Design Better Gift Card Incentives: Tips From Top Performing Companies

Key new stats from the IRF

• 🎯 94% of Top Performing companies include gift cards among their reward types.

• 🏆 Top Performers are more likely to prioritize high perceived value and recipient flexibility when choosing between gift cards or merchandising.

• 📈 Sales incentive payouts for non-cash rewards average nearly $4,000 per year at Top Performance firms—well above peers.

• 🔁 Gift cards represent 43% of non‑cash incentives in North America, and 41% in Europe.

If you're developing a gift card incentive strategy, you’re in good company. The latest study from the  Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) shows that 94% of high-performing companies use gift cards, too.

IRF’s 2025 Top Performer Study surveyed 600 U.S.-based incentive program leaders at companies generating at least $100 million in revenue, spanning a range of industries (including automotive, financial services, and tech).

They identified their 'Top Performers' among them through objective self‑reported business outcomes, like strong year‑over‑year revenue growth, customer acquisition and retention, workforce growth, ability to attract top talent, and having a reputation as an employer of choice.

👉 Download the whole report on their website. 

👉 And keep reading for key takeaways for program managers specifically considering  bulk digital gift cards for employee recognition, customer loyalty, or anything in between.

From the study:

"Top-performing organizations stand out for how deliberately they design reward offerings. 

Instead of defaulting to the easiest or most cost-effective options, they prioritize flexibility, emotional impact, and 
alignment with participant preferences." 

What makes gift cards the go‑to incentive for profitable companies?

The IRF makes clear that the strongest incentive programs don’t blindly treat gift cards as a catch‑all.

Instead, they use them intentionally to deliver perceived value, real choice, and fast recognition across a wide variety of use cases, including sales incentives, channel programs, and employee recognition. 

Here's why gift cards make such great digital incentives. 

🎯 They meet the priorities leaders care about most

When Top Performer managers choose gift cards over merchandise (think: branded mugs and hoodies), they're prioritizing their high perceived value and recipient flexibility.

In other words, these leaders want their recipients to love their rewards and incentives, which aligns perfectly with what digital gift cards truly deliver—choice and autonomy.

📊 They drive reach across people and industries

Top Performers use gift cards in sales, channel, and employee incentive programs, and across sectors like tech, financial services, and manufacturing. 

In other words, everyone wants 'em! 💪

💰 They justify meaningful reward levels

Gift card distribution can be incredibly cost effective for rewards programs, since you're not paying for things like shipping and storage. Some gift card platforms (like Giftbit) even offer bulk pricing and revenue sharing. 

That matters here, because IRF benchmarking now shows that Top Performers offer higher non‑cash payouts in their reward programs. Ultimately, the value of your incentives matters in terms of creating and sustaining recipients (not to mention managing your own budget). 

💬 "For Top Performers, these higher reward values are not just about increased spending. They reflect a strategic commitment to providing recognition that feels personal, desirable, and proportionate to achievement. High-achieving companies understand that when rewards are truly motivating, whether through their quality, perceived prestige, or relevance, they reinforce behaviors more effectively and drive greater engagement over time." -Incentive Research Foundation

How top companies structure incentive programs

So you've decided you want to use gift card digital rewards in your program. How exactly will you do that? 

Thankfully, IRF research also clarifies how all those Top Performers are actually structuring their rewards and incentives programs. 

✅ Tie rewards to customer‑relationship and behavior metrics

Rather than just the basics like hitting a sales quota, leaders award gift cards for customer-centric behaviors like retention or adoption. This opens more pathways to recognition and deepens relationships.

⚡ Reward early and often

Top companies also design earning paths with “fast start” bonuses, low thresholds, and tiered alternatives. That means participants can earn gift cards from early achievements, not only after hitting large quotas. This in turn helps reinforce that small wins can build momentum, which is essential for driving long-term behavior change. 

🌍 Flexible catalog = broader relevance

Gift cards dominate both North America (43% of all non‑cash rewards) and Europe (41%) and across all generations, in large part because you can offer different types of gift cards from different brands at different price points.

This choice makes it much more likely that recipients will love what they choose. 

What the IRF data means for your gift card rewards

The IRF is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to start or streamline an incentive or payout program. 

Here are some actionable tips we've gleaned from their latest research:

• Let recipients choose. Provide a rich catalog of gift card rewards—from coffee cards to gas gift cards to gift cards for subscription services and sports fans and just about everything and anything in between (including prepaid cards like Mastercard® and Visa® incentive cards).

  • 💡Pro-tip: Don't forget your global recipients. Make sure you find a gift card distributor that supports all the regions you're sending to.
    
    
• Reward the behaviors that matter most. Get creative. Reward a variety of behaviors, like retention, adoption, referrals, and CSAT improvement. Gift cards work instantly and scale easily, so test and use them whereever you can. 
  
  
  • 💡Pro-tip: Micro rewards offer an affordable way to keep recipients engaged and budgets in check. 
    
    

• Make early wins possible. Reward quickly and often to reinforce your desired behavior. 

  • 💡Pro-tip: Use a quick gift card integration to connect your gift card program with apps and tools you're already using. This lets you set triggers for instant gift card delivery—say, when a new customer signs up on HubSpot, or when someone gets a public shoutout on Slack. 
    
    
• Budget smart, spend wisely. Set rewards that feel substantial without breaking the bank. Benchmark with IRF’s numbers for your industry.

• • 💡Pro-tip: Find details on how to budget for employee engagement here. 

With the right plan in place, digital gift cards can be a great strategic tool. IRF’s data clearly shows that the most effective incentive programs design gift cards into early traction, behavioral recognition, and scalable fulfillment. Putting these insights to work can help elevate your program performance fast.

Giftbit makes it easy to deploy gift card incentives in virtually any program. Reach out to learn about revenue sharing or complex integrations, or to ask any other questions you might have.