Gift Cards
Paper gift certificates are being replaced with Electronic Gift
Cards in the same format as credit cards. Large retail chains have
had tremendous success and now they are available to merchants of
any size.
Merchants that have issued paper gift certificates in the past find
that an Electronic Gift Card program eliminates the need for manual
tracking and provides detailed reporting of cards issued and redeemed,
allowing gift cards to be monitored effortlessly.
Gift cards offer detailed reporting that gives merchants an accurate
picture of their return on gift cards that have been issued, at
the same time increasing brand awareness with customized gift cards,
and an improved refund policy by issuing refunds on gift cards.
Merchants choose either customized cards printed with their logo
and business information, or standardized cards which come in an
array of colors and have the message "A Gift for You"
(or something similar) printed on them. Customized cards provide
a unique marketing tool for the merchant.
Operation of the gift card program is similar to processing credit
cards. Transactions are quick, easy and flexible.
Gift cards are great for spas, salons, restaurants and specialty
retail. Gift cards also work well as employee incentives. Use them
over and over again by simply recharging the card with an amount
through your credit card terminal.
Key Benefits of Gift Cards
- Gift Cards are often
the most profitable square foot of selling space in the store
- Merchants report sales
increases of two to ten times over paper gift certificates
- Cash flow is enhanced
by collecting payment prior to delivery of product or services
- Declining balance
ensures full cash value of gift card is used in store
- Easy to activate and
use by both merchant and customer
- Management reports
provide monitoring and security control
Gift Card Program Options
- Jumpstart™ Program
The Jumpstart™ program is an ideal program for most merchants
with one to three locations. It combines a free startup package,
a flat monthly processing fee, and flexible card ordering options.
The free startup package includes 100 Gift Cards personalized
with your merchant name, a 1-pocket acrylic display with signage,
100 card holders & adhesive, free terminal programming and
account coding, Web access setup for program reporting, live training
and a Quick Reference Guide. Either custom or standard card designs
can be ordered with no yearly card limit.
- LaunchBox™ Program
The LaunchBox™ program is best suited for small to mid-size
merchants that don't require a custom card design, but would like
a complete startup package with the lowest possible flat monthly
fee. The LaunchBox™ startup package contains 500 Gift Cards
personalized with your merchant name, a 2-pocket acrylic display
with signage, 500 card holders & adhesive, a marketing package
that includes 2 posters / 3 table tents / 5 buttons, free terminal
programming and account coding, Web access setup for program reporting,
live training and a complete Training Kit. Just like the Jumpstart™
program, card reorders automatically include a card holder for
every card.
- Custom Program
For large, single-location merchants, franchise companies and
other multiple-location regional or national chains, a custom
program is frequently preferred. Custom card designs and merchandising
design can be produced by us or the merchant's own ad agency or
designer. Transaction processing is normally billed on a per transaction
basis, although a monthly flat fee option is available.
How to Get Started
For more information or to get started, give us a call at 866-348-1539,
or send us an email to: "inquiries at smartmerchant dot com".
We will contact you shortly.
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