Gift cards are no longer just convenient stocking stuffers — they’re strategic revenue drivers,
marketing tools, and loyalty engines. In a recent webinar hosted by Rocío Liébana, founder of
RLC Solutions and a 17-year veteran in the gift card space, attendees got an insider’s look at
how top brands are optimizing gift cards across multiple channels.
Here are the six most important takeaways from the session — including Rocío’s perspective on
what separates mediocre programs from exceptional ones.
1. Gift Cards Can Represent 5% (or More) of Total Revenue
Most brands are sitting on untapped potential. According to Rocío, a well-structured gift card
program can account for 1–2% of revenue easily. But optimized programs? They reach 5% or
more.
“Gift cards are a profit generator — not just a tool. Some companies are making 5%
of their total revenues from gift cards alone.” — Rocío Liébana
On top of that, breakage — the percentage of cards never redeemed — brings in additional
margin without any extra effort.
2. Know Your “Why” — and Align Internally
Brands often launch gift card programs without a clear goal. Rocío urges companies to define
the purpose upfront — acquisition, retention, reducing returns, or just meeting customer
expectations.
“You need to find your why. If your team doesn’t know why you have gift cards, it’s
hard to make them successful.”
Gift card programs that scale are integrated into the company’s strategic roadmap and have
both C-level sponsorship and a dedicated operational team.
3. Distribution, Visibility & Promotion Make or Break a Program
The tech may be perfect, but if customers can’t find the cards — online or offline — your
program is losing money. Rocío highlighted companies that treat gift cards as part of their
merchandising and customer journey, not a hidden afterthought.
“I still visit websites where it takes five clicks to find the gift card. That’s a huge
miss.”
Her advice: make gift cards as visible as your best-selling products — and link them to
seasonal promotions, marketing campaigns, and external platforms.
4. B2B Is 50% of the Market — and Most Brands Are Missing It
Employee benefit platforms, loyalty programs, aggregators, and corporate gifting schemes are
booming. Rocío was direct: if you’re not offering digital gift cards, you’re missing B2B
completely.
“Physical gift cards alone won’t get you into the B2B space. And in Europe, B2B is
already 50% of total gift card turnover.”
She recommends exploring digital aggregators and even joining loyalty schemes (like
Mastercard’s Priceless program) to expand reach.
5. Think Global, Execute Local
Brands like Apple and Zalando were highlighted as case studies for balancing centralized
strategy with local execution.
“Apple nailed global consistency with one unified card design. Zalando nailed
central strategy with local execution in 19 countries.”
Her point? Use one tech foundation and one set of KPIs — but adapt execution to different
channels and regions.
6. Customer Experience Is the Final Frontier
For Rocío, the customer journey is everything. Seamless redemption across physical and digital touchpoints, creative design, and tech that scales all matter.
She shared standout ideas from top brands: collectible gift cards from Starbucks, recyclable
and plantable designs, Easter toy combos, and AI-enhanced personalized e-cards.
“We once launched a card with seeds inside. Customers could plant their gift card.
That’s how you embed brand values into the product.”
Wrapping Up: Gift Cards as a Strategic Business Lever
What became clear during the session is this: gift cards are no longer just a transactional product — they’re a versatile tool that touches nearly every part of a modern business.
From acquisition and retention, to returns, loyalty, and partnerships — the brands seeing real growth are the ones treating gift cards as a strategic channel, not a side project.
And success doesn’t come from guesswork. It comes from:
- Clear KPIs
- Strong internal alignment
- Scalable technology
And above all, visibility — across channels, campaigns, and decision-making tables
As Rocío said during the session:
“The more connected your gift card program is to your overall strategy, the more value it will create — for your customers and your business.”
If you’re serious about growth, gift cards deserve a seat at the table.