The gift market in the UK is one of the most lucrative markets for global gift card players to expand and grow their business. The United Kingdom spends £7.5 billion on gift cards annually, and 76% of the population buys at least one gift card yearly. Many people in the UK now prefer to buy gift cards as gifts for their friends and loved ones.
With the proliferation of different types of gift cards in the UK gift card, this article is to guide you through popular types of gift cards with the importance of choosing the right gift card for your loved one. This is because it is one thing for you to give a gift card as a gift to friends and family, and it is another thing for the gift card to meet the true satisfaction of the recipient.
1. Restaurant Gift Cards
These gift cards in the UK enable you to have a sumptuous meal at restaurants that hold or support gift cards. Most of the restaurant gift cards in the UK are multi-retailer, so you can use these cards at a few places to buy your favourite meal without going to the restaurant that owns the gift card.
You can use restaurant gift cards for beautiful restaurants, bars, pubs, and hotels of your choice; neither of these places supports the card. Some popular restaurant gift cards in the UK are The Dining Out gift card, Ivy Collection gift voucher, Restaurant Favorites gift card, etc.
You can easily buy these gift cards in denominations between £10 to £50 at supermarkets, online retailers, and the restaurants websites
However, most of these restaurant gift cards have a validity period of 12 months; as such, they can expire after 12 months if you don’t redeem them, as these cards are in different denominations ranging from £15.
2. Beauty And Wellness Gift Cards
These are gift cards specifically for users who binge-shop for beauty products. Beauty and Wellness gift cards enable you to redeem the gift card at physical and online stores, in most instances, at discounted prices.
Also, Beauty and Wellness gift cards offer you a wide range of value for your card, and you can use the gift card to buy different products at retail stores. You should also know that they exist in varying denominations. The cards are available in different denominations, between £10 to £200.
Beauty and Wellness gift cards include Sephora gift card, Lavish Spa and Beauty gift cards, Treatwell gift cards, etc. Here, these gift cards can have a redemption period of 24 months and after which your gift card will expire.
3. Fashion Gift Cards
Fashion gift cards are one of the popular gift card types in the UK as they opens you to a wide range of options as it relates to shopping for your favourite fashion products, both online and at physical stores.
You can enjoy your fashionista lifestyle with different fashion gift cards that you can redeem at a variety of the UK’s best fashion retailers.
Examples of Fashion gift cards in the UK are VEX gift cards, Marks & Spencer gift cards, Harvey Nichols, Primark gift cards, Foot Locker gift cards, Argos gift cards, etc.
4. Books And Media Gift Cards
These gift cards enable you to access book and media products primarily online. If you are a staunch lover of books, other media products like podcasts, books, and media gift cards are your best plug in the UK.
How this type of gift card works can be likened to other gift cards as you can get them in varying denominations. Books and media gift cards exist in physical and online forms to earn gift cards at physical retail stores or online platforms. The most popular denomination of these gift cards is between £5 and £50
These cards include a Nowhere Bookshop gift card, Pauline Books & Media gift card, Magic & Books gift card, an Amazon gift card, etc.
5. Electronics Gift Cards
Electronics gift cards are gift cards that enable you to access different electronic products. When you have this type of gift card, you usually get products at discounted prices. These electronic products include TV sets, home theatres, washing machines, etc.
Many UK residents use Electronic gift cards to buy products at discounted prices owing to the high cost of electronic products at regular retail stores. These cards are available in denominations ranging from £10 to £100.
Popular electronics gift cards include Apple gift card, Currys PC World gift cards, Maplin gift cards, and Argos gift cards. Also, you can have an One4all gift card to get your phones and electrical products at better prices.
6. Jewelery Gift Cards
Buying jewellery is luxury, and even as everyone can not afford this piece of luxury, Jewelery gift cards have simplified ways of accessing jewelery without breaking the bank. You can give or receive this gift card as a gift, especially to or from a loved one, as an expression of love and worth.
Jewelery gift cards represent jewellery products as their prices are high in the denominations of £50 to £3,000. Therefore, you can imagine the smile radiating over a recipient’s face when given a gift card of this great worth.
Examples of this type of gift card are the Tiffany & Co. Gift Card, Pandora Gift Card, H. Samuel Gift Card, and Ernest Jones Gift Card. Just buy your jewelry gift cards from online marketplaces, department stores, and jewelry retailers. You can buy them from £20 to £200 in any denomination.
7. Sports Gift Cards
For sports enthusiasts, Sports gift cards enable you to get sporting products from different sports brands. You can access various gift card packages, from individual gift cards to bulk gift card packages, depending on your preference.
