--- title: B2B Gift Card Industry Pulse description: Your update on the constantly evolving B2B gift card industry. We're sharing what our company learns from attending conferences and studying the latest reports in order to give you insight on what’s coming in 2019. image: https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/GCP_Website/Internal%20Pages/Header%20images/B2B%20industry%20update%20header%20-%20cropped.jpg --- [![GCP_Logo_Stack_RGB_FullColor](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/GCP_Logo_Stack_RGB_FullColor.svg "GCP_Logo_Stack_RGB_FullColor")](https://www.giftcardpartners.com?hsLang=en-us) [![Free Program Consult](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/214950/51efe588-ba5e-40c2-850d-3120279c4ac0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/214950/51efe588-ba5e-40c2-850d-3120279c4ac0) ![B2B Gift Card Pulse - Gift Card Partners](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/GCP_Website/Internal%20Pages/Header%20images/B2B%20industry%20update%20header%20-%20cropped.jpg "B2B Gift Card Pulse - Gift Card Partners") # The B2B Gift Card Pulse Your update on the constantly evolving B2B gift card industry. We're sharing what our company learns from attending conferences and studying the latest reports in order to give you insight on what’s coming in 2019. Check it out now!   ## RGCA 2018 & Closed-Loop Gift Cards We attended the 2018 RGCA and learned exciting new information on purchasing trends, gift card use, and how to combat gift card fraud. With so many useful and insightful presentations, we are bringing you the highlights of what we discovered.   ## Consumer Purchasing Trends1 ![Screen Shot 2018-11-14 at 4.00.46 PM](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.00.46%20PM.png?width=500&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.00.46%20PM.png) Key Takeaways: - Physical is still the preferred format across all age groups, and the average amount of cards purchased continues to grow YOY. - Consumers love gift cards more than any other gift. - For the 5th year in a row, Lift is increasing. - When it comes to branded currency, Generation Z behaves similarly to Millennials. ## New Sales Trend Information Q: How is your gift card business trending YTD through the end of September?2 ![Trends ](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.42.03%20PM.png?width=700&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.42.03%20PM.png) Q: What is the key factor driving the above trend?2 ## ![Screen Shot 2018-11-14 at 4.43.09 PM](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.43.09%20PM.png?width=700&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.43.09%20PM.png) ## Gift Card Self-Use Self-purchasing is up (6% YOY), and the majority are spending more on themselves vs. others.1 ![Screen Shot 2018-11-14 at 4.26.12 PM](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.26.12%20PM.png?width=600&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.26.12%20PM.png) Q: Do you consider self-use a positive or negative value for your business?2 ![Screen Shot 2018-11-14 at 4.32.36 PM](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.32.36%20PM.png?width=700&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.32.36%20PM.png) At 41%, the majority of brands do not promote their gift cards for self-use, while 20% promote self-use to a small degree. Nearly 75% of brands do not measure how self-use affects their overall gift card ROI.2   ## Third Party Promotions Q: What changes are you seeing in the promotional landscape?2 ![Screen Shot 2018-11-14 at 4.46.34 PM](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.46.34%20PM.png?width=700&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.46.34%20PM.png) When it comes to measuring B2B business coming out of 3rd Party Programs, 50% of brands are able to measure all elements and include the history sales shifts at the program level, while a third report challenges with being able to measure these shifts.²   ## New Data: Fraud Update3 ![Fraud Update](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Content_2018/Industry%20Update%202018%20Q4/Blog%20Post/Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.48.05%20PM.png?width=800&name=Screen%20Shot%202018-11-14%20at%204.48.05%20PM.png) 1. Retrieved from* First Data & Gift Solution’s RGCA Session Preview of U.S. Consumer Insights *2.* *Retrieved from** the RGCA 2018 Keynote Poll **3. Retrieved from ***TIGTA & InComm’s 2018 RGCA Keynote Session*** --- ## News from GiftCard Partners **![Incentive Research Foundation](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCP_Website/Logos/Partners/IRF-LOGO_CMYK.png?width=100&name=IRF-LOGO_CMYK.png)** **GiftCard Partners Releases Findings from Exclusive Research Study with the Incentive Research Foundation** Report details insights from a recent market survey on managers’ use of gift cards as employee rewards and how managers use gift cards to engage their employees effectively. [Read more](https://www.prweb.com/releases/giftcard_partners_releases_findings_from_exclusive_research_study_with_the_incentive_research_foundation/prweb15828211.htm)   **![brightest-120x120](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/brightest-120x120.png?width=100&name=brightest-120x120.png)** **GiftCard Partners, Inc. Named One of Boston’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For – 6 years running** GiftCard Partners, Inc. has been named one of Boston’s Best and Brightest Companies to work for in 2018 by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). [Read more](https://www.prweb.com/releases/giftcard_partners_inc_named_one_of_bostons_best_and_brightest_companies_to_work_for_6_years_running/prweb15822554.htm) *"At GiftCard Partners, our goal is to bring you up to speed on the state of the B2B gift card industry, so you can make the best decisions for your program."