Gift card distribution in Canada has transformed how rewards and incentives work for Canadian businesses. Whether youâre managing employee appreciation, customer loyalty, or incentive programs, digital gift cards make your life easier and your rewards better.
đ At a glance:
â˘Â Simplify rewards: Use a digital gift card distributor to automate, bulk send, and track incentives
⢠đ¨đŚ Local favo(u)rites đ: Access hundreds of Canadian brands like Tim Hortons, Air Canada, and Roots, plus global options and prepaid cards (i.e. VisaÂŽ and MastercardÂŽ incentive cards).
â˘Â Flexible delivery: Send rewards instantly via email, SMS, Slack, QR code, or integrate with your software.
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In this article, weâll explore gift card distribution in Canada, sharing how you and your team can leverage the best digital solutions, what brands are available, how to handle taxes, and actionable strategies to make your rewards program stand out.
Weâll also cover common questions, specific instructions for sending popular cards, and tips for supporting fellow Canadian businesses.
Pro-tip: If you decide to work with a gift card company, make sure you find one that lets you pay in CAD and send in CAD.Â
In other words, avoid companies that will make you pay in USD, send in USD, or both.Â
This is key to streamlining your finances (and making your life a whole lot easier!).
You've got a couple options if you want to use gift cards in your incentive programs.Â
You can send someone to the grocery store to buy a stack of physical cards, keep them in a desk drawer, and send them out as needed. Just watch their expiry dates, or you could end up with a stack of unusable cards like Canadian manufacturers Factors Group did.
You also won't be able to lock down any revenue sharing or bulk discounts.Â
Plus, we know from decades of research that digital rewards simply perform better. For example, we know that 4 out of 5 people prefer digital gift cards to physical ones.Â
Like Giftbit CCO Nat Salvione says, âdigital gift cards get results.â Thatâs why a streamlined, digital-first approach is the gold standard for Canadian organizations aiming to motivate and delight their audiences.
So if you want to go digital, you might opt to work with one of the 'big guy' gift card distributors, although don't be surprised if their catalog is focused on American audiences, or if you're able to get any hands-on support you might end up needing.Â
Instead, the smartest way to manage gift card rewards and incentives in Canada is to work with an online Canadian gift card distributor that offers a comprehensive catalog of Canadian and international brands.
Instead of tracking down individual cards (and handling the headache of sending them one by one), tap into their gift card platform and let it do the heavy lifting.
Choose the right one, and you'll also enjoy hands-on support for your and your recipients, no matter how small your program is.Â
There's a lot of cool things about Giftbit. Personally, I love that it all started on Vancouver Island.
If you ever want to come visit our Victoria office, you're in for a treat, because it's pretty much one of the most beautiful cities on earth.Â
â Nat Salvione, CCOÂ |Â Giftbit
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Thanks to our history, Giftbit understands servicing Canada inside and out. Hundreds of Canadian gift cards are available in the rewards catalog, covering everything from national chains to iconic local brands.
If you want, your Canadian recipients can also have access to global favorites like bulk Apple and Amazon gift cards.
Ultimately, it's your choice whether you'll want to offer a curated list of Canadian-centric brands, or give your audience full access to the whole catalog.Â
Plus, there are tons of international eGift cards available too. That means if you have recipients outside of Canada too, you're still covered. đŞ
Meanwhile, some of the most popular gift cards in Canada include:
Not all rewards are created equalâespecially when it comes to gift cards versus prepaid cards.
In industry speak, gift cards are typically restricted to one merchant or a group of named retailers. Think: a $25 Starbucks card for coffee lovers (also available in the catalog!).
But options like Visa and Mastercard are called 'prepaid cards.' They function more like general-purpose cards and can be spent almost anywhere those networks are acceptedâincluding online and at international locations.
Choosing between these formats can be confusing, but the best gift card distribution platforms in Canada remove the stress.
Just send access to a full rewards catalogârecipients can select a store gift card, or a prepaid Visa or Mastercard card, or even both.
In other words, we take care of the 'gift card vs prepaid card' distinction, so you don't have to.Â
This flexibility makes it simple for your team and maximizes satisfaction for your recipients.
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Good to know: The Giftbit platform lets you send Visa and Mastercard prepaid cards in CAD. đ¨đŚ
Like we've covered, working with a digital gift card distributor lets you skip the stacks of plastic, trips to the store, and hours spent recording whatâs gone where.
Everythingâs centralized: buy cards in bulk, automate deliveries, monitor redemption, and access real-time reports. All this lets you and your team stay focused on big-picture goals instead of logistics.
Setting up your reward program typically involves uploading a list of recipients, selecting the types of gift cards and the denominations you want, and scheduling instant or future deliveries.Â
Ideally, you'll also want to ensure that you're only ever paying for the gift cards you actually send. In other words, if you send someone a $10 Tim Hortons gift card, it should only cost you $10 (or less, depending on whether you have any revenue sharingâbook a call with our Incentive Specialist Matt Brossard to learn more).
Sending an Amazon gift card is simple with a digital distributorâjust select Amazon.ca from the catalog, set the desired amount, upload your recipient list, and schedule delivery.
The recipient will receive a digital code redeemable directly on Amazon.ca.
You can send Apple gift cards (for use on the Canadian Apple Store, the App Store, or iTunes) by choosing the Apple option from your distributorâs catalog.
Recipients receive a digital card they can redeem online or via their Apple device, ensuring quick, easy access to content and products.