How to optimize the UX of your gift card order process to maximize conversions?

Conversion rate is the most closely watched and critical metric for e-commerce. It directly reflects the success or failure of a project. Indeed, it’s through this rate that we can assess whether all the efforts have met the objectives.

There are different conversion rates for various goals, depending on each brand or retailer. However, the most common one focuses on the purchase of one or more products. That’s perfect for us because here, we’ll be talking specifically about the conversion rate related to the online purchase of gift cards. The reality is that many brands are still not optimizing this service, even though both physical and digital gift cards have been in increasing demand for several years.

So, how can you improve this service?

A flawless customer experience

The first, and one of the most crucial points, is to craft a seamless customer experience from start to finish. This is a major focus for brands, yet shortcomings are often seen when it comes to gift card services.

Visibility

Gift cards are not just a powerful tool for customer acquisition and retention; they also generate additional revenue. Why? Because gift card holders frequently spend more than the card’s value. In fact, over a third of customers exceed the initial card value by 40%. To maximize this potential, brands must ensure their gift card services are easily accessible on their website. However, this is often overlooked.

The first step to boosting conversions is making the gift card service visible. What are the best practices to adopt?

1. Visibility in the main menu: Customers searching for a gift card naturally explore the site’s main menu. The link to the service should be well-positioned, for instance, in a “Gift Ideas” section. This also includes the footer, a dedicated gift ideas page, or even a promotional banner on the homepage during strategic periods (Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc.).
2. Mobile compatibility: Visibility must be ensured across all platforms, including mobile and the brand’s apps. Many brands excel on their websites but forget to make their gift card service accessible on their apps, leading to missed opportunities.
3. Internal search optimization: Users may prefer to search directly for “gift card” using the site's or app's search bar. It is crucial to ensure that this term returns relevant results.
4. Recommendations and alternatives: Leverage product pages, especially in cases of stock shortages. For example, during the holiday season, if a popular product is unavailable, offer a gift card from the brand as an alternative. This solution keeps the customer engaged in the purchasing journey.
5. Integration into loyalty programs and promotions: Gift cards make perfect rewards and promotional tools. By integrating them into loyalty programs, they gain visibility and become a lever to reward loyalty while driving new purchases.

Optimizing the gift card purchasing journey means ensuring that they are always just a click away, at any time and on all devices. With increased visibility and optimized accessibility, you maximize your chances of turning every visit into a sale.

A dedicated and optimized landing page

The landing page for your gift card service needs to be both responsive and informative. Its primary goal is to quickly convey the benefits of the gift card, whether physical or digital, and streamline the purchasing process. Here are the essential elements for a high-performing landing page:

Separate the digital and physical card journeys

If you offer both e-cards and physical cards, it's crucial to create two distinct journeys to provide a tailored shopping experience:

• Digital card: Clearly explain how it works, its benefits, and its accessibility (immediate delivery via email, the option to add it to an e-wallet, etc.). Many consumers are still unfamiliar with the advantages of this format.
• Physical card: Be transparent about delivery times to avoid disappointment. This information should be visible before payment so that the customer knows if the card will arrive in time for their event.

Key information to include

• Comprehensive FAQ: Address common questions, such as where and how to use the card, its validity period, return policies, and more. This reduces uncertainties and reassures the customer.
• Customer service contact: Offer multiple contact options (phone, WhatsApp, chatbot, contact form). This builds trust and helps resolve potential issues during the purchase.
• Link for balance check: Include a quick access option for checking the balance of gift cards. Cardholders want to easily know how much they have left to spend.

Omnichannel Experience

Today, a great customer experience is synonymous with omnichannel. Each customer should be able to choose how they interact with the brand without encountering friction in their purchase journey. This is especially true for digital gift cards.

The most common journey is for the giver to purchase the card on a desktop, while the recipient uses it via their smartphone (email or e-wallet) or on their PC. The digital card should be quickly accessible and visible on both devices, allowing the recipient to make a purchase at any time.

For brands with a mobile app, consider integrating digital gift cards, making them easily accessible to the recipient during their shopping experience.

Advanced personalization

Gift cards are, above all, gifts, and customers want to delight their loved ones with a special touch. If personalization options are limited, customers may abandon their purchase. Here’s how to offer a personalized and memorable experience:

Offer rich personalization options

• Choice of occasion-specific visuals: Provide visuals tailored to special occasions (birthday, wedding, Christmas, etc.).
• Photo or video uploads: Allow customers to upload a personal photo or video to accompany the gift card, making the gesture even more unique.
• Qr code for a personal touch: Offer the option to include a QR code with a personalized video message or a special memory.
• Custom messages: Let customers write a message that will accompany the gift card for an even more personal touch.

Thoughtful presentation For e-gift cards, the email sent to the recipient should be designed as a true digital gift, featuring a polished design and a warm message. For physical gift cards, every detail counts: the design of the card, the envelope, and even any additional gift boxes or greeting cards. Including a tote bag or a thank-you card can further enhance the perceived value of the gift card.

Encourage a thank-you gesture For digital cards, integrate a thank-you feature. As soon as the recipient receives their card, they can easily send a thank-you message to the purchaser. This simple interaction strengthens the connection between the recipient and the giver, creating a positive experience around the gift card.

By offering advanced personalization, brands turn each gift card into a unique and memorable moment, increasing its perceived value and encouraging purchase.

Functionality

Convenience for the buyer is crucial. Beyond delivery and payment options, buyers expect to choose their own amount. Many gift card services only allow fixed amounts, like €20, €50, or €100.

Ideally, offer default fixed amounts for those in a hurry, while also allowing custom amounts like €30, €35, or €48.

