Who Really Controls Your Gift Card Revenue?
How to take greater control of your gift card revenue, data and infrastructure ahead of the holiday season.
September is when retailers begin preparing for the most important period of the year. Before Black Friday, holiday shopping and the December rush take over, it is time to ask a question many retailers overlook: who really controls the revenue and data generated through your gift card programme?
In the September edition of SmartGifty, we look at how retailers can reduce their reliance on third-party intermediaries, unlock more value from gift cards and prepare their technology infrastructure for the highest transaction volumes of the year.
In this month’s edition:
- Theme of the Month: Who Really Controls Your Gift Card Revenue? – An in-depth look at the hidden costs, data and liquidity retailers may be giving up through third-party intermediaries and open banking platforms. Discover why a closed-loop system can become an important part of a strategy for greater control over gift card revenue.
- Tip of the Month: Audit Your Gift Card System Before the Holiday Season – A practical checklist for reviewing fees, the customer journey and your system’s readiness for Q4. Make sure your gift card infrastructure is ready before demand reaches its peak.
- Blog of the Month: The Q4 Technical Guide – What does your gift card infrastructure need to handle when online and in-store traffic increases significantly during Black Friday and the holiday season? Discover the key elements that can make the difference between a seamless customer experience and technical problems during the busiest period of the year.
- Smart Perspectives: Linda Johansen-James – Why foot traffic alone is no longer enough, and how retail spaces need to create more meaningful connections with their visitors. A look at the future of retail and changing customer expectations.
Prepare your infrastructure, data and gift card programme for the season that can have a major impact on your results for the entire year.
Strategic Management of the August Retail Transition with Integrated Phygital Solutions
August brings a specific retail rhythm. While some shoppers are still enjoying their holidays, others are already actively preparing for the transition into the back-to-school and autumn season. For retailers, this represents a crucial period to capture so-called last-minute purchases.
How can you offer shoppers what matters most during this transitional period: speed, flexibility and simplicity? The answer lies in a phygital approach that combines the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of physical stores. Smart gift cards are an ideal tool during this period, serving either as a quick gift or as a practical payment method for parents preparing their children for the new school year. By enabling easy online purchases and fast redemption at the checkout, you create a seamless shopping experience that brings customers directly to you.
In this month’s issue:
- Theme of the month: Strategic Management of the August Retail Transition with Integrated Phygital Solutions – A closer look at one of the most complex months in the retail calendar, when holiday shopping, last-minute needs and preparations for the new school and autumn season all overlap. Discover how retailers can use phygital solutions to respond to changing customer needs and turn seasonal fluctuations into an opportunity.
- Tip of the month: Bridging the Seasonal Lull with Closed-Loop Promotions – Discover how targeted incentives can help generate additional traffic and revenue in the months ahead. One option is to offer customers an additional bonus voucher when they purchase a gift card in August, redeemable exclusively in September.
- Blog of the month: The Phygital Transformation of Retail – Discover how to connect the online and physical shopping experience and move beyond the outdated idea that digital and physical channels operate as two separate worlds. Today’s shoppers expect a seamless experience that combines the convenience of the digital world with the immediacy and emotional connection of physical stores.
- Smart Perspectives: We’ll Be Back in September – The Smart Perspectives team is taking a short summer break in August. In the meantime, we invite you to explore some of our previous articles and catch up on content you may have missed throughout the year.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, and we’ll be back in September with new insights into the world of retail.
Do your customers forget about you during the holidays? (and how to prevent it)
While most companies shut down their marketing engines in July and wait for autumn, smart brands leverage summer dynamics to build critical advantages. Customers don’t stop spending during vacations; their habits simply move into the field. If you rely on open banking systems, this is the exact point where you lose touch with them and hand over all valuable data to intermediaries.
In the July edition of the SmartGifty newsletter, we debunk the myth of the summer slump and bring you concrete tools to take absolute control of your sales ecosystem.
What awaits you in the July issue:
- Topic of the Month: The Myth of the Summer Eclipse – An in-depth analysis of where your sales and data actually disappear to in July. We reveal how to successfully execute a phygital transition and seamlessly blend the digital world with the experience at physical locations, festivals, or pop-up shops.
