The figures and scenarios in this article are illustrative: adapt them to your margins and your own data. They are not EasyFid customer results. See how to measure your results.
A gift card is a great way to bring in revenue: someone pays you upfront for something they'll spend later in your shop. But here's the catch: the person who receives the gift card doesn't necessarily come back after spending it. They're a one-time customer, not a loyal one — unless you turn them into one.
That's where a loyalty program comes in: it turns that single visit into a lasting relationship. The gift card creates the first visit, loyalty is what keeps them coming back. Used together, they reinforce each other. Here's how to connect the two.
Table of contents
The two limits of gift cards on their own
First limit: the customer who receives the gift card may not know your shop at all. They don't know what else you offer. The only thing that drew them in is the amount printed on the card.
Second limit: once the card is spent, they disappear. No follow-up, no reason to come back. You may not even have their phone number or email address.
The result: a lot of gift cards get spent, once, by customers who never return. It's real revenue, but a shallow relationship.
The goal: turn the customer who walks in with a gift card into someone who comes back on their own, whether or not there's still balance left on the card. That's where the real value sits — a visit frequency built on genuine loyalty.
Connecting the gift card to your loyalty program
The trick is simple: at every visit involving a gift card, invite the customer to join your loyalty program. Not as an afterthought — make it part of the payment moment itself.
At the register, here's the flow: the customer arrives with their gift card. You process the payment. At that moment, you say: "All set — while I'm at it, let me add you to our loyalty program, so every visit from now on earns you points. Here's your loyalty QR code for next time, you can keep it in the EasyFid app or add it straight to Apple Wallet."
Three things happen at that moment:
- You now have the customer's basic details (first name, and preferences over time)
- You show them that coming back has an immediate, visible upside (the points)
- You move them out of the "one-time customer" category and into "customer worth keeping"
The pitch takes ten seconds. "Would it be okay if I occasionally let you know when we have something new?" Transparent, compliant, and an easy way to open the door to loyalty.
Incentives that actually work
Simply saying "join our loyalty program" isn't enough. You need a bonus. Three levers that create real engagement, all things you set and control yourself:
1. An immediate sign-up bonus. "If you join the program today, I'll credit you a discount to use on your next visit." That's already a second visit locked in, at minimum. You've turned a one-time customer into a two-time customer.
2. A little extra on today's purchase. "Using a gift card for €50 today? I'll credit your loyalty points as if you'd spent a bit more." It's a small, deliberate gesture you choose to make — it doesn't cost you anything extra out of pocket, and it gets the customer to their next reward a little sooner.
3. Access to exclusive offers. "Loyalty members get first access to our Thursday flash deals. Interested?" Pure marketing, no real cost, but it reads as premium treatment.
Concrete approaches by sector
In dining: a customer arrives with a €50 gift card. On their first order, you say: "I'd love to add you to our loyalty program — every €50 you spend earns you a discount on your next visit." As a bonus, if it's a slow weeknight, offer a free coffee to new loyalty members. The idea is to give them a concrete reason to come back on a day that suits you too.
In a bakery: the customer receives a €30 gift card. At the register, you say: "Join our loyalty program, and every 10 purchases earns you a free loaf." If it's their neighborhood bakery, that habit builds naturally. Loyalty locks in a routine that was already starting to form.
In a hair salon: a €100 gift card for a cut. The stylist offers: "Join our program — every 4th cut, the 5th is discounted." It's a clear incentive: the more often they come, the better the deal.
In a clothing boutique: a customer arrives with a €150 gift card. You offer: "Join our loyalty program and get early access to our private sales." It's intangible but effective: exclusivity is appealing.
Weighing the combined results
Say, as an illustration, you sell 100 gift cards a year at an average of €50 — that's €5,000 in guaranteed revenue coming in upfront.
Without a loyalty program attached, a meaningful share of those recipients may never come back on their own. That's future revenue left on the table.
As a simulation: estimate how many gift card recipients might return if you enroll them in loyalty at the register, then weigh that against the cost of the rewards you offer and your margin. These assumptions need checking against your own numbers — loyalty alone can't be credited with every later sale, since other factors (location, word of mouth, product quality) also play a role.
The cost of setting up the loyalty side stays low with EasyFid, starting at €9.99/month. Whether the combination pays off for you specifically is something only your own tracking can confirm.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a gift card and a loyalty program?
A gift card attracts new customers — the person who buys it spends money in your shop, but the person who receives it may never come back. A loyalty program builds loyalty among customers you already have by rewarding them. Together, they form a complete system: the gift card creates the first visit, loyalty encourages the return ones.
How do I connect my gift card to my loyalty program?
When a customer uses a gift card, enroll them directly in your loyalty program at the register. You can offer a small bonus (for example, a discount) if they agree to share an email address. With EasyFid, adding them to your loyalty program is quick: you scan their new QR code once, and they're set for future visits.
How many gift card customers come back thanks to loyalty?
It depends on your sector, your reward and the period. Compare your own customer cohorts and costs over time; no average increase is guaranteed.
What average basket can I expect from combining gift cards and loyalty?
It depends on your sector, your reward and the period. Compare your own customer cohorts and costs over time; no average increase is guaranteed.
Turn Gift Card Customers Into Regulars
Enroll every gift card customer in a digital loyalty program, in a few seconds at the register.
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