Table of contents
This Christmas season, 69% of Australian shoppers will be reducing their spending budget and 93% of retailers say that they will have additional plans in place to prepare for the silly season. However, shoppers are expected to spend considerably more on gift cards, and the gift card industry continues to grow. According to the Q2 2021 Global Gift Card Survey, the gift card industry in Australia is expected to grow by 12.2% on annual basis in 2021. If you aren’t selling gift cards, you may be missing out on key end-of-year revenue.
During the festive season, you’ll find gift cards are more popular with shoppers. In fact, recent Afterpay data found that Aussie shoppers are most likely to purchase gift cards or vouchers, followed by clothing and accessories and children’s toys this Christmas season.
Gift Cards are a no-brainer gift to give, and who doesn’t love to receive money to spend in their favourite store? Plus, you can even customise them with your branding!
There are many ways gift cards can benefit your business and boost sales over the busy peak period. For instance, it is very common for customers to spend more than the value of the gift-card in-store or online. Gift cards can also help you track sales data and customer behavior throughout the silly season so that you can better plan for next year.
How can Square help?
Let’s keep it simple, there’s no subscription or redemption fee to run a gift card program with Square, and you can sell, redeem, track, and reload without any additional tools (it’s all integrated into your point-of-sale system. You can also work with pre-designed templates (for both physical or e-gift cards) or create your own custom look.
No matter if you want simple digital eGift cards, quick cards with your business name, and a quick message or custom cards, we’ve got you covered!
If you’ve never thought to offer gift cards before — or you already offer them but need some ideas to jumpstart sales — here are some ideas to help you sell Christmas gift cards this season.
How to promote your gift cards
At your brick-and-mortar store, there are plenty of opportunities to showcase and promote your gift card offerings. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Use visual displays and signage: Give your gift cards pride of place next to the register to maximise gift card sales. You can set them up on stands, on the pickup counter, or in window displays. Signage—like menu boards or street signs—are a great option for holiday gift card promotions, too.
Utilise receipts: Include a callout to your gift cards on your receipts (you can add and customise these customer-facing messages on your Square receipts in your Dashboard).
Go omnichannel: If you offer e-gift cards, consider posting on your social channels and on your website homepage to let customers know that you sell gift cards online.
Offer a deal: Consider sweetening a purchase by offering a gift for the person buying the gift card. For example, “Buy a $50 gift card and get a candle for yourself.” Or offer Christmas gift card deals, such as selling a $100 gift card for $80.
Collaborate: Create a gift card collaboration with other local businesses to promote shopping in your community and expose your business to new customers.
Be bold: Make gift card designs bold so they’ll stand out. For some festive gift card ideas, try a holiday-themed interpretation of your logo or a fun image, or purchase cards specifically for the season.
The above advice only works if you can get someone to your store, website, or to your profiles on social networks and marketplaces. But if your customers don’t know you sell gift cards, they can’t buy them. So, you need to create a gift card strategy and invest time in promotions and marketing.
Get the word out to your current customers through your social media channels and email marketing. Create campaigns that include photos of your gift cards with your products and make sure to mention any promotions you’re having.
Try collaborating with other local businesses, you could join forces and run a social media competition to win different products from each business. If you require entrants to follow and tag their friends you will gain exposure, new followers and hopefully some additional gift card sales, win win!
How to sell gift cards online
If you have a website, make sure your eGift Cards are in a prominent space for shoppers to see. Think of your top website ribbon, or header banner, you might even consider adding a banner or simple pop-up message to encourage clicks and garner interest. You might also create discounts and promotional codes from your Square Dashboard for your holiday gift cards. In addition to using your website to sell gift cards, you can sell them on social media.
Tip: It’s important to be strategic about which platforms make the most sense for your products, brand, and customers.
How to accept gift cards in store
Gift cards are integrated right into your Square Point of Sale and Dashboard. When a customer pays with a gift card in store, just enter the card number or swipe the card and the balance will update automatically. All gift card transactions will show up in your reporting, and you can export a full report of gift card sales right from your Square Dashboard. And once you’re up and running, you’ll receive transfers for gift card activations instantly, or within one to two business days.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. For specific advice applicable to your business, please contact a professional.
