Empik Group is one of the leaders in omnichannel sales in Poland. Among the key initiatives driving further development of the omnichannel ecosystem in 2024 was the implementation of technology that allows for the redemption of virtual gift cards both in physical stores and on Empik.com, as well as in the mobile app. The platform was provided by Krakow-based company Sparta Loyalty, which also optimized the purchasing and ordering process for cards sold by Empik in large volumes to business partners.
Gift cards offered by stores provide enormous benefits to retailers and are currently one of the most cost-effective loyalty tools. The Paytronix Gift Card Sales Report shows that over 70% of them are redeemed within a maximum of six months from the purchase date.
According to Empik’s research conducted in 2023, nearly 75% of store customers have decided to purchase a gift card at least once. More than half of the respondents believe that this type of gift is always a good idea because the recipient will surely find something for themselves in the store. Empik customers also reach for cards when they don’t have a gift idea (30%) or don’t know the interests and tastes of the person they want to give a gift to (25%).
Omnichannel Approach
Filip Zajdel, Head of Customer Success at Sparta Loyalty, states: “Digitalization and personalization of the purchasing path across all channels, the so-called omnichannel approach, is an extremely important sales strategy today. This also applies to the handling of gift cards, which are an effective marketing communication tool and a successful way to promote your brand among regular and new customers”.
Full Omnichannel Card Experience
Empik offers two types of gift cards: a physical gift card and a virtual eCard. Until November of this year, the latter could only be redeemed by customers online. Today, thanks to the implementation of the new system, the eCard (sent by email in the form of codes) can be used for purchases across all channels – on Empik.com, in the app, and in physical Empik stores. This is a significant convenience for customers, especially during the Santa Claus and Christmas seasons when Empik observes sharp increases in interest in the gift card offer every year.
Marcin Gołdyn, Senior Business Development Manager at Empik, explains: “Empik is today a leader in omnichannel sales in Poland. Our unique ecosystem includes a network of 350 physical stores, a TOP5 e-commerce platform, and one of the best-rated shopping apps on the Polish market. Omnichannel is therefore a key axis of our strategy and has a special, dual role in the context of our gift cards”.
Corporate Cards
Empik Group sells cards not only to individual customers but also to its business partners. The extensive functionalities of the Sparta Loyalty system support and optimize this process, allowing for mass activation and correction of such cards. The introduced automation significantly speeds up not only purchases but also orders and operations carried out on cards sold in large volumes.
Paweł Nawrocki, Director of Retail Media and Financial Services at Empik, notes: “For companies, it’s not only the attractiveness of the offer for the employee that counts but also cooperation with a trusted and liked brand that ensures quality and a positive shopping experience for the recipient. Broadly understood security is no less important. All this makes Empik’s eCard one of the leading products in cafeteria systems”.
Growing Trend in B2B Cards
Brands are increasingly introducing B2B cards into their offerings. According to a study conducted by Sparta Loyalty in 2023, 80% of surveyed companies already use this option. Collaboration with other companies to offer joint gift cards or mutual promotion is also gaining importance. Today, 8% of marketers and sellers surveyed operate this way, and 53% are considering such cooperation.
This is the first project that Sparta Loyalty has implemented with the Empik Group. The company has also implemented a gift card handling system in networks such as Gatta, Briju, R-GOL, Samsung, and MOL.
