As loyalty programs continue to build their digital platforms to keep up with the evolving expectations of members who now handle many day-to-day tasks on their phones, it makes sense that gift cards have now gone increasingly digital as well.
For customers, digital gift cards offer convenience and perceived value: they can be delivered instantly, stored on a phone or digital wallet, and redeemed online or in-store. But while digital gift cards offer the benefit of convenience, physical gift cards can still serve a purpose for a loyalty program looking to offer unique rewards to its members, while also creating a tangible connection to the brand.
Sallie Williams, Sales and Marketing Director of Gift and Loyalty at MTL Card, and Bill Warshauer, Chief Revenue Officer at Tillo, each make a case for the role of digital and physical gift cards in a brand’s loyalty program.