Payment orchestration and gift cards: a winning duo

The consumer shopping experience has changed radically in recent years. Expectations are higher than ever, and the ability for retailers to offer flexible, frictionless payment solutions has become essential. In this context, payment orchestration coupled with an omnichannel gift card solution has become an obvious choice. By centralizing the management of online and in-store transactions, orchestration simplifies payment flows and improves the customer experience.

Beyond that, gift cards, far from being just a simple gift, are transforming into a powerful strategic tool. Thanks to solutions like those offered by Global POS, which allow for the seamless use of gift cards across all sales channels—e-commerce, physical stores, and digital wallets—they perfectly meet new consumer habits. When combined with a payment orchestration solution, they become a winning duo for retailers, boosting customer satisfaction and transaction efficiency.

The omnichannel gift card: a key tool for the customer experience

The gift card is much more than just a payment method. It has become a true strategic lever for retailers, particularly thanks to its omnichannel nature. Today, consumers can buy and use their gift cards both online and in-store, and sometimes even via digital wallets. This flexibility meets a crucial need in the modern customer journey: the ability to buy and spend with ease, regardless of the touchpoint.

Omnichannel solutions like those developed by Global POS meet this need by enabling the activation and use of gift cards across all sales channels, while also improving the customer experience by eliminating the frustrations associated with overly rigid payment systems. Activating gift cards online, which can then be used in-store, creates a seamless customer journey, thereby strengthening loyalty.

The numbers speak for themselves: in 2024, the gift card market in France recorded a 13.2% increase compared to the previous year, confirming their growing popularity among consumers and businesses alike. In particular, digital gift cards are seeing strong growth, with an increase of more than 6% in e-gift card purchases compared to 2023, despite a shorter Golden Quarter that year. Consumers favor solutions that offer them greater freedom in how they use their credit, whether on an e-commerce site or at a physical point of sale. The average gift card amount has also increased, with a rise of 1.23% in-store and 6.31% online.

Read also: E-commerce: does your current payment solution really meet your customers' expectations? 

A gift card to boost customer loyalty and engagement

Beyond their role as a payment method, gift cards have become powerful tools for loyalty and engagement. They allow retailers to create personalized experiences, thereby strengthening the relationship with the consumer. These cards are also an excellent way to retain regular customers while attracting new shoppers. In the B2B sector, companies leverage gift cards through programs for Works Councils and Social and Economic Committees (CSE), rewarding and motivating their employees with cards valid at various retailers. Brands are increasingly using "pot" gift cards to build customer loyalty and increase their average basket size. This system allows users to accumulate a balance to be spent exclusively in their stores or on their e-commerce sites. These programs increase the average basket size and build long-term consumer loyalty. The emergence of solutions like the "pot" gift card goes further by personalizing the offer and creating a strong incentive to return to the store or e-commerce site, as consumers tend to spend more than the initial value of their card.

Payment orchestration: a facilitator for omnichannel gift cards

Before the emergence of payment orchestration, managing gift cards within omnichannel transactions could be a real headache for retailers. Traditional systems required managing online and in-store payments separately, creating significant technical and logistical complexity. Brands had to integrate distinct solutions for each point of sale: one for e-commerce and another for in-store payments. This involved implementing multiple APIs and incurring additional costs related to these integrations.

The consequences of this fragmented management were numerous: prolonged system integration times, high costs for retailers, and, above all, a sometimes frustrating customer experience. For example, a consumer wishing to use their gift card online or in-store could be faced with incompatibilities between different payment systems. Such an experience created a dissonance between customer expectations, which prioritize fluidity and simplicity, and the reality of the solutions offered by retailers. Solutions such as Global POS have revolutionized this approach by making gift cards truly omnichannel, but without effective orchestration, their potential remains limited.

The payment orchestration solution

Payment orchestration has solved these challenges by centralizing payment management via a single platform. By simplifying the integration of various payment solutions, this approach allows brands to manage omnichannel transactions more easily while offering a seamless experience to their customers. For gift cards, payment orchestration has revolutionized how they are used by allowing them to be integrated into both online and in-store payments.

Thanks to a single API, brands can now easily enable gift card management without having to integrate multiple distinct systems. This significantly reduces integration costs and time while offering a consistent experience for the consumer. By using a centralized platform, retailers can quickly deploy omnichannel gift card programs and focus on customer loyalty rather than the complex management of multiple payment solutions.

Read also: Merchants, with Purse, unifying your payment channels has never been easier!

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Payment orchestration and omnichannel gift cards are now inseparable for offering a seamless and optimized customer experience.  Global POS provides the omnichannel technological solution, while Purse ensures efficient and transparent payment orchestration. Together, these solutions allow retailers to meet the expectations of consumers who are always looking for simplicity and personalization.

Thanks to this combination, brands can offer a frictionless shopping experience, where gift cards are accepted and valued across all sales channels. The future of payments lies in omnichannel and innovation, and with Purse & Global POS, retailers have the best tools to meet this challenge and accelerate their growth!