These days, online & offline stores are offering gift cards to their customers that can be used on various occasions. Gift cards do make excellent marketing tools. It is generally promoted by large and small organizations to boost their trade. It also appeals well to both new and existing customers. They are also considered to be a highly reliable marketing tool especially for special service retail stores or businesses like bookstores and day spas. They can be displayed easily at the cash register or the front desk for easy access. People do love getting gift cards from their beloved ones that can be put to good use. Nowadays, even employers offer a variety of gift cards to their employees as incentives for achieving a target. This improves the morale of the employees and compels them to do much better.
Benefits derived from using gift cards
The best gift cards do offer various benefits to those who prefer to use it. A few are mentioned below:
- Greater brand awareness: Gift cards that are created specifically for a company or shop are likely to be provided a unique design. It will match the specific logo or brand. It does make a wonderful marketing tool often remembered by the customer for a long time. This is more so by those who prefer to store such cards inside their wallet or purse. More shoppers seem to be interested in purchasing these cards and present the same to their friends or family members on birthdays, holidays and on various occasions. Thus, the brand continues to get passed to new potential customers in huge numbers and increasing in popularity. Besides this, it is possible to design these cards in customized options or unique packing to tailor fully the company or store’s marketing programs. This helps optimize perceived value.
- Lures new customers: This is one of the major benefits to be derived from gift cards. It is quite effective to attract those customers who generally refrain from visiting any specific service or business. Having more usable cash in hand, such people can be found to search for a shop to buy something that appeals or is desired by them to suit their interests or preferences. If they find the shop interesting, then they can be expected to come back as repeat customers and indulge in shopping, thus increasing revenue of the business.
- Universal benefits: Gift cards do offer customers with plenty of choices to make from. They offer complete option to select preferred merchandise from the specified shop. Also, they are not required to accept any product that is chosen for them. This freedom of choice has been appreciated by the majority. It also offers benefits similar to cash.
- Improve sales: Generally, gift cards get purchased at a particular value. However, lots of customers are there who spend a good amount on high priced items. Such gift cards do make excellent incentives to attract customers to visit the store and check out the available products. On getting interested in any product, they spend actual cash besides the card’s value. The product may only be bit more expensive when compared to the card value. But still, it increases sales while ensuring satisfied customers.
Hence, gift cards are found to be beneficial to stores, companies and customers alike.
