GiftCard Partners Blog

In just two weeks, the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, LA will be filled with hundreds of companies who will gather to discuss the latest trends in the payments industry at the All Payments Expo 2016. GiftCard Partners will be there taking part in the discussion, and we are hoping you will be there too! Over 80 speakers will be featured at this year's APEX, including: Erin Wood, Director Card Programmer, from Subway, Dan Springer, President, from Great Lakes Scrip Center, Matt Davies, CEO, from Powerhouse Brands, Sarah Quinlan, SVP, from
MasterCard...and many, many more!

The only thing constant in the B2B gift card market is that it’s constantly evolving. This can leave retailers scrambling to keep up with the flow and not get left behind. One such evolution is digital gift card growth in the B2B market. Retailers are taking a closer look at the effect this growth in digital has on the bottom line of their B2B gift card program.

In the tenth edition of Forrester Research’s “State of Online Retailing” report, we learned something profound about how our shopping has evolved. For the first time, smartphones drive retail sales, surpassing computers and tablets in online shopping dollars. Not only have tablets fallen off as a sales driver, but they have also found a new, innovative home in a different corner of the retail cycle.

A recent CashStar study discussing the popularity of gift cards showed a surprising number of consumers are looking for a smartphone solution to keep track of the gift cards they receive. Thestudy looked at a diverse group of gift card givers and receivers from different demographic groups and regions across the country. What they found was that most prefer to give or receive mobile gift cards for a variety of reasons, including convenience, balance tracking, and the personalization it gives the ‘gifter’. So as gift cards remain a top gift choice for 9 years running, it’s important for merchants to note the desire consumers have for managing and storing them digitally.

Technology is part of all of our lives and, if you haven't already, it may be the right time to add technology to your rewards program. Technology can help integrate rewards into existing HR systems, integrate your rewards program into your employees’ consumer behaviors, and eliminate some of the cost of the program. Here are HR.BLR.com’s“ 4 C’s” for integrating technology into employee rewards.