Smartphones Drive Retail Sales
In the tenth edition of Forrester Research’s “State of Online Retailing” report, we learned something profound about how our shopping has evolved. For the first time, smartphones drive retail sales, surpassing computers and tablets in online shopping dollars. Not only have tablets fallen off as a sales driver, but they have also found a new, innovative home in a different corner of the retail cycle.
The Rise of Mobile Gift Cards
A recent CashStar study discussing the popularity of gift cards showed a surprising number of consumers are looking for a smartphone solution to keep track of the gift cards they receive. Thestudy looked at a diverse group of gift card givers and receivers from different demographic groups and regions across the country. What they found was that most prefer to give or receive mobile gift cards for a variety of reasons, including convenience, balance tracking, and the personalization it gives the ‘gifter’. So as gift cards remain a top gift choice for 9 years running, it’s important for merchants to note the desire consumers have for managing and storing them digitally.
4 Reasons to Add Technology to Your Rewards Program
Technology is part of all of our lives and, if you haven't already, it may be the right time to add technology to your rewards program. Technology can help integrate rewards into existing HR systems, integrate your rewards program into your employees’ consumer behaviors, and eliminate some of the cost of the program. Here are HR.BLR.com’s“ 4 C’s” for integrating technology into employee rewards.
2015 B2B Gift Card Study, Industry Trends
GiftCard Partners, Inc. has been at the forefront of B2B gift cards since we started out more than a decade ago. Some might call it obsession, others might say it's our job, but we like to use one word in particular, passion. That passion led us to commission a B2B Gift Cards Study back in 2013. We teamed up with
Shapiro+Raj, a research company with more than 50 years of experience of conducting behavior and opinion research, to get a clear pulse on the B2B Gift Card Industry. As a company we are constantly learning and evolving in the marketplace as trends in technology, payments, wellness and much more continue to grow. In order to be the best partner for our clients, we needed a strong understanding of what was happening out on the front lines, with the consumer, not just B2B. Our 2014 B2B Gift Card Study did just that. We focused on two key areas:
Millennials Prefer E-Gift Cards
When it comes to millennials and technology e-gift cards are growing in popularity. A recent article from Loyalty360 discussed how millennials prefer e-gift cards to their plastic counterparts. 14 percent of millennials have given or received an e-gift card in the past year compared to only 7 percent of 30-49-year-olds and about 8 percent of 50-64-year-olds who have given or received an e-gift card. So why do millennials prefer e-gift cards? While not specifically asked if they preferred e-gift cards over plastic, millennials did offer a hint; millennials are twice as likely to have lost a gift card before they could spend the entire balance. About 40 percent of millennials have admitted to losing a gift card. E-gift cards are appealing to those who worry about losing cash. They are harder to lose since they exist in your email as opposed to a physical piece of plastic that may never make it into your wallet and are easier to track. E-gift cards also save time on the part of the 'gifter' as they can be purchased with just a few clicks from your computer, tablet, and mobile device from anywhere at any time. Many retailers can scan and redeem e-gift cards directly from your mobile device, some retailers even offer rewards programs for doing so. Electronic gift cards are growing more common for retailers. 59 percent of gift cards are available electronically, up from 41 percent back in 2010. It's also good to know that most retailers will also accept electronic gift cards (as well as plastic) online, great for the online shopper to complete their whole transaction seamlessly online without having to open their wallets. While for some, e-gift cards may seem like an impersonal gift, many retailers are combating that by offering personalization to electronic gift cards. Multiple designs, personal photos, and videos can all be uploaded directly to the e-gift card to really improve the buying and giving experience. Here's what the Washington Post had to say on, "Why millennials prefer electronic gift cards."