How gift cards drive traffic, spend, and growth for shopping centres in 2025

Introduction

For years, shopping centres have treated gift cards as a simple operational tool: a nice-to-have at Christmas, a convenient way to handle returns, or a background service managed at the customer desk. But in 2025, that view is outdated. Done right, gift cards are silent revenue machines: driving traffic, increasing spend, and unlocking new growth opportunities across retail and leisure.

From an afterthought to a strategic asset

Historically, many centres launched gift card programs to replace paper vouchers or to keep pace with competitors. But the real power of gift cards is only now being understood:

• They guarantee return visits, every card redeemed means another shopper back on site
• They anchor spend locally, ensuring money stays within the walls of the centre.
• They boost baskets... recipients spend more than the card value, by as much as 25% (GCVA Conference, 2025)
• They provide actionable insights into where, when, and how customers shop.

With digital adoption accelerating, sustainability pressures mounting, and retailers demanding more footfall, shopping centres can no longer afford to treat gift cards as an afterthought.

Driving traffic and footfall

Every redemption represents a guaranteed customer visit. For shopping centres competing with online retail, that’s invaluable. Unlike a discount or promotion, which may or may not influence shopper behaviour, a gift card ensures:

• Seasonal footfall beyond Christmas – extending visits into quieter periods like January or spring.
• Incremental visits from new audiences – recipients often visit the centre for the first time.
• Flexibility through digital distribution – allowing shoppers to purchase online, on mobile, or via kiosks.

In short: gift cards put shopping centres back in control of the customer journey.

Boosting spend and basket size

Gift cards don’t just bring people through the door; they encourage them to spend more while they’re there. Research shows recipients regularly spend above the card value, using the balance as a springboard for higher-ticket purchases.

That uplift drives measurable benefits. A gift card purchased for fashion often sparks additional sales in categories like dining or beauty, creating cross-category growth across the centre.

Unlike traditional discounts, gift cards protect margins by holding their full value, while still motivating spend. Every redemption also supports tenants directly, delivering both footfall and revenue to participating brands.For asset managers, this makes gift cards one of the rare tools that simultaneously create value across the entire tenant mix.

Unlocking growth opportunities

Beyond sales and redemptions, the strategic potential of gift cards stretches much further. In 2025, many leading shopping centres are leveraging them as a powerful engine for growth. Bulk sales to HR departments, local businesses, and community initiatives have unlocked new corporate revenue streams.

Marketing activations built around offers like “Spend €50, get a €10 gift card” are proven to boost conversion and encourage repeat visits.

Redemption data provides valuable insights into shopper behaviour, revealing which tenants capture spend and where untapped opportunities lie. At the same time, performance reporting strengthens the centre’s ability to pitch to prospective brands and demonstrate value.

Combined with digital-first innovation—from mobile wallet provisioning to open APIs—gift cards now integrate seamlessly into loyalty programs, CRM systems, and omnichannel campaigns, cementing their role as a strategic growth driver.

Why 2025 is the turning point

Several shifts make gift cards especially relevant now:

• Digital wallets are mainstream – Apple Pay and Google Wallet have normalised storing payment credentials on phones.
• Sustainability matters – digital cards reduce plastic waste and offer a greener option
• Shopping centres need new revenue levers – post-COVID recovery and e-commerce competition demand smarter ways to influence shopper behaviour.

Gift cards meet all three needs. They are low-friction, sustainable, and revenue-generating — and they work across retail, dining, and leisure.

The Silent Revenue Machine

When designed and promoted strategically, a gift card program generates value on three levels:

1. Operational revenue – direct sales, redemption uplift, and commissions.
2. Marketing leverage – campaign activations, incentives, and cross-promotions.
3. Strategic growth – tenant attraction, corporate partnerships, and data-driven decision making.

This framework transforms gift cards from a background process into a centre-wide growth engine.

Conclusion

Shopping centres face tough headwinds in 2025. But gift cards represent a rare opportunity: a proven tool, already familiar to shoppers, with untapped potential to deliver traffic, spend, and growth.

At Giftify, we specialise in helping centres unlock this value. With digital-first technology, innovative sales channels, and actionable insights, we turn gift cards into silent revenue machines — working tirelessly in the background to power your growth.

Ready to learn more about our gift card programs?