Why Every Service Business Should Sell Gift Cards Online

Why they work

The reason gift cards sell well is that they solve a universal problem: what do you buy someone who has everything? A gift card for a salon, spa, or wellness treatment is a thoughtful, personal present that the recipient gets to choose how to use. It is better than guessing which skincare product they use or what size clothing they wear. For the buyer, it is easy (purchase online in 2 minutes), personal (a salon visit is a treat, not a generic item), and flexible (the recipient chooses their preferred service and time). For your business, every gift card sold has a dual benefit: immediate revenue from the purchase, plus a strong chance of introducing a new client who might become a regular.

Selling gift cards online

Selling gift cards should be as easy as buying them. Your booking page should include a dedicated gift card section where the buyer selects a monetary amount (or chooses from preset values like £25, £50, £100), adds a personal message for the recipient, enters the recipient's email address, pays via Stripe, and receives instant confirmation. The gift card is delivered digitally to the recipient's email with a unique redemption code, the personal message, and a direct link to your booking page. No physical cards to design, print, stock, or post. No inventory to manage. No postage costs. The entire flow is automated from purchase to delivery. In Better Bookings, branded digital gift cards are a built-in feature. You can customise the email design to match your brand, and gift card balances are tracked and redeemed automatically during the booking flow.

Redemption

Redemption should be frictionless for the recipient. During booking, they enter their gift card code at the payment step. The system applies the balance automatically. If the service costs £45 and the gift card is worth £50, the client pays nothing and retains £5 credit for next time. If the service costs £70 and the card is worth £50, the client pays the £20 difference. This is handled seamlessly within the booking flow without manual calculation or staff intervention. The gift card balance updates in real time, and both the client and the business can see the remaining credit at any time.

Seasonal strategy

Gift card revenue is highly seasonal. The vast majority of sales happen in the 7-10 days before five key dates: Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and (to a lesser extent) birthdays. A simple Instagram post or email to your client list saying 'Gift cards available - treat someone to a session' in the week before each holiday can generate £500-2,000 in gift card sales depending on your client base size. The beauty of this strategy is that it requires almost no ongoing effort. Set up gift cards once on your booking platform. Then promote them 5 times per year before the key dates. The rest of the year, they are available passively on your booking page for anyone who finds them. The seasonal spikes are where the bulk of revenue comes from.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do gift cards expire?

In the UK, gift cards must be valid for at least 12 months under consumer protection law. Most businesses set a 12-24 month expiry.

What percentage of gift cards go unredeemed?

Industry data suggests 10-20% of gift cards are never redeemed. This is pure profit for the business.