July 15, 2025
Digital gift cards are one of the most flexible ways to drive revenue. They bring in cash upfront, attract new customers, and are easy to scale. But when businesses launch gift cards without a clear strategy, things can go sideways fast.
If you’ve ever asked, "Why is my gift card program underperforming?" — or worse, "Why did it fail?" — this guide will help. We’ll walk through the most common mistakes brands make when offering digital gift cards online, how to avoid them, and what to do instead.
Whether you're just getting started or trying to fix a program that’s already live, these lessons apply.
Offering gift cards only during Black Friday or Christmas? You’re missing out.
Yes, the holiday season is when gift cards are most visible. But buyers look for gift cards year-round — for birthdays, graduations, thank-you gifts, and employee rewards.
The mistake: Making gift cards a seasonal promo instead of a permanent part of your offer.
The fix:
A consistent presence builds long-term awareness — and long-tail revenue.
If it’s hard to redeem a card, people won’t bother.
Common issues:
The mistake: Focusing only on the purchase experience, and not the redemption.
The fix:
Bonus: Send a reminder email a few weeks after delivery with the balance and a direct link to shop.
Digital gift cards are targets for scammers. If you’re not protecting your system, you could face chargebacks, drained cards, or reputation damage.
The mistake: Launching cards without fraud rules in place.
Common fraud types:
The fix:
Platforms like Ncentiva include built-in fraud detection and usage limits, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
Customers want to know:
If you don’t answer these questions upfront, they’ll either abandon the cart or flood your inbox.
The mistake: Burying or skipping clear gift card terms.
The fix:
This builds trust and reduces support tickets.
Most brands send a gift card and… that’s it. No follow-up, no reminder, no tracking.
The mistake: Treating gift cards as single-use revenue instead of a customer relationship tool.
The fix:
This is where real ROI happens — not at the point of sale, but in what comes after.
Ncentiva makes it easy to launch secure, high-performing digital gift cards with:
Whether you’re starting fresh or revamping a failing program, Ncentiva gives you the tools to make it work.
Want to avoid common mistakes and build a better gift card strategy?
Talk to Ncentiva →