With the holiday season upon us, gift cards are one of the most requested items.

There are huge benefits and advantages to offering gift cards at your business. They allow the gift card receiver the option of choosing the perfect gift. Whether you are running a bakery or a hardware store, gift cards can be advantageous for a wide range of businesses. Let’s talk you through some of the biggest benefits of gift cards, along with how you can use ShopKeep to successfully sell gift cards at your store.

Sales

One of the primary benefits of gift cards is that they can get your sales numbers booming. They are also important revenue drivers during and after the holiday rush. Statistics show that 72 percent of customers who redeem gift cards spend more than the value on the card. Also, on average, 20 percent of recipients spend above the value of their gift card. The average amount applied to gift cards is $40. They are the gift that keeps on giving, as many people who receive gift cards visit your store throughout the following months and well into the next year. These customers are also great word-of-mouth marketing.

Marketing

Get the word out there about your shop with small business gift cards. Gift Cards are like mini billboards. Let them do the advertising for you. At a low cost to you, the card itself is a great way of establishing your brand. At minimum, include the name of your business and your location and contact info. With your logo and business information prominently on the card, customers will know where to visit to redeem the gift card and won’t forget to use it when it’s nestled next to their credit card.

Gift cards can also be used to attract new customers, building on your already loyal customer base. Being a recipient of a gift card can be an introduction of your business to new customers. A customer who might not have otherwise known about your shop will now visit you with interest. And, as we mentioned above, this customer is likely to spend more than the value of the card.

Your regular customers may want to share their experience at your store with family or friends and gift cards are an easy way to do that. People who would normally have overlooked your store will soon become customers. You can even incentivize your customers to return by running promotions, such as offering a $5 gift card with the purchase of $75 or more from your store. These promotions are a great way to encourage your customers to return.

Getting Started

Now that you’ve read about all the benefits of gift cards, let’s talk about ShopKeep Gift Cards. ShopKeep Gift Cards is fully integrated with your Register and BackOffice, making it easy for you to sell and track gift cards, understanding their exact effect on your bottom line.

In terms of designing those cards, ShopKeep offers two options with unlimited possibilities. For an understated look, personalized gift cards are the best option. They contain the most important information about your business such as name, address, and contact information, but still have a bright and colorful design. For a unique look, upload your logo onto our gift card portal to match the look and feel of your business. After the design is approved, they’ll ship directly to your business.

Once you’re all set with your gift cards, place them near your cash wrap. They can be purchased and redeemed right at the register just like any other form of payment, which means they won’t slow down transaction time. It’s a great idea to place them near some of your more popular items. Information about them can be added to the bottom of your receipts and email receipts. This way, customers know that gift cards are an option for them to purchase.

We hope this post has taught you about some of the great benefits to gift cards and how they work with ShopKeep. When you’re ready to get started, contact us and we’ll help you get set up.

Coretta Stembridge

Coretta Stembridge

Coretta Stembridge is a Product Documentation Specialist at ShopKeep, the #1-rated iPad Point of Sale System. She enjoys sharing helpful, in-depth information about hardware and software through the ShopKeep Support site.