When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it affected dozens of industries. But one of the particularly affected was the retail brick-and-mortar industry. With plummeting in-store footfall, the physical store shopping experience became arguably extinct for two whole years. In fact, many retail outlets had to bear the brunt of overnight closure as more and more customers took to the safer alternative of shopping online.
But after two years of shopping, while sitting on the couch, people are eager to return to shopping the old-fashioned way. There has been a massive resurgence of in-store shopping, which is back and thriving in a big way. As per statistics, physical store sales are up by 14% as compared to the pre-pandemic levels. Great, right?
However, there is a small hiccup. People have gotten used to availing of the massive discounts that are available online. The only way to save offline is by using digital gift cards. In an exclusive interview with Mr. Vivek Bansal, the Founder &CEO of MeriBachat.in, he said ‘with in-store shopping thriving again, gift cards are the only way to save offline as they offer an additional discount on top of brand discounts.’
What are Gift Cards?
A gift card is an electronic version of a regular gift voucher that comes pre-loaded with a specific amount of money. The recipient can use the cash on the card to shop for what they like from the card provider’s store. These cards give the recipients full freedom to choose and purchase the products they like and pay with the funds on the digital gift card.A gift card may be for a single-store retailer or a group of stores.
What are the Benefits of Gift Cards?
In the past few years, gift cards have risen in popularity, and this is primarily because of their versatility. With gift cards, the buyer doesn’t have to worry about finding the perfect gift for their friends and family, especially when they don’t know what the recipient would enjoy the most. Additionally, most people are pleased to receive a gift card because of the following reasons:
- It enables them to purchase what they like the most with negligible additional expense.
- Buyers of gift cards don’t have to stress about purchasing something the recipient already has.
- Gift cards can be easily used in-stores, providing an excellent in-store shopping experience.
- Payment through these gift cards is as simple as making a payment via any other UPI.
- Gift cards can be used during sales, enabling the recipient to purchase more products in the same amount.
Digital gift cards are completely safe and secure. These cards are registered online. Therefore, in case they are lost or stolen, they can be frozen, securing the balance money on the card.
How Do Digital Gift Cards Work?
Buying and sending a gift card is pretty straightforward. Here is a quick breakdown of how a digital gift card works:
- The buyer of the gift card can choose from a range of retailers. For instance, MeriBachat.in enables buyers to choose from 350+ brands. This means there is a gift card for everyone, regardless of how fussy the receiver is.
- The buyer can then add the gift card to their online basket and pay for it via their preferred payment mode. The buyer also has to input the email address of the recipient.
- The digital gift card will arrive in the recipient’s inbox along with a code. They can present the code to make a purchase online or in-store.
Availing of the Best Gift Cards with MeriBachat
Are you looking for the right gift for a fashion enthusiast? You can choose from the leading apparel brands at MeriBachat and allow the recipient to shop for the latest fashion. Apart from apparel, you can also choose a travel gift card or even food and electronic cards and send over an email with your personalized message.
MeriBachat lets you choose from over 450+ brands across a wide range of categories. So whether the occasion is a wedding, anniversary, birthday party, or anything else, there is a gift card for everyone. The buyers of the gift card can avail of additional discounts on top of brand discounts with zero hidden charges.