Seamless Gift Card Distribution: Two Methods, Multiple Recipients

If you use gift cards and prepaid cards for your business, a smooth distribution process is more than just a ‘nice to have.’ This is true whether you're rewarding employees, sending corporate gifts, or running customer acquisition campaigns. If you’re sending any number of digital rewards, you need an easy way to manage and distribute them in real-time.

Thankfully, new tools make this process easier than ever for both you and your recipients.

In this article, we’ll explore the two best options for gift card distribution to multiple recipients, along with more ways to grow and scale any incentive program.

What is gift card distribution?

Gift card distribution is the process many businesses use to provide gift cards and prepaid cards to customers, employees, and partners as rewards, incentives, and promotional tools.

Companies use gift and prepaid cards for employee recognition, customer loyalty programs, and marketing giveaways, among many other use cases. The distribution method they choose often depends on their target audience and specific goals.

In the past, companies had no choice but to use physical gift cards and prepaid cards for their programs. Like you’d expect, this was typically a cumbersome process that wasted time and money due to production, packaging, shipping, and the like.

Thankfully, gift card solutions today have a modern, digital twist. Instead of relying solely on physical cards, businesses can now distribute digital rewards that are delivered instantly via email, mobile apps, and QR codes.

Gift card providers that offer a digital approach can enhance your recipients’ experiences by giving them immediate access to their rewards. Going digital also cuts down on the costs and logistics associated with traditional methods.

Additionally, digital gift card distribution allows companies to more easily scale their campaigns and reach a wider audience quickly and efficiently.

The shift to digital also opens up opportunities for greater personalization and customization. Businesses can tailor the look and feel of their delivery to match their branding and specific campaign goals, creating a more engaging and memorable experience for recipients.

Beyond distribution

Modern distributors today do much more than just deliver rewards (such as Visa® and Mastercard®). They can also provide a suite of complementary features to enhance an entire incentive program.

For example, advanced analytics and reporting tools let businesses track how gift cards are used. Good reporting will let you measure campaign effectiveness and gain insights into customer behavior. Companies can use this data to refine their strategies, optimize future campaigns, and make informed decisions for better results.

Integration with existing business systems is also crucial. Gift card companies like Giftbit offer many ways to automate your e-gift card programs, whether that’s through an API or a quick Zapier integration. These options let clients connect with their CRM and other enterprise tools like Qualtrics, Google Sheets, and Airtable.

Meanwhile, robust security measures and compliance with relevant regulations will ensure transactions are safe for both businesses and recipients alike.

All combined, what modern gift card distributors really offer is more scalability.

Indeed, whether a company is a small startup or a large enterprise, modern reward platforms can handle varying campaign sizes and adapt to growing needs, keeping recipient engagement high while boosting the bottom line.

Going global

Global companies need global rewards. With the rise of remote work and globalization in general, even small companies today need easy ways to do business around the world.

For this reason, most companies now need robust options to distribute their employee incentives and other rewards globally. That’s why the Giftbit global reward catalog includes popular brands from around the world, along with automatic currency conversion.

We've seen a growing need for international rewards, incentives, and payouts. Businesses are more able to operate across borders today, and they need rewards and incentives that are as global and flexible as other business operations

— Leif Baradoy, Chief Executive Officer ｜ Giftbit

How to manage the distribution of digital gift cards to multiple recipients

Managing the distribution of digital gift cards to multiple recipients can quickly become complex, especially as your needs grow. Automating the process as much as possible is typically the best way to handle it.

There’s no doubt that handling large-scale and/or complex distribution manually can lead to errors, delays, and a poor recipient experience.

Meanwhile, a white label solution offers a streamlined, branded experience for your recipients, while also making your life a lot easier.

Specifically, the two following distribution channels are the most effective ways to deliver gift cards and prepaid cards for virtually any use case.

1. Direct links

Direct links are the gold standard for distributing digital gift cards, especially when integrating rewards into another platform such as an app, website, or loyalty program. Customize these links to match your brand, and you’ll create a cohesive experience for your recipients.

Specifically, when they click their direct URL, your recipient will land on a single brand (like Amazon.com gift cards or Ikea, for example), on a curated list of choices, or the full catalog. In other words, it’s fast and easy for them to actually redeem their gift card or prepaid card with no sign-ups, hassles, or friction.

Direct links like this are versatile, supporting both standard and promotional gift card options as well as full catalog and customized selections. This flexibility makes them the best choice for businesses looking to incorporate rewards directly into their existing user experiences without disrupting the flow.

Worried about a lengthy gift card API integration process? Don’t be—most Giftbit clients are able to get everything set up in a few days, or even a few hours. See how quick and easy it was for Prime46 to integrate Giftbit’s API with Sawtooth.

