How to Make Gift Cards for Your Business

The steps below walk through each part, with what to watch for along the way.

Quick checklist

• Decide between physical cards, digital cards, or both
• Design the card
• Set the amounts
• Write the card terms
• Get the cards made
• Train your staff and launch

Step 1: Decide between physical cards, digital cards, or both

Physical cards give customers something to pick up at the register and give in person. They cost money to print, and you'll need to keep some on hand.

Digital cards are sent by email and can be bought from your website at any hour. That helps with last-minute shoppers and people buying for someone in another town.

Step 2: Design the card

Your gift card should look like your business. Use your logo, your colors, and the same style as your sign or menu. A plain card with your name on it works too, as long as it's clear where it can be used.

Leave room on the back for the details customers need: where the card can be used, how to check the balance, and your terms. Many gift card platforms give you templates. Clover, for example, offers more than 70 designs or lets you upload your own.

Keep the front simple. A busy design is harder to read at a register and harder to print cleanly at card size.

Step 3: Set the amounts

Pick a few set amounts, like $25, $50, and $100. Set amounts are easier for staff to sell and easier for customers to choose.

Look at what a typical visit costs at your business. A card that covers one meal or one service, plus a few dollars extra, is an easy gift to give. If your average ticket is $40, a $50 card makes sense.

Step 4: Write the card terms

Every gift card needs short, clear terms. Federal rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cover most store gift cards. The funds can't expire sooner than five years after the card is issued or last loaded.

Inactivity or service fees are limited too. A fee is only allowed after a year with no activity. It can't be charged more than once a month, and it has to be printed on the card.

Step 5: Get the cards made

You have three main routes:

• Your POS system. Square, Clover, Toast, and Shopify all offer gift cards that work with their registers. Square points its sellers to eCard Systems for printed cards, and Clover lists physical cards at under $1 each.
• A card printer. Companies like eCard Systems print custom physical gift cards that work with many POS systems. eCard says it supports more than 140 POS brands.
• A managed program. PerfectGift sets up branded physical and digital cards and an online storefront. It tracks every sale on a dashboard. Not sure which route fits? Our guide to choosing a gift card system for a small business compares the options side by side.

Step 6: Train your staff and launch

Before the first card sells, every employee should know how to sell a card, take one as payment, and check a balance. A quick practice run with a test card saves awkward moments at the register.

Then let people know. Put a small display by the register, add a buy link to your website and social profiles, and mention gift cards in your emails. Launching before November gives you time to get set up before holiday shoppers arrive.

A note on paper gift certificates

Printing gift certificates from a template is the cheapest way to start. The trouble comes later. Paper is easy to copy, and you have to track every balance by hand. Once you're selling more than a few a month, a system that gives each card its own number and balance is worth it.

Frequently asked questions