Gift cards as a side income: more sales without extra hours

Many small business owners would like to grow their revenue, but there’s no room left in the calendar for more client work. However, not every extra euro requires a new work hour right now. With a gift card, the customer pays for the service in advance and uses it later.

Selling gift cards isn’t fully passive income, since the service still has to be delivered eventually. But it can still bring money into the cash register even when you’re off work, your day is already fully booked, or the customer isn’t yet ready to book an appointment.

Why does a gift card work as a side income?

A digital gift card can be available for purchase around the clock. The customer places the order whenever it suits them, and the sale doesn’t require a separate meeting or messaging with the business owner.

At the same time, a gift card reaches new customers. The buyer pays, but the person who uses the service may be someone who doesn’t yet know your business. A successful first visit can later lead to a new booking and a longer customer relationship.

Gift cards work both online and in brick-and-mortar stores, making them a multichannel source of revenue for a business.

Here’s how to turn gift cards into ongoing extra sales

Gift cards don’t have to be just a seasonal product. At their best, they’re part of a business’s normal sales year-round.

Make buying as easy as possible

Customers should be able to find the gift card quickly on your website or social media channels. Clearly state where the card can be bought, what it can be used for, and how long it’s valid.

Offer a few easy-to-understand options. For example, you could sell gift cards of a certain value, or name them after a specific service. Too large a selection makes the purchase decision unnecessarily difficult.

Sell the benefit the customer gets

A plain “€50 gift card” doesn’t always spark interest. A more concrete option might be something like “a moment of me-time,” “a relaxing massage,” or “a new look as a gift.”

When a gift card is tied to an experience, it’s easier for the buyer to picture who they could give it to. It’s also worth designing the card’s look to match your own brand. Unicom’s digital gift cards can be branded without any coding or need for your own POS system.

Remind customers about gift cards regularly

A gift card won’t sell if customers don’t know about it. Highlight it on your website, in booking confirmations, during customer visits, and on social media.

In marketing, one image and a short reminder can be enough:

“Looking for an easy gift to give?”

“Give pampering instead of stuff.”

“You can buy a gift card online anytime.”

Guide usage according to your calendar

The income from a gift card is received in advance, but the service still needs a suitable time later on. That’s why it’s worth planning the terms of use and booking around your own capacity.

For example, you can encourage customers to use their cards on days of the week that are usually quieter. That way, gift cards not only bring in advance sales but also help fill time slots that might otherwise go unused.

Track what’s actually selling

When gift cards are managed digitally, you can see sold, used, and valid cards all in one place. This reduces manual bookkeeping and helps you identify the most popular cards and the best times for sales.

Tracking lets you focus on the options customers are actually buying. At the same time, you’ll notice when it’s worth promoting gift cards more actively.

How to get started without a heavy system project

Selling gift cards doesn’t necessarily require your own online store, POS integration, or technical know-how. With Unigift Basic, a business owner can open an account, brand a gift card, and start selling through the browser-based platform in about 10 minutes.

Setup happens in three steps:

Create an account.
Design a gift card that looks like your business.
Publish the card and start selling.

Unigift Basic is designed for small business owners and casual sellers, whose gift card sales are irregular. The service has no fixed monthly fee or commitment requirement — payment is generated from the gift cards sold. Learn more about Unigift Basic here.

Have questions? Get in touch with us and let’s work out together how to make gift card sales an easier, more effective, and more profitable part of your business.