valentines day

If Cash is King, Gift Card is the Queen of Hearts this season.

Gifting has always been integral to any Indian festival or occasion. A gift is supposed to speak volumes of the bond you share with the recipient – hence the act of gifting is cherished and regarded very highly.

Gifting has always been integral to any Indian festival or occasion. A gift is supposed to speak volumes of the bond you share with the recipient – hence the act of gifting is cherished and regarded very highly. For the longest time, cash has been the preferred choice for gifting. However, since the rise of digital payments and its increased adoption owing to the convenience it offers, prepaid gift cards are gaining popularity in India.  You can simply swipe, tap & pay or use Gift cards like any other prepaid card.

According to Ken Research report, the gift card industry in India is expected to grow steadily, recording a CAGR of 18.70% during 2022-2026 in terms of value. This can be attributed to the robust growth of e-commerce and consumers’ increasing preference towards digital modes. In addition to festivals, gift cards are also hugely sought after during popular occasions such as Valentine’s Day. Leading e-commerce platforms can be seen offering special Valentine’s Day e-gift cards for consumers. This is because gift cards such as the Ongo Gift Card present recipients with the opportunity to pick a gift of their choice – making gifting more special and trendier!

Here are top three reasons why you should ditch the old-school greeting cards or soft toys and present your loved ones with a prepaid Ongo gift card this season of love:

You can Gift ‘an experience’

Prior to gift cards, gifting someone an ‘experience’ would entail presenting them a wad of cash or a branded voucher. For instance, if your loved one enjoys a spa, your options would be – a) give them the cash needed for the spa or b) make a booking in their name, transfer the money etc. Both these options lack personalisation and are tedious to execute. With a gift card, gifting such experiences has become more convenient. These experiences can range from restaurant visits, hotel stays, vacations, spas, jewellery outlets, clothing etc. Moreover, gift cards are compact, stylish, and available in both physical and virtual formats.

Gift cards let your loved one choose what they want

Each person has a unique persona and hence, a unique preference when it comes to buying any merchandise – be it clothes, perfumes, handicraft items etc. Hence, at times, we are at a loss while deciding what to gift our loved ones. With open-loop prepaid gift cards, that are acceptable across networks such as RuPay, Visa, MasterCard etc., the receiver has the flexibility of purchasing an item of his/her choice, online or at physical stores.

Additionally, these open-loop gift cards can be personalised with the recipient’s name and even photographs to offer a memorable and customised gifting experience.

Gift cards are a great way to introduce someone to digital payments

If your partner or your loved one is sceptical about making digital payments, presenting them with a gift card is a great way of introducing them to digital payments. As these cards are pre-loaded, the fear of losing savings from the bank account is reduced. Additionally, gift cards follow stringent safety protocols such as two factor authentication with OTP and tokenisation, thereby ensuring a safe and secure usage on e-commerce platforms.

Therefore, Gift cards such as Ongo Gift Cards can be a good catalyst for consumers to make a shift from cash – especially for gifting. They are safer, trendier, and convenient and allow the recipient to enjoy & cherish the whole gifting experience. With such rewarding benefits, gift cards can potentially change gifting in India.

For more details & feedback, write to marketing@agsindia.com.

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