When we talk about gift cards, we often think of a dedicated page on an e-commerce website, an in-store display, or a campaign launched around Christmas.
And that makes sense. Historically, gift cards have mainly been treated as a product to sell: a customer buys one, a recipient receives it, and then comes back to spend it.
But that is only one part of the story.
Increasingly, gift cards are being integrated directly into commercial offers. They can become the bonus that triggers a purchase, the incentive that brings customers back, or the added value that makes an offer more attractive.
That is exactly why bundles are worth looking at.
These mechanics are powerful because they create value without relying solely on immediate discounts.
A discount reduces the price. A gift card creates the next purchase opportunity.
And for brands, this is where the topic becomes strategic.
Gift cards can support commercial campaigns, drive adoption within an ecosystem, generate repeat purchases, activate partnerships, or strengthen loyalty programmes.
They no longer belong only to the “gifting” journey.
They can also play a role in your commercial, CRM, retail, e-commerce and partnership strategy.
In this edition of the newsletter, I’ll walk you through the different types of gift card bundles and how brands can use them strategically.
Enjoy the read,
Emilie de Buybox
Buybox officially obtains its Payment Institution licence
Buybox has obtained its Payment Institution licence for its Buybox Network aggregation activity, supervised by the ACPR, Banque de France.
In practical terms, this strengthens the framework in which we support brands with their B2B2C distribution: safeguarded funds, traceable financial flows, more structured governance and greater control over operations.
This is an important milestone for Buybox, but also for the future of the gift card market.
Because at scale, a gift card is no longer just a product to distribute.
It is an infrastructure to manage.
✨ Executive Summary
Everything you need to know in 10 seconds
Gift card bundles can serve several business objectives: driving adoption within an ecosystem, generating repeat purchases, activating a partnership or strengthening customer loyalty.
A few key mechanics to keep in mind: Apple’s back-to-school campaigns to drive deeper adoption within its ecosystem; a purchased gift card with a bonus gift card offered; La Sommelière x Nicolas, Boulanger x Decathlon or LG x adidas for brand-to-brand partnerships; and Carrefour or Decathlon to connect gift cards with loyalty.
The key point: a bundle works when the gift card supports a clear business objective, not when it is simply added as a bonus.
1. Product purchased, gift card from your own brand offered
This is a particularly powerful mechanic for brands built around an ecosystem.
The customer buys a main product, then receives a gift card that can be used within the brand’s universe. That gift card becomes a bridge to the next purchase.
Apple is a strong example of this logic with its back-to-school campaigns. The goal is to drive deeper adoption of the Apple ecosystem. A student buying a Mac or an iPad can then use the gift card to purchase accessories, services or other complementary products.
The brand supports the initial purchase while encouraging progressive adoption across its own ecosystem.
This mechanic is especially relevant for brands selling complementary products, accessories, associated services, subscriptions or product ranges that are built over time.
The gifted card prepares the next purchase. It keeps value within the brand ecosystem. It strengthens the buying habit.
2. Gift card purchased, bonus gift card offered
This mechanic is simple to understand and easy to communicate.
The customer buys a gift card and receives an additional gift card. For example: buy a €100 gift card and get €10 offered.
The real lever lies in the redemption timing.
If the bonus gift card can only be used later, it can drive a return visit to the store or website after the peak period. The brand sells today and creates a new reason to come back tomorrow.
This mechanic can help accelerate sales over a short period, increase the average loaded value, encourage self-use, or generate traffic during a quieter commercial period.
It needs to be carefully framed: minimum amount, limited duration, redemption window, potential exclusions, redemption rate tracking and top-up monitoring.
The bonus gift card becomes deferred value. It does not just reward the purchase. It prepares a second interaction with the brand.
3. Product purchased, gift card from another brand offered
This mechanic opens up a very interesting space for partnerships.
One brand sells a product. Another brand provides a gift card. The two universes complement each other.
This is the case with La Sommelière and Nicolas: buy a wine cellar and receive a Nicolas gift card. The logic is obvious. A wine cellar leads naturally to wine purchases. The gift card extends the use of the product purchased.
We see the same logic in campaigns such as Boulanger and Decathlon, with a Decathlon gift card offered when buying a smartwatch, or LG x adidas, with an adidas gift card offered when buying an eligible product.
These bundles work when the connection between the brands feels natural.
A smartwatch leads to sports activity.
A wine cellar leads to the world of wine tasting.
A tech product can open the door to lifestyle, equipment or performance use cases.
The bundle increases the perceived value of the main offer while giving visibility to the partner brand.
It is a highly relevant lever for affinity-based acquisition, co-marketing, product launches, retail activations or seasonal campaigns.
The key point: the brand association must make sense for the customer.
4. Gift card purchased, loyalty credit added to a loyalty card
Another interesting mechanic is connecting the purchase of a gift card to the distributor’s loyalty programme.
During Black Friday, a campaign offered a 10% reward credited to the Carrefour loyalty card when purchasing a gift card from a brand.
The customer buys a gift card, then receives a loyalty benefit at Carrefour. This gives them a concrete reason to come back and spend with the distributor.
This mechanic creates a flow of value between the brand’s gift card, the distributor and the loyalty programme.
It can increase gift card sales while strengthening the relationship between the distributor and its customer.
For brands, it also sends an interesting signal: the gift card can become a traffic-driving product within a partner ecosystem, especially during highly promotional periods such as Black Friday.
5. Gift card purchased, boosted loyalty points
Final mechanic: gift card purchases can also be connected to a points-based loyalty programme.
The customer buys a gift card and earns more loyalty points than usual. These points can then be redeemed according to the programme’s rules.
Decathlon is a strong example of this logic within its own loyalty programme.
The value is simple: the gift card purchase strengthens the customer relationship.
The card generates a transaction, the points drive engagement, and the loyalty programme keeps the customer active within the ecosystem.
This mechanic is particularly relevant for brands that want to encourage self-use, increase purchase frequency, better connect gift cards with CRM, or keep their gift card programme active beyond Christmas.
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