* ***![Deborah Merkin_Headshot 2017-circle transparent](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCP_Website/Headshots/Deborah%20Merkin_Headshot%202017-circle%20transparent.png?width=69&name=Deborah%20Merkin_Headshot%202017-circle%20transparent.png)Deb Merkin*** *CEO & Founder, GiftCard Partners* ##### Learn more about how our customized services can work for your gift card program: [![GCP-Stacked-Small-Trans](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCP-Stacked-Small-Trans.png?width=125&height=65&name=GCP-Stacked-Small-Trans.png "GCP-Stacked-Small-Trans")](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/?hsLang=en-us) GiftCard Partners is a full-service gift card agency that offers customized B2B gift card services for merchants and retailers in the payments industry. 1 (800) 413-9101 [services@giftcardpartners.com](mailto:services@giftcardpartners.com) - [** ](https://twitter.com/GiftCardPartner) - [** ](https://www.facebook.com/GiftCardPartners) - [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/giftcard-partners-inc) ### Contact Us © 2026 GiftCard Partners, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The GiftCard Partners name and logo, and other trademarks are trademarks of GiftCard Partners Inc. and may not be used without permission. The names of other companies, products and services are the property of their respective owners. ![wbenc-logo-gcp 2](https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wbenc-logo-gcp%202.png?width=119&name=wbenc-logo-gcp%202.png)  [![Click for the BBB Business Review of this Gift Certificates/Cards in Wellesley Hls MA](https://seal-boston.bbb.org/seals/blue-seal-250-52-giftcardpartnersinc-514075.png)](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/wellesley-hls/profile/gift-cards/giftcard-partners-inc-0021-514075#sealclick) ![](https://ws.zoominfo.com/pixel/610c479c6fe15e00132badac) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "kg:/g/11f7kwq_t6", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Wellesley", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "02481", "streetAddress" : "47 Pine Plain Rd" }, "areaServed" : [ "United States" ], "brand" : { "@type" : "Brand", "alternateName" : [ "Gift Card Partners", "Engage2Reward Gift Card Portal", "B2B Gift Card Company", "Gift Card Program Management" ], "description" : "Bulk Gift Cards, Corporate Gift Cards, Gift Card API. GiftCard Partners is a full-service gift card company with client-focused custom gift card services and solutions for employee incentives and corporate gift card programs. GiftCard Partners offers the latest technology in gift card API, gift card software and gift card program management through Engage2Reward™ - a fully customizable gift card platform to easily order and send bulk gift cards; physical, e-gift cards, or prepaid cards to your employees or B2B gift card recipients. GiftCard Partners will be the flexible, nimble extension of your team with experienced strategies to make sure your corporate gift card program offers you the best solution.", "disambiguatingDescription" : "B2B Gift Card Solutions for employee gift card programs, corporate rewards and other loyalty reward programs with a leading gift card distributor and gift card program management company in the US.", "image" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png", "logo" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/GCP_Website/Logos/logo.svg", "name" : "GiftCard Partners®", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "Action", "target" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/rewards/contact-us" }, "sameAs" : [ "https://www.google.com/search?q=bulk+gift+cards&kgmid=/m/0f405n", "https://www.google.com/search?q=employee+gift+cards&kgmid=/m/047vnn4", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card" ], "slogan" : "Bulk Gift Cards, Corporate Gift Cards and Prepaid Digital Solutions", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/" }, "email" : "rewards@giftcardpartners.com", "founder" : { "@type" : "Person", "description" : "Deborah Merkin founded GiftCard Partners in 2003 to provide complete gift card solutions for employee gift cards and corporate gift card programs.", "knowsAbout" : [ "Bulk Gift Cards", "Gift Cards for employees", "Corporate gift cards", "Gift card API", "Gift card incentives", "Prepaid digital gift cards", "Prepaid Visa gift cards", "Gift card program", "Corporate gift card programs", "Employee engagement", "Gift card platform", "Gift card merchant services", "Gift card portal", "Gift card rewards programs" ], "name" : "Deborah Merkin" }, "foundingDate" : "2003", "foundingLocation" : "USA", "hasOfferCatalog" : { "@id" : "kg:/g/11f7kwq_t6", "@type" : "OfferCatalog", "additionalType" : "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@id" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/shop-brands", "@type" : "Product", "additionalType" : [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulk_purchasing" ], "description" : "Bulk