A gift card isn’t just for Christmas; it’s handy for a crisis too: reflecting on the small things making a huge difference.

By GCVA ConnectUncategorised
A gift card isn't just for Christmas
By Tessa Unsworth - Chief Commercial Officer, PPS

For anyone in the Payments industry, it is common knowledge that the mechanisms behind gift vouchers and cards have been around for decades. Morphing from the likes of Post Office Vouchers, Neiman Marcus introduced the first gift card using a payments infrastructure in late 1994. However, Blockbuster Entertainment was the first company to do so on a wide scale, test-marketing them in 1995 and launching them across the US the following year.

Skip forward to 2002, when word was spreading across the UK about this phenomenon in the US. I was working as a Project Manager at Debenhams and, in one of my career shaping moments, was tasked with creating its first-ever gift card product, which was also the first for the UK. The same one I conceptualised is still in use today in largely the same format.

Ever since, countries across Europe, such as Greece, Belgium and Romania, have been making waves in the gifting space, with the likes of open loop employer programs and alliances with airlines through PPS’ parent company Edenred’s ‘Ticket Compliments’, enabling point schemes for consumers with participating organisations. And in the UK, retail during the Christmas period usually sees spikes in gift cards sales, with GCVA citing that four out of five of us spend more on gift cards and vouchers than we do on actual presents. 

But there’s more than it may seem when it comes to the gift card payment infrastructure in place at supporting retailers and supermarkets. It is ideal for other uses – for example when a global pandemic hit. 

COVID-19 has impacted so many individuals and businesses in ways we could never have anticipated. This includes the 1.3 million disadvantaged children who would have normally have a free school meal but were unable to as a result of staying home to protect themselves and the NHS. As such, leading supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Waitrose and M&S, joined forces underneath the national government voucher scheme. This enabled schools, who could not provide meals and food parcels for collection or delivery themselves, to provide vouchers to families electronically, or as a gift card in the post for those without internet access.

The initiative could be set up in record time because the supermarkets that are part of the scheme already had the architecture – the existing gift card systems – in place. So, the ability to respond to the needs of the country were already there. Unfortunately, some supermarkets automatically ruled themselves out of the scheme because they do not have gift cards as part of their roadmaps. 

And another gift card trend to have evolved out of the global pandemic has been termed “sunny day gifting”, referring to gift cards purchased to be used at a later date once everyday life returns to ‘normal’. This new trend has already been largely adopted by UK consumers, who have been purchasing gift cards for their favourite shops, bars, and restaurants, to support businesses through the COVID period.

So, while they have had some stick over the last few years alongside the volatility of the high street, the pandemic has certainly shone a light on the enduring importance of gift cards. Who’d have thought it? The simplest of mechanisms, having evolved, has now become a trending solution, a beacon of a brighter time, and an essential service provider in this country’s hour of need.

Photo credits: Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Share
RSS
Follow by Email

Disclaimer: Please note all content included in the blogs the GCVA publish and share, are the personal views of the the individual bloggers/organisations. The GCVA cannot be held responsible for the content.

10,719 thoughts on “A gift card isn’t just for Christmas; it’s handy for a crisis too: reflecting on the small things making a huge difference.”

  49. Picture this – 3 am in the morning, I had a line of fiends stretched around the corner of my block. It was in the freezing middle of January but they had camped out all night, jumping-ready to buy like there was a sale on Jordans. If you were 16 years old, in my shoes, you’d do anything to survive, right? I got good news though; I MADE IT OUT OF THE HOOD, with nothing but a laptop and an internet connection. I’m not special or lucky in any way. If I, as a convicted felon that used to scream “Free Harlem” around my block until my throat was sore, could find a way to generate a stable, consistent, reliable income online, ANYONE can! If you’re interested in legitimate, stress-free side hustles that can bring in $3,500/week, I set up a site you can use: https://incomecommunity.com

  68. A total of 125 genes differentially expressed in the G3 G1 comparison and 58 in the G4 G2 comparison were related to cancer, apoptosis, cellular migration, cellular proliferation, inflammatory response or angiogenesis kamagra 100 5mg for Dogs and Cats is an angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitor

  100. Excellent website you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any user
    discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed here?
    I’d really like to be a part of online community where
    I can get feedback from other knowledgeable individuals that share the
    same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
    Thanks!

