Turn your store into a gifting machine with digital gift cards, registries, gift messaging, and corporate gifting. See data-backed tips and launch today.
If your shop sells anything people love to give, you can grow sales by making gifting effortless. Consumers still turn to gift cards, curated registries, and thoughtful gift notes, and they want flexible delivery that shows up on time. According to NRF’s 2024 holiday survey, gift cards were again a top gift choice, with shoppers expected to spend $28.6 billion on them. Delivery expectations are high too. New research from Digital Commerce 360 found 81 percent of online consumers prioritize free shipping and 68 percent prioritize fast shipping, with about a quarter saying same-day is most important.
Why gifting deserves priority now
Gifting drives immediate revenue and repeat purchases. Carat from Fiserv reports in its Q1 2024 Gift Card Gauge that 79 percent of consumers typically spend more than the value of their gift card when redeeming. That overspend effect directly lifts average order value for local retailers. The same study highlights growing comfort with digital wallets and mobile usage, which makes digital gift cards and scheduled gifting a natural fit for small businesses.
For local shops, this is also a customer acquisition play. Gift-buyers often shop your store for the first time. If you make gifting simple and personal, you win the giver and the recipient, then keep them with friendly service and convenient reordering.
Four gifting levers to activate
1) Digital gift cards: instant, flexible revenue
Digital gift cards convert last-minute shoppers and unlock incremental spend. They also reduce plastic and mailing costs and can be redeemed online or in store. There are a few rules to follow. The FDIC’s consumer guidance explains that U.S. gift cards cannot expire for at least five years and that fees are limited and must be clearly disclosed, as outlined in federal law implementing the Credit CARD Act (FDIC overview).
Implementation is straightforward. If you sell on Shopify, the platform supports issuing and selling gift cards natively, as detailed in the Shopify Help Center’s gift card overview. New sellers who want an all-in-one platform can get started with Shopify, then enable gift cards in minutes. If you prefer a managed setup tailored for local retail, StoreStudio can configure your gift card product, set fair policies, and connect redemption with your point of sale so in-store and online balances stay synchronized.
2) Registries and wish lists that move inventory
Wedding and life-event registries drive predictable sell-through of core items. The Knot’s latest analysis of real couples notes that registries remain mainstream, with 80 percent of couples creating a registry and Gen Z adoption even higher, as reported in The Knot’s data-driven feature. For local boutiques, bakeries, and home goods stores, a lightweight registry or shareable wish list guides buyers to in-stock favorites and increases multi-item orders.
Tactically, create a “Registry” hub on your site with curated bundles by occasion, then enable private share links for each recipient. Set clear pickup or delivery options and add a simple “mark as purchased” mechanism to avoid duplicates if you do not use a dedicated app. For Shopify stores, registry apps can layer in advanced coordination, while StoreStudio can design a brand-aligned registry flow that stays simple for time-strapped teams.
3) Gift messaging, wrap, and delivery scheduling that convert
The best gifting experiences feel personal and precise. Offer a gift message field on product and cart pages, optional gift wrap, and a premium card. Let the giver schedule delivery to land just in time. Consumers care about speed and clarity at checkout. The 2024 survey from Digital Commerce 360 found that high shipping costs and slow or unclear delivery timing are top reasons for cart abandonment. Offering local delivery windows or reliable pickup slots can reduce uncertainty and keep orders from falling through.
If you use Shopify, apps can add gift notes, wrap, videos, and delivery date pickers, while native order notes cover basics. StoreStudio can implement these options with your inventory rules, set up delivery zones, and ensure your packing slips include the recipient’s message without exposing payment details.
4) Corporate gifting programs built for your neighborhood
Businesses near you need year-round gifts for clients and teams. The category is large and still growing. Coresight Research estimated the U.S. corporate gifting market would reach $312 billion by 2025, as summarized by Synchrony’s market brief. Impact is real too. A global survey cited by Sendoso found 83 percent of recipients felt closer to companies that sent them a corporate gift.
Turn this demand into a repeatable program. Create a corporate gifting page with curated price tiers, kitting options, volume discounts, and an intake form for team sizes and delivery dates. Support tax-exempt ordering where appropriate, provide itemized invoices, and offer digital gift cards for distributed teams. If you run on Shopify, you can combine a request-a-quote flow with bulk discount codes and scheduled fulfillment. If you want it managed end to end, StoreStudio can set up the catalog, negotiate local courier integrations, and train staff on bulk processing.
How to put it together with StoreStudio
Local retailers often avoid gifting features because they seem technical or hard to maintain. That is where a managed approach pays off. StoreStudio handles design, build, inventory sync, local delivery, and post-launch support so you get a brand-right website and operational plumbing without learning new tools. Most stores can go live quickly with roughly 100 products, and then expand registries, gift cards, and corporate programs once the core is running smoothly. The team’s focus on simple, fast, and affordable execution makes gifting upgrades practical for boutiques, bakeries, grocers, and hardware stores alike.
A fast checklist to launch gifting
Turn on digital gift cards, publish clear terms, and add a homepage promo.
Add gift message and gift wrap options on product and cart pages.
Create an occasion-based registry or wish list hub with shareable links.
Build a corporate gifting page with tiers, forms, and bulk discounts.
Set delivery schedules for local orders and communicate cutoff times clearly.
Train staff on redemption, packing slips, and customer service scripts.
When you remove friction from giving, you sell more with less effort. Start with one lever, like digital gift cards, then layer in messaging and delivery scheduling. Add registries next, then roll out a corporate catalog before the holidays. If you want a stress-free implementation that keeps everything in sync, partner with StoreStudio and make gifting a permanent revenue stream.
