5 Ways To Increase Gift Card Sales During The Holidays

With the holiday season fast approaching, the boost in retail sales across Canada is imminent. As a Canadian business owner, you may already be reaping the benefits that come along with all of those extra customers. There is, however, a sure-fire way to continue reaping such benefits well into the new year. And that is to sell gift cards! Yes, this topic may not be anything new to the Canadian POS Corporation Blog. But, at this time of year, its importance needs to be underlined.

In fact, the importance of selling gift cards during the busy holiday shopping season is a topic that needs to be highlighted, bolded and surrounded in lights! Christmas lights, preferably. This is because business owners all over Canada have discovered the wonders of selling gift cards throughout the year. So you know that means that when it’s time to shop for Christmas gifts, gift cards are all the rage.

Is there any reason to not offer your customers the ability to purchase gift cards? We think not. In the next few weeks, you’ll have more opportunities to sell gift cards than at any other time of the year. With all of the new customers coming your way, they should be a lot easier to sell. However, on Inc.com, Tamara Schweitzer writes there are ways that you can double your gift card sales. Here are five ways to do it.

1. Sell Packages. Perhaps, you can do more for your gift card recipients that simply offer them merchandise for the amount of money placed on the purchased cards. “Think about the types of experiences that you can offer customers through your business, and then create gift cards for several different price points,” writes Schweitzer. Maybe your customers can get a bit more for for their gift card purchases by adding certain incentives such as discounts on future purchases.

2. Clean up Your Website. It’s never a bad idea to keep your website updated. People love shopping online during the holidays more than any other time of year. Go figure, right? Not only should you promote your gift cards online, but you’ll want to promote all of those items you sell that people may want when they receive your cards. “Do not underestimate the role that convenience plays in the purchasing of gift cards during the holidays,” says Schweitzer.

3. Create a Campaign. As we alluded to earlier, it’s important not to assume that your gift cards will automatically sell themselves. Sure, they are hot commodities during this time of year. But as Schweitzer points out, “most customers won\’t think of you as a place to buy gift cards unless you put that information out in every part of your business presence. One of the easiest ways to let customers know that you offer gift cards is by using signage.”

4. Provide Promotions. She goes on to note that signage won’t always be enough. You should create an effective marketing campaign to show that you not only sell gift cards, but that you sell products that make excellent gifts. The more incentive you give to people to buy, the better. “You want to give customers a good reason to buy a gift card, and that can be done pretty effectively through various promotions, Schweitzer writes.

5. Build Your Lists. The holiday season is a great time to focus on customer loyalty. You’re not only looking to cash in by selling gift cards, but you’re looking to secure a larger client base well into the future. “Your customers are always your best salespeople, so the more of them that know about your gift card options, the more likely you\’ll see increased sales in that area,” writes Schweitzer. So be sure to build your email list through the customers that visit your store this holiday season.

Get your hands on your gift cards right away! Call Canadian POS Corporation at 1-877-748-2884 today!