- Tip of the Month: Awakening Sleeper Euros – A brief and highly practical action plan on how to activate unused funds on gift cards through hyper-personalized automation. Learn how to wake up sleeper customers exactly when everyone else is sounding the alarm over the summer drought.
- Blog of the Month: The Architecture of Borderless Retail – An expert guide on removing barriers between the online screen and the checkout counter. Discover why closed-loop gift card and voucher systems are crucial for keeping cash flow within your own house.
- A Summer Dose of Humor – The back page features a quick reminder of why customers never take a vacation from great shopping experiences, and why you shouldn’t be the CEO who completely shuts down campaigns in July.
Don’t let your data and revenue drift away to parts unknown this summer. Enter your email address to secure immediate access to game-changing B2B insights this July.
June Review of Solutions for Advanced Gift Program Management
Welcome to the June edition of our professional newsletter, where we share key trends, operational tips, and strategies from the world of gift cards and loyalty programs.
June brings a turning point in consumer buying behavior. That is why in this issue, we focus on how to effectively activate sleeping customers and convert unspent funds on your accounts into long term customer loyalty. On this page, you can read the full overview of the content we have prepared for this month: from a strategic look at summer breakage and practical tips for mobile optimization at points of sale, to a glimpse into the future of autonomous commerce.
Do not miss our featured video segment The Wedding Breakage Mystery, where we use the perspective of wedding gifting to explain consumer psychology and hidden opportunities for retailers and hoteliers.
We invite you to read the full June newsletter below.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty June Newsletter:
- Deep Dive: Monthly feature article exploring the latest industry trends.
- Tip of the Month: Our tip of the month to instantly enhance your sales strategies.
- Audience Favorite: A second look at our most-read blog post from last month.
- Smart Perspectives: Fresh insights and thoughts from our team on the future of gifting.
- Curated Video Content: Hand-picked YouTube videos on sales, (digital) gift cards and loyalty programs.
- Industry Spotlight: An exclusive featured article from Across Magazine.
Rethinking Value: From Croissants to Destinations
In our latest feature, Jurij Triller reveals why the most valuable parts of real estate are often those you can’t measure with a ruler. We dive into the “Croissant Economy” and explore how to transform gift cards from impersonal vouchers into strategic growth tools for entire destination ecosystems. Explore the future of personalized loyalty and the memories that drive modern value.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty May Newsletter:
- Deep Dive: Monthly feature article exploring the latest industry trends.
- Tip of the Month: Our tip of the month to instantly enhance your sales strategies.
- Audience Favorite: A second look at our most-read blog post from last month.
- Smart Perspectives: Fresh insights and thoughts from our team on the future of gifting.
- Curated Video Content: Hand-picked YouTube videos on sales, (digital) gift cards and loyalty programs.
- Industry Spotlight: An exclusive featured article from Across Magazine.
Why this April is the time for a “green” shift
Give moments that bloom, not plastic that lingers.
In a world already cluttered with things that just gather dust, we at SmartGifty have decided to take a different path. This April, we are dedicating ourselves to green gifting.
Why weigh down the planet with PVC cards, plastic packaging, and delivery emissions when you can send an unforgettable experience in an instant—straight to an inbox?
Digital gift cards are more than just fast and convenient; they are a statement that you care. By choosing digital, you’re supporting local businesses, shrinking your carbon footprint, and giving your loved ones the most precious gift of all: the freedom to choose.
Of course, we understand there’s something special about handing over a physical gift. If you prefer something tangible, we invite you to explore our paper-based or biodegradable PVC options.
Let’s make this April a month of conscious choices. Join us in building a future where gifts are sustainable and smiles are genuine. Because sometimes, a small digital step is exactly what nature needs most.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty Newsletter #2:
- Deep Dive: Monthly feature article exploring the latest industry trends.
- Tip of the Month: Our tip of the month to instantly enhance your sales strategies.
- Audience Favorite: A second look at our most-read blog post from last month.
