An evening at the cinema, a nice dinner or a new outfit: nowadays, you can give everything as a gift via a gift card. No wonder its popularity is increasing! The big advantage is that 61% of consumers spend much more than what is stated on the card. On average, they double the amount! And the gift card has many more advantages. What are the options, and how can you use the gift card? You can read that in this blog.

Closed-loop gift card: from one retail chain

Many retail chains have their own gift card. We call this a closed-loop gift card. An example of this is the HEMA gift card. This can be purchased in the store and can only be spent in HEMA stores. A nice gift if the recipient’s favourite store is known.

Open-loop gift card: for multiple retail chains

The book voucher, cinema voucher and podium gift card have one thing in common: they can be spent in several places. These open-loop gift cards are ideal for people who don’t know exactly where the recipient likes to shop. If a store accepts an open-loop gift card, it pays a ‘fee’. For example, by paying a fixed amount every month.

Te gift card as a marketing tool

You can easily use a gift card as a discount card. For example, by distributing a card with a small amount of credit on it through a magazine or in the city. You have undoubtedly held a Hello Fresh discount card in your hands. They make smart use of the gift card and entice people to order a sample box. The consumer thus has a real ‘gift’ in his hands. This boosts traffic to your website and creates new customers.

Tip! Are you going to work on this? Then choose a nice, sturdy card. Experience shows that thin paper gift tags are used much less often!

E-vouchers: the digital gift card

It is also possible to work with a digital credit, where you do not need a card at all. Send a code or link and the customer will receive a credit to spend freely. This sounds very practical and certainly has advantages, but consumers prefer to receive a physical gift card. Research shows that 60% of buyers find a discount code impersonal. They prefer to give a nice card as a gift.

Gift cards in all shapes and materials

When most people think of a gift card, they think of a plastic card in the size of a bank card. This is the most common form, but there are so many more possibilities! For example, Dille&Kamille asked us for an environmentally friendly card made of recyclable cardboard. No problem. You can determine the material yourself, but you are also completely free in terms of shape. How about a heart-shaped gift card for Valentine’s Day? How lovely!

Physical pass or digital code: which is the best choice?

If you choose a physical card with charming packaging, your customer will really have a gift in his hands. Nice to receive and nicer to give. If you prefer to save on costs, a digital code might be a better choice. This is very practical and cheap. Remember that people prefer to give a physical pass as a gift!

We like to think along with you

What is the best choice for you? We like to think along with you. We are the market leader in gift cards and always provide a pass that suits you. Keep an eye on our blog for more interesting articles, or contact us without obligation.