Some of the best-selling sports gift cards are Ticketmaster gift cards, Nike Gift Card, Adidas Gift Card, Sports Direct Gift Card, and Decathlon Gift Card. You can use these gift cards to buy sports equipment and associates from Nike, Sports Direct, etc. It comes in denominations between £10 to £100 and is available at supermarkets, sports retailers, and online marketplaces.
8. Travel Gift Cards
Travel gift cards are a new way to give someone some credit to your loved one towards a flight to a destination. This can be tailored to cover hotel bookings or transportation costs at your destination.
If you have a family or friend that loves adventures with travel and tourism, Travel gift cards are the best option to give them an experience they will never forget for. These cards are available in physical and digital forms, and you can get them in varying denominations in the UK.
So, when planning your next trip, remember to include these gift cards to enhance your travel experience. These gift cards include an Expedia Gift Card, a Thomas Cook Gift Card, an Airbnb Gift Card, and a British Airways Gift Card. They’re available at travel agencies, online travel directories, and supermarkets. You can buy them in any denomination between £25 to £500
9. Entertainment And Gaming Gift Cards
Entertainment and games are the real deal, especially for young people, who always look for a way to enjoy their leisure time with entertainment and gaming content. This is relative as it beckons your choice of fun.
They can be used to buy games and music at retailers such as Xbox, PlayStation, and Google Play. Examples of these gift cards are Steam gift cards, Google Play gift cards, Cineworld gift cards, Vue gift cards, PlayStation Store gitt cards, and Xbox gift cards. These gift cards are denominated between £10 to £50. You can easily buy them at supermarkets, game retailers, and online marketplaces.
10. Others
There are other gift cards that don’t quite fall into any of the categories above that you can buy for yourself or as gifts for your family and loved ones. You can buy these cards online or in-store at various retailers. Their denominations are usually between £10 and £50. These gift cards include an Airbnb gift card, a Leisure Voucher gift card, a Buyagift gift card, an IKEA gift card, and a Homebase gift card.
Factors To Consider Before Choosing A Gift Card In The UK
1. Recipient’s Interest
It would help if you took into cognisance the interest of who you want to give the gift card to for better knowledge of which of the gift cards is the best for the recipient. It would be odd to give a fashion gift card to someone who is a gaming enthusiast. But instead, a video gamer will appreciate gaming gift cards like Steam gift cards better than having a fashion gift card.
2. Spending Habits
It is important to know the spending behaviour of your recipients to know if a physical or digital gift card will be the best for them. So ensure to know this fact to even inform your decision on if you should give your recipient a gift card of lower denominations or a gift card of higher denominations like the Jewelery gift cards.
Gift Card Security Features And Fraud Prevention
Gift cards come with different security features to prevent fraud and theft. Let’s look at some of them below.
1. PIN Protection
Most gift cards come with PIN protection and require you to create and input a PIN to make purchases or check your account balance.
2. Activation
You need to activate gift cards before you can make use of them. This helps to prevent unauthorized use of your gift card
3. Verification
The retailer may verify the balance and transaction history if there’s any suspicious activity on your gift card.
Best Gift Practices For Users
1. Keep your gift card safe
Your gift is like cash, so keep it safe like regular cash. Also, don’t share your gift card details with anyone.
2. Check your balances regularly
Always check your balance and report any suspicious activity to customer support immediately
3. Use your gift as soon as possible
It’s advisable to use your gift card as soon as possible to avoid forgetting it or misplacing it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Popular Gift Card Types In The UK
Are gift cards protected under UK consumer law?
Yes. Gift cards are protected by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which provides consumers with certain rights and protections when purchasing and using gift cards. This includes the right to a refund if the gift card is faulty or not as described, protection against unfair terms and conditions, and the right to clear and transparent information about the gift card, including any fees or expiry dates.
Can I use US gift cards in the UK?
Most gift cards are region-specific, meaning they are restricted to the country, state, or province where they were purchased. This limitation prevents them from being redeemed in other regions or countries because different regions often have different laws and regulations.
Which UK retailers accept digital gift cards?
Many major retailers in the UK accept gift cards. Some of the popular retailers include Amazon UK, John Lewis, Tesco, and many others. These retailers offer a variety of products and services, allowing gift card holders to choose from a diverse range of options.
Conclusion
Gift cards are a way to enjoy the best products while serving as an alternative to cash in the UK. This enables us to highlight the op gift card types you can explore to resonate with your needs and purposes.
However, it is essential to ensure that the preferred gift card meets the satisfaction of your recipient to get a heap of appreciation for the kind gesture. Gift cards are helpful in many ways, and it is good to use them for convenience.
