How to Run a Bonus Card Promotion
A bonus promotion gives the buyer extra value at a purchase threshold — buy $50, get $10. It is the most effective single tactic in the category: 87% of consumers say a bonus makes them more likely to buy a gift card, and the bonus value can be set to expire in a window that drives a January visit.
Separate the bonus from the purchase
Structure the offer so purchased value never expires while the bonus does. That is both a compliance requirement under the CARD Act and a marketing advantage: it turns December cash into a dated reason to come back during your slowest weeks. Keeping the two in one bucket either gives away too much or creates a compliance problem.
Set the threshold above your average denomination
Set the threshold slightly above your average card denomination so the promotion lifts the ticket rather than discounting the sale you were already making. If most cards sell at $25, a $50 threshold moves buyers up; a $25 threshold just pays people for what they were already doing.
- Threshold set above your current average denomination
- Bonus value dated to your slow season, purchased value never expires
- Promote at the register, on receipts and by email in the same week
Promote it in the channels you already own
Owned channels sell gift cards better than paid ones because the buyer already knows you. Segment by behavior — past card buyers, high-frequency guests, lapsed customers — and send a short message with a single link rather than a general newsletter mention. One message, one link, one offer.
What the results can look like
Club Champion drove a 2,700% increase in gift card sales through a discount promotion on the platform. Your numbers will differ; the mechanic is what transfers, not the multiple.