the scene in 2016. 365 by Whole Foods is a new convenient and affordable way to get all the food you crave, 365 days a year. Grocery staples, fresh produce, prepared foods and more with the same quality standards as a typical Whole Food store.

The 2015 Flu season is still a few months away, but now is a great time to start getting prepared. Every year the United States experiences an epidemic of seasonal flu. While flu season peaks in the winter months, flu outbreaks can happen as early as October and can last all the way into May. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older. This is the first and most important step to protecting oneself from this very serious disease. People should start getting vaccinated as soon as the flu shot becomes available. Many flu shot providers receive the vaccine as early as July or August. The CDC encourages getting the shot preferably by October. But as long as the flu virus is spreading, it’s not too late to get vaccinated. The flu shot has become easy to obtain. Even without insurance or appointment, CVS/pharmacy offers adolescent, adult, & senior flu shots right in the store while CVS/minute clinic locations offer all that and pediatric flu shots as well. All vaccines are administered by a certified immunizing pharmacist or through a nurse practitioner or physician assistant at Minute Clinic locations.

The B2B gift card market is ever changing, especially in the Business-to-Business or B2B sector of the market. The B2B sector, which includes third party gift cards, loyalty and incentive programs, corporate wellness and more, now stretches to make up a significant piece of the gift card market.

The first trulyomnichannel auto repair system is upon us as AutoZone partners with Openbay. The partnership, launching this month, will allow consumers (beginning in the Boston area) to comparison shop service and maintenance packages with local repair shops for their specific vehicles. The service combines AutoZone store parts with Openbay's online marketplace for auto repair. Learn more details about the partnership on Openbay's blog. The partnership enables true omnichannel retailing from both parties, combining the online comparison shopping enabled by Openbay and the in-store experience consumers have come to know and depend on for both parts and service from AutoZone.