Choice gift or gift card: what works better?

If you give someone a VVV voucher or a bol.com gift card, you know the recipient will find a use for it. It is easy, fits any budget, and everyone knows it. But you also know - deep down - that it doesn't really feel like a gift. Not a personal gift, in any case.

That is no coincidence. A gift card communicates something specific: we didn't think about it for too long. There is no personalization, no branding, no personal card. The recipient gets a generic card with a code - the same product you can buy at the supermarket.

And yet, the gift card is still the standard choice for many companies. Because it is familiar. Because it is easy. And because many people do not yet know that something better exists. And it does, here at Cadeo: the choice gift.

What is a choice gift?

A choice gift is a gift where the recipient chooses what they want themselves - but from a curated selection of products. No endless webshop, no standard retail assortment, but a collection of brands and products put together with care.

At Cadeo, it works like this: you send the recipient a link via email, WhatsApp, or a QR code on a card. This opens a personalized choice portal in your company's corporate identity, where a personal message can also be left. The recipient browses through the assortment and makes a choice. That product is then delivered to their home.

The redemption problem

One of the lesser-known problems with traditional gift cards: a large portion is never used. In the Netherlands, an estimated 15 to 20% of all gift cards are never redeemed. According to Hart van Nederland and WNL, this amounts to 150 to 380 million euros per year. For experience vouchers and dinner vouchers, that percentage is even higher.

This means that as an employer, you are spending money on a gift that never arrives. The recipient forgets the voucher, loses the code, or realizes too late that the expiration date has passed. And you have already paid.

With a choice gift via Cadeo, the redemption rate is 95% on average. The recipient receives a personal link, immediately sees what there is to choose from, and is reminded if the gift is still outstanding. That difference is not small - it is the difference between a gift that arrives and a gift that disappears in a drawer.

Personal vs generic

A gift card looks the same for everyone. The same card, the same code, the same webshop. Whether you are thanking an intern or congratulating a director - the product is identical.

A choice gift can be customized. At Cadeo, you choose the assortment, the price range, and the message. The choice portal carries your logo and colors. You can add a personal message.

That sounds like a detail, but it is exactly the difference between a gift someone remembers and a gift someone forgets.

When do you choose what?

A gift card works fine if you quickly need something for a small gesture. But as soon as you want to surprise a group of people - a team, a department, your entire organization - then the difference becomes relevant. Then you want something that feels personal, that is actually used, and that matches how you want to be seen as a company. And it is of course also very nice if your gift is actually used and appreciated by the recipients. At Cadeo, every recipient can leave a personal thank you note. How nice is that!

Want to know more?

Would you like to see what a choice gift looks like in practice? We would be happy to show you - with your own logo, colors, and a message that fits your organization.

Schedule an introduction and we will take you through the platform.