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Old 11-23-2004, 11:13 PM   #1 (permalink)
 
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Our Salon is considering switching from Paper Gift Certificates to Gift Cards. We don't sell a tremendous amount of Gift Certificates to begin with how do you think a gift card would impact that part of our business. Does it matter which we carry? Also, during this season we are strongly trying to push the sales of gift certificates. What are some suggestions on getting clients so buy gift certificates?

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Old 11-24-2004, 12:22 AM   #2 (permalink)
 
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Put a banner up saying Holiday Gift Certificates or paint a sign on your windows.

The gift card thing is going to be pretty expensive to do...Gift certificates, same thing less cost to you. JMHO
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Old 11-24-2004, 12:32 AM   #3 (permalink)
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I did the gift card thing and am going back to certificates. I did the gift card through my credit card processor. The cards cost about $1.50 each/minimum 100 generic design, custom design availabe at additional cost. I also pay $30/month for processing fees (regardless of any sales). When I tried to cancel, I dicovered that I had signed a two year contract and can't get out of it until next August. We went back to paper certificates that I design and print on glossy postcard stock. We sell a lot in December, February and May...other than that they are few and far between. Unless you do a huge volume I would steer clear of the cards.
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Old 11-24-2004, 01:15 AM   #4 (permalink)
 
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We have done a lot of promoting but still no one is receptive to the buying of the cards, thats where I need to find a trick to selling them...Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far!
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Old 11-24-2004, 05:34 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Gift cards just take a few more pennies off your bottom line. I'll stay with paper.
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Old 11-24-2004, 05:47 AM   #6 (permalink)
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I am with you tanu. We don't do enough volume to warrant the expense.

beachbum...have you tried offering a free visit or lotion packette with the purchase of a gift card. Sometimes, people have to see it for awhile before it sinks in.

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Old 11-24-2004, 05:57 AM   #7 (permalink)
 
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Many software programs internally track gift cards without the expense of a outside processor. We get ours,customized, for less $.80 each and they can be re-loaded and tracked very easily. Consumers do not want to carry paper.
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Old 11-24-2004, 09:31 AM   #8 (permalink)
 
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As showbiz said, you don't need an external processor as you can track gift certs or gift cards with your own computer software or you can just keep a handwritten log.

You can get customized full color plastic gift cards for $.59 each and paper gift certs for $.06 each. Paper or plastic? The added marketing that gift cards provide is worth the added investment for many salon owners as gift sales increase dramatically. Mostly what we have observed, but don't have any stats on, is the salons that bought cards that didn't boost sales with them...was directly attritable to being unable to take advantage of the more powerful display aspect that cards provide. You must have a stellar, eye-popping POP (Point of Purchase) display for them. Or don't do them.

If you did have an eye-popping display and it still didn't do the job...then as Homer Simpson once said, "Son, you tried your best... and you failed miserably. The moral is: never try."

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Old 11-24-2004, 12:20 PM   #9 (permalink)
 
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I would not put money into the plastic until you see a real need for it. Paper is cheaper until you find the market has caught on to your selling of the GC.
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Old 11-24-2004, 05:11 PM   #10 (permalink)
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I agree, we were thinking of going with the cards, but decided against it... too expensive.
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