2. Email rewards

Email rewards offer another convenient alternative for distributing digital gift cards and prepaid cards, particularly for smaller campaigns or tight timelines. With this method, your recipients will receive an email with your message and a click-to-claim button. Email templates are also customizable, making this a professional, attractive, and effective way to deliver digital gifts and payouts.

A major advantage of email rewards is that they save you the effort of building or managing the notification process yourself. This makes them ideal for businesses with limited resources or those needing to deploy rewards quickly without extensive setup.

While there are other methods available for embedding rewards and other needs, most clients reap the most benefit from these two options.

Choosing the right method

When deciding between direct links and email rewards, consider the scale and specific needs of your distribution campaign.

Direct links offer greater customization and integration capabilities, making them ideal for larger, more complex initiatives.

Meanwhile, email rewards provide a simpler, faster solution for smaller or more urgent distributions.

By partnering with the right modern distributor, you can ensure that whichever disbursement method you choose, the process will remain efficient, scalable, and aligned with your brand identity.

How to plan and strategize your gift card distribution

Successful gift card distribution requires effective planning. Begin by defining your goals, whether it’s boosting employee retention, increasing customer loyalty, driving sales, or something else. Clear objectives will keep your distribution efforts focused and measurable.

If you plan to run a large incentive program, if you have custom requirements or plans to monetize, or if you need sophisticated integrations or global options, we recommend a quick, low commitment consultation. Book one now. 

Understanding your audience is also key. Always offer gift cards and prepaid cards that align with your recipients’ preferences, such as tech store cards for tech-savvy employees or versatile retail options for a broader audience.

For example, when Molly Quinn, Distinctive Schools’ Managing Director of Marketing & Communications, wants to reward their teachers, she often turns to Starbucks gift cards.

“Teachers love coffee, so that’s easy!” she says. “Even just a cup of coffee has been a nice gesture.”

That said, be sure to weigh the benefits of offering your recipients full choice, too.

“My favorite thing is giving people a reward that you know they want,” says Molly. “By offering them the choice, it’s not so prescriptive. We’re able to honor and appreciate them, while also allowing them to have some voice and choice in what they receive.”

Finally, choosing the right distribution method is also important. Like we’ve covered, digital distribution is the most efficient and scalable option, making it perfect for timely rewards and large campaigns. Integrating with systems like your CRM can further streamline the process and provide valuable insights.

And don’t forget to continually measure your program’s success. Use analytics to track redemption rates and engagement, so you can understand what works and what doesn’t. Then use this information to optimize future initiatives.

Ultimately, effectively managing the distribution of digital gift cards to multiple recipients means having the right tools and strategies in place. Utilizing a white label distributor and selecting the appropriate distribution method—whether through direct links or email—can enhance your ability to deliver rewards smoothly and maintain strong relationships with your audience.

Gift card distribution FAQs

What is a gift card aggregator?

A gift card aggregator is a platform that consolidates multiple gift card brands into a single interface, allowing businesses to easily purchase and distribute a variety of gift cards and prepaid cards for diverse use cases. It provides access to numerous retailers and brands, enabling bulk purchasing and streamlined distribution. This makes it ideal for employee rewards, customer incentives, and promotional campaigns, ensuring flexibility and efficiency in your gift card programs.

Where can I buy gift cards in bulk for employees?

The easiest way to buy and send bulk gift cards to employees is through a specialized digital gift card platform. For example, Giftbit offers customizable solutions with personalized messages and seamless delivery via email or apps, along with bulk discounts and revenue sharing.

Additionally, Giftbit provides tracking and management tools to streamline your reward programs—all without any added fees or minimums.

What are the best practices for secure gift card distribution to customers?

The best practices for secure gift card distribution include partnering with SOC 2 compliant providers to ensure robust data security and privacy. Your platform should also let you use encrypted delivery methods and implement strict access controls to protect sensitive customer information.

What are the best platforms for digital gift card distribution?

When assessing a platform for digital gift card distribution, carefully scrutinize their catalog (is it global, robust, and continually growing?), their customer support (how easy is it for you or your recipients to actually reach someone?), and their pricing transparency.

The best platforms will offer complete pricing transparency with no added fees. In other words, all your budget should go to the gift cards and prepaid cards themselves.

How can I integrate gift card distribution into my e-commerce platform?

Integrate gift card distribution into your e-commerce platform by using a digital gift card service that offers easy API integration and customizable options to match your site’s branding. Ensure the platform supports instant delivery through email or SMS and provides robust tracking and management tools.

Additionally, choose a provider with transparent pricing and strong security measures to seamlessly manage and scale your gift card programs.

Giftbit simplifies gift card distribution for global incentive programs of all shapes and sizes. Create your no-fee account now to get started.