While digital gift card sales have increased significantly in recent years, gift cards sold in stores are still one of the most popular holiday gifts. According to the latest consumer survey, 66% of consumers still prefer a physical gift card when it comes to giving and receiving gifts.
With this in mind, how can you maximize your ability to sell in-store gift cards this holiday season?
This is a question we’ve been proactively helping our customers answer over the past few weeks. We’ve gathered insights from resources across the industry, including through the Fiserv consumer survey and Blackhawk’s multi-national merchant evaluation, to identify a few best practices that restaurants and retailers can use to make their in-store gift cards stand out.
5 Ways to Make Your In-Store Gift Cards Stand Out this Holiday Season
Here are five simple ways you can make your in-store gift cards stand out this holiday season:
1. Keep gift cards stands tidy and well-stocked.
The location of your gift card stands is one of the most important factors for selling gift cards. One of the best ways to make it easy to find your gift cards is to place them in areas where customers are checking out. For retailers, this means making sure your checkout stands are well-stocked with gift cards. For restaurants, this could mean putting up a gift card stand near the host station. It’s also important to keep the space clean and organized. The more cluttered your checkout stand is, the more likely it will be that people won’t see your gift cards.
2. Place gift card stands throughout your space for cross-selling opportunities.
In addition to placing gift cards at the checkout, consider placing a few gift card stands throughout your space. For example, a clothing retailer might add a gift card stand near its jewelry section with a message such as, “Struggling to find the perfect pair of earrings? Why not let them choose with a gift card?” Helping to identify the consumer’s need and address it can lead to increased gift card sales.
Restaurants also have a unique opportunity to promote gift cards in high-traffic areas. Restaurants often have over 30 minutes to capture the attention of their customers. Placing advertisements in the bathroom or locating gift card stands in between booths can attract the eyes of dine-in customers.
3. Use eye-catching signage to capture attention.
Noticeable signage also helps customers locate gift cards to drive up purchasing numbers. One simple way to do this is by organizing gift cards in a vertical display rack that puts them in the line of sight for your consumers. The promotional signage you use is also important. Be sure your signage is branded and includes any gift card promotions you’re running at the moment.
4. Include holiday-themed gift card designs.
One simple way to sell more holiday gift cards is to provide holiday-themed designs on your cards. Designs reflective of the holiday season play well with consumers, with 44% of recent survey respondents saying they would purchase a holiday-themed card. Having multiple options is one of the most important gift card design strategies you can implement this holiday season.
5. Use enhanced promotional strategies
The in-store experience you design is important when selling physical gift cards. Landing on an appealing holiday promotion is equally essential. If you’re struggling to sell in-store gift cards, consider some outside-the-box ideas to promote them. Creating a specific promotion for in-store gift cards and marketing it through social media channels and email marketing is a great way to drive increased traffic to your store.
Design, Promote, and Sell Holiday Gift Cards with Card Market
Card Market has the tools you need to sell digital and physical gift cards with ease. We help you promote, sell, and track your gift cards so that you can share your products and services with current and new customers. Are you ready to learn more about Card Market’s services?
Contact us today to schedule a consultation.