GiftCard Partners Blog

It's baack, we have blogged about it before, but now it walks among us, so it seems time to revisit Google Wallet.  It is the first smart phone app, only available on a very select few smart phone models, that allows you to complete payment transactions using your phone, instead of a credit card, or the prehistoric form of payment, cash.  Google wallet is revolutionizing commerce, and how people recieve rewards.  Imagine how easy it would be for a company running a health and wellness program to simply place electronic CVS/Pharmacy gift cards in their employees' Google Wallet accounts, instead of going through the hassle of ordering physical cards, and having to have the cards activated. As revolutionizing as Google Wallet could be, it will still take time to catch on.  For one, it is not yet widely available, and it would be a bit of a stretch to say that people will switch cell phones, or even carriers for this technology.  Additionally, it remains to be seen how many consumers will actually use the technology, given that a wide margin have expressed discomfort in using mobile technology for financial purposes, give the possibilities of identity theft and hacking. Google Wallet will revolutionize commerce, and the face of the gift card industry, just not immediately.  
For more information on Google Wallet, from someone who has actually tested the technology, click here

Working in the B2B and corporate side of the gift card industry, this story caught my eye as it’s a clear indication of the power of gift cards as a consumer promotion and spending incentive. As a wanna-be power-user of my loyalty rewards and savvy consumer, I’m drooling over this story. Here’s what Cardratings.com has to say about recent gift cards offers as loyalty rewards & credit card promotions.“Bonus offers on credit cards have never been juicier, said Cardratings.com founder Curtis Arnold, who has followed the industry for about 10 years. Arnold said he was "blown away" recently by an offer he received -- and quickly snapped up -- for the American Express Business Gold rewards card. He'll get $500 in gift cards if he charges $2,000 in the first three months, plus the card's $125 annual fee is waived for the first year.” Beyond how cool it is to get a free $500 gift card bucks, I know when I am given gift cards as an incentive or request them through my loyalty & rewards programs, I truly feel like it’s a “gift for ME”. When I receive and spend credit card style gift cards (open loop) cards, I tend to spend them on practical items, like food shopping or gas or not remember where I spent them or on what. For this reason, I much prefer closed loop or brand/retailer specific gift cards. This is likely why Amex offers gift cards from specific retailers, rather than just their own…they are much preferred by employees as incentives, loyalty rewards program users, and consumers for incentive and promotions. For more on
how credit card companies are using bonuses like gift cards to woo new customers, click here.    

QR Codes, originally created in 1994 by the Japanese corporation Denso-Wave, have become a ubiquitous tool in modern marketing. They effortlessly bridge the gap between physical and digital realms, allowing businesses to deliver messages, coupons, gift cards, or direct links to websites. As their usage continues to rise, let’s explore some innovative ways QR Codes can engage customers and promote products.

This is a great example of using gift cards to smooth over a customer service nightmare . Approximately 8,000 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers went without power earlier this month. HECO will soon issue $50 gift cards and formal letters of apology to many of their customers who went without power for an extended period of time. Many companies say “Thank you” to their customers with gift cards via loyalty and rewards programs. Will saying “Sorry” with gift cards keep customers loyal? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment. Read the full story:
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=14259331