WHY CONSIDER A GIFT CARD PROGRAM?
There are several compelling reasons to offer gift cards as part of your customer retention strategy. At the most basic level, gift cards reinforce brand awareness, are popular gift-giving products, and are often preferred over paper certificates.
They can also help businesses manage store credit more effectively. Instead of refunding valuable cash, store-credit balances can bring customers back for future visits and often lead to additional spend beyond the original card value.
Whether you want to sell branded gift cards, replace paper certificates, or manage store credit more cleanly, the platform gives you a structured way to track value, balances, and usage history.
KEY GIFT CARD CAPABILITIES
BRANDED GIFT CARDS
- White-labeled plastic cards with your own artwork
- Closed-loop card usage for your store or approved store group
- Balance tracking and usage history
- Strong alternative to paper gift certificates
STORE CREDIT MANAGEMENT
- Issue store credit without cash leaving the business
- Bring customers back for future visits
- Encourage incremental spend above original credit value
- Support reconciliation and reporting for multiple locations
VIRTUAL DELIVERY & LOOKUP
- Virtual gift card delivery included with all editions
- Optional third-party ecommerce integrations for online sales
- Mobile-friendly portal for balance lookup
- Member access to balance and usage history
COMMON GIFT CARD QUESTIONS
What is wrong with paper gift certificates?
Paper certificates tend to wear out, look inexpensive, and are more vulnerable to poor record keeping or fraudulent copying. Plastic and digital gift card workflows create a cleaner, more trackable experience.
Do gift cards really increase customer spend?
Gift card recipients are often less price-sensitive than cash buyers and frequently spend beyond the original stored value. That can make gift cards a practical tool for increasing average ticket size.
Can gift cards grow my customer base?
Because gift cards involve both a purchaser and a recipient, they often introduce your business to new customers. That creates another opportunity to capture loyalty data and influence future visits.
Can cards be used at unrelated stores?
No. Preferred Patron™ gift cards are closed-loop, which means they are limited to your individual store, your related store group, or a private community of authorized stores.
Are physical cards required?
No. Virtual gift card delivery is included, and optional third-party ecommerce integrations are available for supported online gift card sales workflows.
Are the cards branded with my own design?
Yes. Gift cards are white-labeled with your brand artwork and do not need to promote Preferred Patron™ on the face of the card.
Are there processing fees?
In-store gift card processing is included with your subscription. Optional online sales through supported third-party integrations may involve standard payment processor fees.
Is there a merchant bank involved?
No. This is a software-based gift card system that lets your business manage its own gift cards while your POS records the sale and the platform tracks remaining value and usage history.
Third-party ecommerce gift card services, when used, may require enrollment with a supported payment processor and can carry additional fees. Virtual delivery, branded physical cards, and online balance lookup features depend on the program configuration and services selected.
