Who doesn’t love a gift card? Apparently, most people do and why wouldn't they? Gift cards are not only a great gift idea, as their name suggests, they are also an awesome way for small independent businesses – like wineries – to increase their sales and foster customer loyalty.

Here are the benefits of offering e-gift cards on your eCommerce site and how they can help you improve your sales.

Gift Cards Help You Compete with The Big Players

When it comes to gift-giving, customers will likely think of gift cards. They are convenient while still being thoughtful. However, most of the big corporations can provide big discounts on products. Having an e-gift card feature on your eCommerce site that is easily accessible to your loyal customers makes it super easy for them to support their favourite winery and get a great gift for their friends or family. (And a lot less hassle than having to trot down to their local bottle-o for a gift).

Gift Cards Help Upsell Online and In The Cellar Door

While in the cellar door or browsing online, customers are already primed for a purchase. If they have a gift card on hand (or in the email inbox on their phone) they are even more likely to make a purchase. This is because the gift card isn’t perceived as their “money” so they are less price sensitive.

A report out of the U.S. found that customers spend on average $59US more than the value of their gift cards, an increase of $21US from the year previous. Survey research by Retail Decisions Australia found that up to 70% of consumers, both givers and receivers of gift cards, believe that gift cards were “better than cash” while 83% indicated that the best feature of gift cards is the “choice” they offer. While this make not be factually true – as often gift cards can only be used at the business they were purchased – they have a perceived greater value than cash.

Gift Cards Bring in New Business

According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any other type of advertising. That stat is simply too hard to ignore. So imagine a loyal customer of yours who wants to purchase a gift for friends or family. Simply sending them one of your wines they think their giftee might enjoy is a good move but sending them an e-gift card that is redeemable on your eCommerce site is better. It offers the giftee the freedom of choosing a wine that suits their palate. The giftee perceives it as “free money” and they have the recommendation of their mate who enjoys wine. Win-Win.

Gift Cards Can Foster Loyalty and Increase Repeat Sales

By providing e-gift cards you have the opportunity to engage with your customers in a new way. You can use them for birthday and limited-run marketing promotions. If you capture customer details at your cellar door – by sending receipts via email for instance – and see that a large majority have purchased your Chardonnay, maybe you run a marketing campaign with limited-run gift cards and only email them to customers that have purchased Chardonnay before. Or send a “thank you” e-gift card to your Wine Club members around the holidays or for their birthday or an anniversary as a member of your wine club. These marketing moves show your appreciation for your customer and have the added benefit of making more sales.

WithWine Gift Cards Now a Payment Option on POS

We launched gift cards on the WithWine POS and eCommerce back in late 2020. They were available as an item to purchase in both those areas. Now they are not only available for purchase but they are also accepted as payment on both POS and eCommerce sites. Now your customers can purchase wine in your cellar door, on your wwPOS, or eCommerce site with gift cards.