gift cards for corporate gift card programs or gift cards for employees. Prepaid digital solutions for gift card incentive programs.", "image" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png", "name" : "Bulk Gift Cards", "offers" : { "@type" : "Offer", "availability" : "https://schema.org/InStock", "price" : "0", "priceCurrency" : "USD", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/shop-brands" }, "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/shop-brands" } }, { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@id" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/e2r-gift-card-api", "@type" : "Service", "additionalType" : [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API" ], "description" : "Engage2Reward offers quick & seamless integration to bulk gift cards from over 400 unique gift card brands. Integrate with your mobile app or other platform to seamlessly order and deliver gift cards directly to your recipients, making gift card fulfillment fast and easy.", "image" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png", "name" : "Reward Connect™ Gift Card API", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/e2r-gift-card-api" } }, { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@id" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/gift-card-rewards-employee-engagement-recognition/", "@type" : "Product", "additionalType" : [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment#Employee", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incentive_program" ], "description" : "Gift cards for employees and employee engagement. Choose from over 400 brands for employee gift cards. Whether you are looking to give prepaid reward cards, send branded gift cards for surveys, or other gift card incentives for sales or wellness rewards, the Engage2Reward Platform powered by GiftCard Partners offers custom solutions for your gift card program.", "image" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png", "name" : "Gift Cards for employees", "offers" : { "@type" : "Offer", "availability" : "https://schema.org/InStock", "price" : "0", "priceCurrency" : "USD", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/gift-card-rewards-employee-engagement-recognition/" }, "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/gift-card-rewards-employee-engagement-recognition" } }, { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@id" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/order-gift-cards/visar-ereward-card-12-month-expiration", "@type" : "Product", "additionalType" : [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_card", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_Inc." ], "description" : "Prepaid Visa® Cards can be purchased in bulk for your corporate gift card program.", "image" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png", "name" : "Prepaid Visa® Cards", "offers" : { "@type" : "Offer", "availability" : "https://schema.org/InStock", "price" : "0", "priceCurrency" : "USD", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/order-gift-cards/visar-ereward-card-12-month-expiration" }, "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/order-gift-cards/visar-ereward-card-12-month-expiration" } } ], "name" : "Bulk Gift Cards, Corporate Gift Cards, Gift Card API", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com" }, "identifier" : [ "https://www.google.com/search?q=gift+cards&kgmid=/m/047vnn4", "https://www.google.com/search?q=bulk+gift+cards&kgmid=/m/0f405n", "https://www.google.com/search?q=employee+gift+cards&kgmid=/m/047vnn4", "https://www.google.com/search?q=corporate+gift+cards&kgmid=/m/047vnn4", "https://www.google.com/search?q=gift+card+incentives&kgmid=/m/026kxv" ], "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "author" : "GiftCard Partners™", "contentLocation" : "Wellesley, Massachusetts", "creator" : "GiftCard Partners™", "description" : "Bulk gift cards for employee gift card programs, corporate gift card programs and prepaid digital solutions such as prepaid Visa gift cards for incentives and rewards programs.", "name" : "Bulk Gift Cards & Corporate Gift Card Programs", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/2021_Q1%20Email%20Images/GCPBrand_Fan_Email2021_V3.png" }, "logo" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com/hubfs/GCP_Website/Logos/logo.svg", "memberOf" : "https://www.wbenc.org", "name" : "GiftCard Partners, Inc.", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/giftcard-partners-inc/", "https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.giftcard_partners_inc.e95fd75026bc4db6b60abebb0e741b1e.html", "https://thebestandbrightest.com/companies/giftcard-partners-inc-3/", "https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/wellesley-hls/profile/gift-cards/giftcard-partners-inc-0021-5140755", "https://mobile.twitter.com/giftcardpartner", "https://www.facebook.com/GiftCardPartners/", "https://rocketreach.co/giftcard-partners-inc-profile_b5c0bf86f42e087a", "https://www.zoominfo.com/c/giftcard-partners-inc/60049545", "https://www.visualvisitor.com/companies/1525644/giftcard-partners-inc", "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK0FyeD7Z4bvHYOpKuKbbKA" ], "telephone" : "+18004139101", "url" : "https://www.giftcardpartners.com" } ```