Revenue Rocket – Strategic Mini-Course: The 7 Gift Card Buyer Profiles
1 - The Gift Card Fans
Who are they?
Repeat customers already sold on your program. Mostly aged 25 to 44, they purchase an average of 6 gift cards per year. Their priorities: speed, personalization, and autonomy.
Why target them?
They’re an immediate lever for recurring revenue.
How to engage them:
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Optimize the UX (quick purchase, responsive design, frictionless checkout without login or cart).
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Launch targeted campaigns: exclusive offers + personalized marketing aligned with your brand identity. Consider influencer partnerships.
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Offer advanced customization (designs, messages, videos, animations, flexible amounts, refreshed visuals for key seasons).
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Be visible on specialized portals (gift card marketplaces).
Pro tip: This segment is already profitable. Scale loyalty with targeted campaigns and a flawless purchase journey.
2 - The Pragmatic Buyers
Who are they?
Efficiency-seekers buying gift cards to save time or avoid gifting mistakes.
Two main profiles:
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The time-pressed (40–55): looking for quick, reliable, frictionless solutions.
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The cautious (55+): prefer gift cards to avoid poor choices.
Why target them?
They’re a stable, rational customer base, with over 25% planning to purchase gift cards for upcoming occasions. Predictable and responsive to utility-driven messaging.
How to engage them:
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Optimize mobile journey: one-page checkout, fast payment, responsive design.
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Ensure visibility: well-placed gift card link onsite and in search engines.
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Offer flexibility: variable amounts, simple digital formats.
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Launch utility-focused campaigns: practical benefits, instant delivery, varied occasions (weddings, farewells, holidays).
Pro tip: For this segment, every click counts. Remove friction, clarify offers, and you’ll convert faster than any discount could.
3 - The Apathetic Buyers
Who are they?
Uncommitted consumers who rarely choose gift cards but are open to buying when prompted — especially for children. Prefer physical cards but are open to digital when influenced by younger family (69% of Millennials prefer e-cards).
Why target them?
They’re an underleveraged volume segment. Though not proactive, they purchase an average of 5 cards per year when opportunities arise.
How to engage them:
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Simplify the journey: minimalist, fast, and hassle-free.
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Add practical services: delayed delivery.
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Target influencers: indirect marketing via relatives (e.g., Millennial children).
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Educate through use cases: content showcasing simple purchasing scenarios and practical benefits.
Pro tip: They’ll never become fans. Your goal: reduce friction and capture demand when it arises — often triggered by their social circle.
4 - The Hesitant Buyers
Who are they?
Gift-givers afraid of making the wrong choice. They buy 1–2 cards per year, mainly for key events (birthdays, Christmas).
Why target them?
This group converts easily when the offer reduces uncertainty. They value security — a choice that guarantees recipient satisfaction with minimal effort.
How to engage them:
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Highlight the core benefit: “You can’t go wrong.”
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Provide flexibility: customizable amounts, delayed delivery.
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Maximize visibility: featured on product pages, main menu, and gift suggestions.
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Emphasize personalization: design, messaging, packaging options for a unique gift.
Pro tip: The hesitant want decisions made for them. Your role: make gift cards the obvious choice — an automatic decision.
5 - The Last-Minute Shoppers
Who are they?
Time-pressured buyers finalizing purchases days — sometimes minutes — before an occasion. Predominantly young: 40% aged 15–25, 34% aged 25–35. Their go-to channel: mobile.
Why target them?
They drive a significant share of last-minute sales, especially e-cards. In December, 46% of digital gift card sales happen between the 18th and 25th. Fast decision-making = high conversion when friction is minimal.
How to engage them:
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Optimize mobile: one-click purchase, ultra-short checkout without account creation.
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Maximize visibility: internal search engine, main menu, gift suggestions.
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Use urgency-driven marketing: time-sensitive email and ad campaigns (“Instant delivery”, “Last chance”).
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Offer last-minute promotions to prompt purchases.
Pro tip: Last-minute buyers don’t compare. If you’re visible and fast, you win the sale. Mobile smoothness is non-negotiable.
6 - The B2B Buyers
Who are they?
Companies, marketing agencies, public institutions, SMEs, and industrial sectors (construction, chemicals, import/export). They use gift cards to:
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Reward employees and partners.
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Drive marketing campaigns or incentives.
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Provide social aid or event rewards.
Why target them?
B2B is a volume and recurrence driver. Orders are stable year-round and less sensitive to seasonal peaks than B2C. Digital formats already account for 82% of orders. Companies/HR and marketing agencies are the fastest-growing segments.
How to engage them:
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Develop a clear professional offer: dedicated portal, centralized billing, customization options.
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Tailor communications: CRM targeting by segment (HR, agencies, SMEs, institutions).
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Attend specialized HR/employee benefits trade shows, respond to tenders.
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Optimize: enable wire transfers (69% of B2B transactions), offer volume discounts when relevant.
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Provide commercial support: dedicated contacts often tip the scale in tenders.
Pro tip: B2B isn’t a bonus — it’s a strategic channel. The more plug-and-play and segmented your offer, the more recurring high-volume orders you’ll capture.
7 - The Resellers
Who are they?
Third-party partners (loyalty platforms, cashback sites, HR incentives, B2B/B2C marketplaces, POS networks) who resell your gift cards to their customer bases, expanding your commercial reach. In some programs, resellers can account for up to 70% of gift card revenue.
Why target them?
They enable:
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Broad distribution (online & offline).
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New customer acquisition.
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Increased visibility without direct acquisition costs.
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Diversified sales channels (retail, marketplaces, multi-brand cards, crypto, HR programs, etc.).
How to engage them:
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Offer an attractive product: omnichannel cards, flexible amounts, premium visuals.
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Ensure technical excellence: high-performance API for easy integration.
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Provide quality support: responsive customer service, ready-to-use marketing kits.
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Competitive commercial policy: fair commission, potential incentives.
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Build your brand image: visibility and reliability reassure distributors and their customers.
Pro tip: A good reseller doesn’t just sell your cards — they open up entire markets. Work closely with them to maximize visibility, integration, and repeat sales.
