GiftCard Partners Blog

As the holiday season approaches and the holiday shopping season descends consumers are spending more than they have in recent memory, but they are still looking to save and add value whenever possible. Adding a loyalty program for your consumers, your employees, or both can add measurable value to your business. Adding a loyalty program for consumers will keep them coming back throughout the holiday season, and an employee loyalty program will keep employees satisfied and motivated during a busy time of year. Loyalty programs can take a variety of forms, from a points system in which consumers or employees can accrue points over time based on purchases or a job well done respectively,  to a rewards based system where consumers or employees receive rewards, such as gift cards, for these same behaviors. According to Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, "From a data/analytics/insight perspective, the generic branded, especially the reloadable cards are more important [for brands] and you glean more insight into the interests of the consumer." Johnson goes on to note that the ease of use gift cards provide to both consumers and employees makes them very valuable in the context of loyalty programs. During the holiday season as people become busy and very budget conscious, gift cards help ease the burden on necessities such as clothing from
The Limited or
The Children's Place, or gifts for others from retailers such as
1-800-Flowers. The flexibility of gift cards offers employees and consumers the flexibility to use the loyalty rewards gifted to them on gifts for others.  
For more information on gift cards as loyalty rewards check out this article from BizReport.

Although the holidays are still 3 months away now is the time to begin planning your end of year employee rewards. For many companies money is still tight, and often end of year bonuses are still not in the budget. There are still many effective ways to reward your employees at the end of the year. These rewards are the most important rewards you give all year, as they are what will motivate your workforce into 2013. Many companies give out gift cards during the holiday season, often to restaurants like the
Cheesecake Factory. These cards allow employees to enjoy a meal out with their friends and/or family, helping to ease their seasonal financial constraints. Other organizations are giving out gift cards to promote healthy living such as the
CVS/pharmacy Select card, to help employees make good on their New Year’s Resolutions. Other organizations wait until the craziness of the holidays has subsided and throw a big party for employees in January, offering a chance for employees to decompress and enjoy spending time together, outside of the office. However you choose to reward your employees this holiday season, ensure that the rewards you choose are effective in motivating and rewarding your workplace demographic. Give the employees what they want, so they can continue to use their expendable energy on reaching company goals in 2013.
For more information on how best to reward your employees this holiday season check out this article in British Marketing Week.

“After years of recession-fueled frugality, more Americans are feeling the holiday gift-giving spirit in 2011”, says a recent USAA survey. Has your company’s holiday giving increased this year? Budgeting was likely done a year ago, but are you spending more for employee and customer gifts due to better times or do you fall in the “budget glue” category? Have you thought of
gift cards as budget glue? You can literally stick to the dollar of your company gift giving budget with flexible denominations, while giving the gift that people really want – choice!

Save 10% on Holiday Gifts your Employees Can Really Use! This November through December, CVS/pharmacy
^®introduces Project Thankful™, a corporate gift card program that offers new customers a bonus $250 in eGift cards for every $2,500 in CVS eGift cards they purchase. CVS eGift cards are the perfect pick for keeping your employees and their families healthy this holiday season. They can purchase healthful items for themselves and their family, from flu shots to prescriptions and health and beauty products. Show your employees you’re thankful and thoughtful this holiday season and save!
 This offer expires December 31^st, 2011, so make your purchase today.

Even though it is not yet Halloween financial analysts and retail experts are already working to predict holiday spending.  With an unstable economy and uncertain times ahead most shoppers will be keeping tight budgets, and not making extravagant purchases.  According to a recent Accenture survey "One quarter of shoppers (24 percent) plan to have a 'thrifty' holiday season and one in five (18 percent) admit that they will be 'focused on necessities', just 6 percent admit to planning 'extravagant' or 'unrestrained' holiday spending." In this type of market, where consumers are being conservative with their holiday budgets gift givers want to ensure that they give "targeted" gifts.  These are gifts where the givers' dollar is stretched and the giver is sure the receiver is going to use and enjoy the gift.  Gift cards are great examples of "targeted" gifts, they are meaningful, and guaranteed to be enjoyed.  Allowing a friend or employee to enjoy dinner with their family, or to splurge on a new outfit is a win/win; a low risk purchase for the giver and a high reward for the receiver. With 43% of survey respondents claiming that they have less income than last year, and historic economic swings, it is going to be a year of low risk gift purchases. Remember the value of gift cards as you make your holiday purchases this year, whether it be for your friends, or employees.  
For more information on the recent Accenture survey click here.