Offer Online Gift Certificates to Ring In Extra Holiday Sales

According to recent data from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and other sources, sales of gift certificates and gift cards have experienced explosive growth over the last few years. No longer thought of as a "lazy shopper's" gift the stigma once associated with offering a certificate or card instead of a traditional present is a thing of the past. A staggering 73 percent of shoppers surveyed by the NRF last year said they expected to purchase one or more gift cards during last year's holiday season.

Major online retailers have taken notice: Amazon.com, L.L Bean, BLOCKBUSTER, Eddie Bauer, Overstock.com, and hundreds of others now offer the ability to purchase some form of a online gift certificate through their website. To stay competitive, smaller e-tailers are advised to consider supplementing existing product offerings with gift certificates too. The benefits are numerous, and when implemented properly in the online storefront, gift certificates can help the online store owner ring up additional sales-directly impacting the bottom line.

Quick and convenient

For the gift giver with increasingly less time to shop and more people to shop for (i.e., just about everyone!), online gift certificates offer a quick and convenient solution to what can often be a stressful shopping task. With web-based options available for just about every product category imaginable, gift certificates take most of the guesswork out of finding a gift for just about anyone. They can also reduce the chances of embarrassment on the part of the gift giver and disappointment on the part of the recipient. This can be especially relevant for shoppers seeking specialty and personal items. For example, a shopper may know that the recipient enjoys red wine but doesn't know whether they drink Shiraz, Merlot, or Zinfandel. In this case, a gift certificate from an online wine store bestows a simple yet thoughtful present.

Many happy returns

Industry experts also believe that some consumers are choosing gift certificates as a result of stricter return policies, which often deter shoppers from taking chances with their purchases.

Advantages for ecommerce storeowners

So what advantages do online gift certificates carry for online retailers? For starters, they provide one more channel for the retailers to generate business.
Other benefits include:

• Zero inventory overhead.
  
• Easy to sell (i.e., no shipping required - can be distributed via web page or email).
  
• Perception of providing quality customer service through convenience.
  
• Opportunities for up selling and other promotions (with both certificate buyer and
  recipient)
  
• Additional profit associated with partially claimed certificates (unclaimed balances equals
  added profit for the store owner)

Features to look for in Gift Certificates Software

If you are considering adding gift certificate capability to your online store, look for a Gift Certificates Software that lets you:

• Fully automate the process of gift certificate issuance and redemption.
  
• Distribute online gift certificates securely (i.e., to deter fraud)
  
• Customize the design of the online gift certificate (e.g.., ability to incorporate your store's logo to extend your brand).
  
• Personalize online gift certificate with the recipients name, customer-selected amount,
  and possibly a custom message.
  
• Accept multiple forms of payment for gift certificate purchases, including all forms of
  payment currently accepted for other products in the storefront.

Note: GoECart's online Gift Certificate module offers all of the above features and more; for more information visit http://www.goecart.com/ or

Offer Online Gift Certificates to Ring In Extra Holiday Sales