The Importance Of Selling Gift Cards During The Holidays

It’s official. Autumn is here. And while we’re only one day into the new season, most Canadians have already gotten used to the fact that the colour of the leaves on the trees are changing and are about to fall. As well, many of us are already getting requests from our children about which Halloween costumes they want to wear at the end of next month. The fall season, however, means a little something different to the Canadian business owner.

It means that the holiday season is almost here! And with the approaching of the holiday season comes a need to ensure that sales are boosted in the last several months of the year. Now, of course, many business owners may have reasons to take for granted that sales will increase over the course of the next few months. But it’s really never a good idea to take anything for granted, is it?

No matter what type of business you own, it’s wise to begin thinking of ways to add a little “spice” to your brand so that it attracts more customers every holiday season. At Canadian POS Corporation, we believe that we have exactly the right spice for you! Have you had the pleasure of selling gift cards in your store? In case it wasn’t already obvious, gift cards are huge sellers during the holiday shopping season.

Why are gift cards such big sellers during the holiday shopping season? Well, firstly, they make shopping so easy! Gift cards make the perfect go-to gifts for shoppers who aren’t quite sure what their recipients already have, need or want. They don’t have to worry about picking the right sizes, colours or styles either. Gift cards allow recipients to choose their gifts for themselves. So purchasers can’t go wrong!

Do gift cards practically sell themselves? Surely, there are reasons to believe that. But, as mentioned earlier, no business owner should rest on his/her laurels. We advise that you promote the fact that you have gift cards available for sale in your store. On VendHQ.com, Francesca Nicasio writes about retail expert, Kevin Graff who believes that gift cards are “God’s gift to retail” – but believes they still need to be marketed to customers.

“Most retailers adopt a passive approach when selling their gift cards,” she writes, “As Kevin Graff pointed out in a previous webinar, merchants often practice benign sales work when it comes to these cards. ‘They’re there, and if a customer asks for it, then they’ll sell it to you,’ he said. However, Kevin notes that retailers have to encourage gift cards more. ‘It should be part of your add-on strategy,’ he added. You can, for instance, start mentioning gift cards at checkout or suggest them to customers who haven’t made a purchase and are on their way out the store.”

On Inc.com, Tamara Schweitzer advocates for the selling of gift cards online. “Do not underestimate the role that convenience plays in the purchasing of gift cards during the holidays,” she insists, “While not everyone buys their gifts online, most people will at some point be browsing the Web for gift ideas during (the holidays), and the more they come across your website while shopping, the better.”

For more information about how you can begin selling gift cards in your store, call Canadian POS Corporation at 1-877-748-2884 or email us at info@localhost.