Even better, some buyers wish to pool resources for a group gift. Providing the option to create a collective fund for purchasing the gift card is a great added value.

A streamlined process

The purchase journey for a gift card should be designed differently from that of other products. Why? Because gift card buyers are often people outside the brand’s typical target audience. For example, a men’s clothing brand might see gift cards purchased by the recipient's partner, sister, or friend. These buyers may not return to the site after this purchase, making a customer account creation unnecessary.

Simplify to boost conversions

A complex purchase process can be a major barrier: every additional information request increases the risk of cart abandonment by 1%. To maximize conversions, it’s essential to offer a streamlined experience:

• No mandatory account creation: Allowing purchases without requiring account creation reduces friction and encourages checkout completion.
• Direct purchase with a dedicated path: Providing a specific purchase flow for gift cards, separate from the traditional shopping cart, simplifies the process.
• Adapt to card type: The journey should adjust based on whether the card is physical or digital. For example, there’s no need to request shipping information for an e-gift card.

Prioritize speed

Speed is key, especially for last-minute purchases. It’s crucial to strike a balance between card personalization and the number of steps before checkout. For an even smoother experience, the ideal solution is a single checkout page that combines all necessary steps, offering greater clarity and a frictionless experience.

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Payment options adapted to devices

The payment phase is critical in converting gift card site visitors into buyers, as 20% of cart abandonments occur at this stage. Here’s how to maximize conversions during this key moment:

1. Reassure shoppers

Security is a top priority for online buyers. If a visitor has doubts about the security of the website or data protection, they’re likely to leave without completing their purchase. It’s essential to:

• Display security and certification badges.
• Use reassurance messages to build buyer trust (e.g., "100% Secure Payment").

2. Offer a variety of payment options

A lack of payment choices is a common reason for cart abandonment. Everyone has their preferred method, and it's crucial to accommodate those preferences. Offering a balanced range of options, without overwhelming the customer, is key:

• For mobile payments, prioritize simple solutions like one-click payments or PayPal, which are particularly well-suited to smartphone browsing, accounting for about 40% of online purchases.
• Adapting payment methods based on the device used enhances the user experience and reduces friction during checkout.

Seamless delivery

Delivery is often a critical point in the purchase journey for gift cards, especially for physical versions. Unexpected shipping costs, limited options, or long delivery times can easily lead to cart abandonment. Here’s how to avoid these pitfalls and ensure a smooth experience:

1. Offer flexible and transparent delivery options

• Physical gift cards: Clearly communicate delivery times from the start and provide multiple options (express, standard, etc.). If delivery times are too long, offer the possibility to send a digital version while the physical card is on its way. This ensures that the recipient receives their gift on time, even if there are delays.
• Digital gift cards: Provide options for immediate delivery or scheduling a future delivery date chosen by the buyer. This flexibility better meets user expectations.

2. Enhance the receiving experience

For digital gift cards, the delivery email is crucial, as it is the recipient's first contact with the brand. This email should be easily readable across all devices, especially smartphones, which are commonly used to check messages. Highlight key information: the card's value, the sender’s name, a personalized message, and a link that allows the recipient to thank the buyer.

3. Delivery tracking for greater satisfaction

• E-cards: Send email notifications at every step (confirmation of dispatch, receipt by the recipient).
• Physical Cards: Provide delivery tracking via email or SMS for both the buyer and the recipient. For the recipient, use more discreet messaging to maintain the surprise, like "A special surprise from X is on its way to you!"

By focusing on these aspects, brands can minimize friction and enhance the user experience during both payment and delivery, leading to higher satisfaction and more conversions.

Enabling self-use

A new way to use gift cards has emerged in the United States and is gaining traction in Europe: self-use. Some consumers are now purchasing gift cards for themselves, viewing them as a form of credit tied to a specific brand. Essentially, it serves as a payment method that can only be used in certain stores.

Given the current economic climate, this type of usage is on the rise as it helps consumers better manage and control their budgets. Therefore, during the ordering process, it is important to offer the option for customers to receive the gift card themselves.

Simplified and agile gift card registration for the recipient

The easier it is to register a gift card, the more likely recipients will be motivated to visit stores and spend it. To facilitate this, brands can offer several options:

• Easy registration of the e-gift card PDF on both computers and smartphones.
• Saving and storing the e-gift card within the brand's mobile app.
• Adding the e-gift card to a mobile wallet, and ideally, merging it with the loyalty card.
• Quickly dematerializing a physical gift card (saving it to a phone) by scanning a barcode or QR code.
• Allowing existing customers to save their gift cards to their accounts, enabling them to select the pre-registered card during the payment step.

Easy and quick spending for the recipient

The process of spending a gift card should be straightforward and adaptable to different consumer habits. Therefore, it's crucial to offer options like:

• Paying via contactless mobile payment if the card is saved in the app or mobile wallet.
• Paying by scanning a QR code or barcode, using either a digital or physical gift card.

Quick balance check for the recipient

At any time, the gift card holder will want to check the remaining balance on the card and see the expiration date. It’s beneficial to highlight these details across various platforms and channels. For example:

• On the gift card service page, include a link to the "Check Your Balance" page.
• Send emails or push notifications with the remaining balance or expiration date (especially as the date approaches).
• Immediately after purchase, send a clear email explaining the expiration date and how to check the remaining balance.

To maximize the conversion rate—or the number of gift card orders—it’s essential to treat gift cards as a standalone service, distinct from other products. From the customer experience to payment and delivery, every aspect should be carefully designed to meet the specific needs and expectations of gift card customers.

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