  176. Hi there! I understand this is somewhat off-topic however I needed to ask.

    Does managing a well-established blog like yours take a large amount of work?

    I’m brand new to blogging however I do write in my journal every day.
    I’d like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and thoughts online.
    Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations or tips for
    new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!

  216. Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The
    words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Chrome.

    I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I thought I’d
    post to let you know. The layout look great though! Hope you get the issue solved soon.
    Cheers

  237. Estamos na temporada 2022/23 do futebol na Europa. E, com isso, damos inГ­cio tambГ©m a mais uma Champions League, tida por muitos como a maior competição de clubes do mundo. Os 32 melhores times do Velho Continente buscam mais uma vez o topo do esporte. NГЈo Г© possivel enviar novos comentГЎrios. SPFC.Net 2007 – 2022 Outra alternativa para nos apoiar Г© usando o cupom OTD em compras na Centauro. Com o cupom, vocГЄ ganha 10% de desconto na compra de equipamentos esportivos e parte do valor serГЎ revertido para o OlimpГ­ada Todo Dia. Vale lembrar que os descontos nГЈo sГЈo cumulativos. Se alguma peГ§a jГЎ estiver em oferta, vocГЄ nГЈo conseguirГЎ aumentar o desconto, mas se colocar o cupom OTD, parte do valor vai ajudar o portal do mesmo jeito. VocГЄ pode comprar tambГ©m pela vitrine do OTD no site das Centauro.
    https://www.mitmoradabad.edu.in/elearning/profile/s4yorui843/
    Veja onde vai passar o jogo do seu time: todos os jogos na TV por rodada e por canal Reportagem de fГґlego, que aborda, de forma aprofundada, vГЎrios aspectos e desdobramentos de um determinado assunto. Traz dados, estatГ­sticas, contexto histГіrico, alГ©m de histГіrias de personagens que sГЈo afetados ou tГЄm relação direta com o tema abordado. Aposte com responsabilidade. Veja os resultados dos jogos: Confira todos os resultados da 37ВЄ rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro da SГ©rie A nesta temporada Toda a informação em online estГЎ convenientemente localizado na lista geral, e tambГ©m pode abrir resultado dos jogos de hoje de um determinado evento, com os seguintes dados: Rodrigo FranГ§a Jogando na Ilha do Retiro na tarde deste domingo (01), o Sport venceu o Athetico Paranaense por 1×0, com gol de Thiago Neves. O resultado positivo, que foi vГЎlido pela dГ©cima nona rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, deixa o LeГЈo com 24 pontos e na oitava colocação na tabela. O JOGO A partida comeГ§ou como se…

  245. My brother suggested I might like this website. He used to be entirely right.
    This post truly made my day. You can not believe simply how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  265. Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than just your articles?
    I mean, what you say is valuable and everything. But
    just imagine if you added some great photos or videos
    to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and video clips, this website could definitely be one
    of the greatest in its field. Wonderful blog!

  279. Do you have a spam issue on this website; I also am a blogger, and
    I was curious about your situation; many of us have developed
    some nice practices and we are looking to exchange strategies with
    others, why not shoot me an email if interested.

  298. My developer is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP.
    I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.
    But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on various websites for about
    a year and am anxious about switching to another platform.

    I have heard fantastic things about blogengine.net.
    Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into it?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  306. Hey would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using?

    I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.

    The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something
    completely unique. P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!

