Best Practices to Increase Gift Card Sales

As part of the recently released report, 2022 Merchant Gift Card Omnicommerce Evaluation, US Edition, the authors, NAPCO Research and Blackhawk Network, provided tips for improving the performance of gift card programs across three primary channels: e-commerce/digital; in-store; mobile. Retailers and brands should consider implementing these tips into their own organizations to capture market share in the rapidly growing gift card industry.

E-Commerce

• Add a Gift Cards section to your homepage, preferably in the top navigation.
• Give consumers choice and the option to customize their gift card purchases, including design and messaging.
• Optimize the gift card recipient experience by making it easy to check the card’s balance, reload funds, and re-gift it to others.

In-Store

• Carry other brands’ gift cards in your stores.
• Provide informative and visually engaging signage to drive shoppers to your gift card offerings.
• Offer multiple varieties of your store’s own gift cards, both on fixtures and checkstands.

Mobile

• Make gift cards available for purchase in bulk, targeting B-to-B customers.
• Integrate your brand’s loyalty program (e.g., earn points, rewards) into gift card promotions.
• Optimize site search results for the variation of the term “gift cards,” including “gifts.”

Download the full report, which includes the rankings of all 100 merchants' omnicommerce gift card programs evaluated in the 176-criteria assessment (including broken down by product category), as well as more valuable trends and tips gleaned from the data.