- Smart Perspectives: Fresh insights and thoughts from our team on the future of gifting.
- Curated Video Content: Hand-picked YouTube videos on sales, (digital) gift cards and loyalty programs.
- Industry Spotlight: An exclusive featured article from Across Magazine.
From Red Carnations to Empowerment: The Evolution of March 8th
Think March is only about red carnations and predictable gestures? Think again. We’re witnessing a shift in how we celebrate International Women’s Day: the move from symbolic tokens to genuine empowerment. In our latest long-read, we explore the evolution of March 8th and why “choice” has become the highest form of respect in the modern workplace and retail landscape.
This month, we are looking past the clichés to explore a much deeper trend: celebrating individuality. As we move through 2026, the brands and employers that stand out aren’t just giving a gift for a single day—they are building cultures of appreciation that honor personal preferences and autonomy all year long.
In this issue, we dive into the history of gifting for March 8th, share tips on how to ditch the “pink tax” on your marketing strategies, and catch up on how store design is being reinvented for the future. From psychological empowerment to the power of flexible gifting, discover how to show appreciation that feels personal, professional, and lasting.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty Newsletter #3:
- Deep dive: From Red Carnations to Empowerment—the evolution of March 8th.
- Tip of the month: Ditch the “Pink Tax” and embrace gender-neutral, flexible gifting.
- Smart blog: Why meaningful appreciation is about more than just a bouquet of flowers.
- Smart perspectives: Linda Johansen-James on why transformation is the new goal for 2026.
- Curated video content: The latest from our YouTube channel on gift cards and loyalty trends.
- Reading recommendation: Exclusive insights from EuroShop 2026 on the future of store design and checkout systems.
Why February is the New Frontier for Customer Loyalty
Think February is only about Valentine’s Day? Think again. We’re witnessing a major shift in consumer behavior: the rise of the “Self-Love Economy.” In our latest long-read, we explore why “self-gifting” is becoming a powerful driver for retail growth and how businesses can use this mid-winter moment to turn one-time shoppers into lifelong advocates.
This month, we are looking past the red roses and heart-shaped boxes to explore a much deeper trend: the shift toward “Self-Love” and long-term customer loyalty. As we move into 2026, the brands that succeed aren’t just selling products for a single day in February — they are building ecosystems that reward the individual all year long.
In this issue, we dive into the psychology of the “Self-Gifter,” share some of the most unusual gift cards we’ve ever seen and catch up on the latest retail trends for the year ahead. From psychological “pick-me-ups” to the power of micro-moments, discover how to keep your brand’s heart beating long after the chocolates have been eaten.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty Newsletter #2:
- Deep Dive: Monthly feature article exploring the latest industry trends.
- Tip of the Month: Our tip of the month to instantly enhance your sales strategies.
- Audience Favorite: A second look at our most-read blog post from last month.
- Smart Perspectives: Fresh insights and thoughts from our team on the future of gifting.
- Curated Video Content: Hand-picked YouTube videos on sales, (digital) gift cards and loyalty programs.
- Industry Spotlight: An exclusive featured article from Across Magazine.
2026 – Year when average will no longer be enough
In 2026, sales and shopping destinations are entering a new era marked by a clear shift: from transactions to experiences, from mass communication to personalization.
In this edition, we explore how gift cards are evolving into an emotionally rich, digital experience, and why listening to customers and smart use of data are becoming a key competitive advantage.
We conclude with a real-world perspective – Smart Insights, featuring fresh viewpoints from Peter Thommen from the world of global sales.
What awaits you in the SmartGifty Newsletter #1:
- Deep Dive: Monthly feature article exploring the latest industry trends.
- Tip of the Month: Our tip of the month to instantly enhance your sales strategies.
- Audience Favorite: A second look at our most-read blog post from last month.
- Smart Perspectives: Fresh insights and thoughts from our team on the future of gifting.
- Curated Video Content: Hand-picked YouTube videos on sales, (digital) gift cards and loyalty programs.
- Industry Spotlight: An exclusive featured article from Across Magazine.