  309. Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
    The words in your post seem to be running off the screen in Chrome.
    I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know.
    The design and style look great though! Hope you get the problem
    fixed soon. Kudos

  325. As a licensed commercial real estate broker in Colorado, serving the Denver Metro area, I can assist in all facets of commercial real estate, including leases, acquisitions, dispositions, and anything in between. The Seasons at Chandler Creek design-to-build office condos and retail buildings have excellent frontage on A.W. Grimes in the booming east side of Round Rock. By signing up you confirm that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy KW Commercial associates specializing in land brokerage and development services possess an exceptional understanding of the complex factors that influence the land brokerage transaction and have the extensive experience and contacts to get the deal done right. Working in coordination with our other specialties, our land brokerage services include:
    https://bestnearme.in/community/profile/saragawler60455/
    A range of factoring services are offered by PMAS members for their clients in residential, commercial and industrial property, covering all property ownership types. Find out more » JAHMA serves New Jersey affordable housing communities by advocating for quality and staying committed to fair housing. JAHMA maintains an active partnership with the National Affordable Housing Management Association. secure sign information Events Calendar “Thank you for getting the lights approved Bill. I can only imagine what it would have taken for anyone not involved in neighborhood management to accomplish this. It probably would not have happened. It is great that you have the background and experience to be able to know how to get this done. And you also must have spent a lot of hours doing this too. It is much appreciated!”

  430. When I read an article on this topic, bitcoincasino the first thought was profound and difficult, and I wondered if others could understand.. My site has a discussion board for articles and photos similar to this topic. Could you please visit me when you have time to discuss this topic?

  451. We stumbled over here from a different web address and thought I might check things out.
    I like what I see so now i’m following you.
    Look forward to checking out your web page yet
    again.

  466. What i do not realize is actually how you’re now not actually
    much more well-liked than you might be right now.
    You’re very intelligent. You already know therefore considerably when it comes to
    this matter, produced me personally believe it from a lot of
    various angles. Its like men and women are not interested until
    it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs nice.

    At all times take care of it up!

  474. I’ll immediately take hold of your rss as I can’t find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please allow me recognize so that I may subscribe. Thanks.

  488. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating
    it but, I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some
    recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing.
    Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.

  489. Если мы сопоставим все беспорядки, произведенные народом, со всеми беспорядками,
    учиненными государями, и все славные деяния народа
    со всеми славными деяниями государей, то мы
    увидим, что народ много превосходит государей и в добродетели, и в
    славе. А если государи превосходят
    народ в умении давать законы, образовывать
    гражданскую жизнь, устанавливать новый строй и новые
    учреждения, то народ столь же превосходит
    их в умении сохранять учрежденный строй.
    Тем самым он приобщается к славе его учредителей.
    Как вернуть интерес к жизни в любом возрасте

  603. Sitemiz üzerinden hesap çalmayla hiç uğraşmadan içerisinde
    UC’de bulunan pubg mobile hesaplarına ulaşabilirsiniz.

    En güncel yenilenen pubg mobile hesapları için bizi takip edin.

    PUBG Mobile hesap çalma konusu son derece ciddiye alınması gereken bir durumdur.

    Bu nedenle, güvenlik önlemlerini her zaman en üst seviyede tutmak ve şüpheli durumlarda hemen harekete geçmek önemlidir.
    Uygulanan doğru adımlarla birlikte, PUBG Mobile hesaplarının güvenliği sağlanabilir ve kullanıcıların keyifle oyun oynamalarına devam
    etmeleri mümkün olabilir.

    https://sites.google.com/view/pubg-mobile-hesap-calma/

  653. Hey! Quick question that’s completely off topic.

    Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird when browsing from my
    iphone4. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that
    might be able to fix this issue. If you have any suggestions, please share.
    Appreciate it!

  722. Güvenilir Bahis Siteleri Nelerdir?

    Güvenilir bahis siteleri, kullanıcıların güvenliğini ön planda tutan, lisanslı ve düzenlenen sitelerdir.
    Bu siteler, adil oyun politikaları ile birlikte, ödeme ve müşteri hizmetleri konularında da
    üstün kalite sunarlar. Ayrıca, güvenilir bahis siteleri, gizlilik politikalarına
    uygun hareket ederek, kullanıcı bilgilerinin korunmasını sağlarlar.

    https://sites.google.com/view/bahis-siteleri-bedava-bonus/