Considered the world’s largest retailer, Amazon ships 18.5 orders per second and 4,000 orders every minute, according to some estimates. The site’s wide selection and frictionless convenience are two reasons Amazon continues to be so popular.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Amazon is by far the most preferred gift card out there. A whopping 56% of consumers surveyed in Fiserv’s 19th annual Prepaid Consumer Insights Survey would choose a $25 Amazon card over ones from Walmart (6%), Target (9%), Starbucks (9%), or Apple (3%).
But that doesn’t mean you should count on Amazon incentives to deliver stellar results every time. Here are a few reasons they may not be the best choice for your rewards program.
While Amazon has country-specific sites all over the world, gift cards are redeemable only for the home site where it was purchased. That means an Amazon.com gift card can’t be spent on Amazon.co.uk.
In these remote, work-from-anywhere days, incentivizing your employees with Amazon cards they can’t use is a big no-no. You could purchase cards individually for recipients in each of Amazon’s markets, but even then, there are many places they don’t cover.
Amazon incentives may work well for a generic survey sent to a wide audience, but for more specific research or marketing use cases, personalizing your reward options can yield better results and retention. Consider that 80% of consumers say they’re more likely to do business with companies that offer personalized experiences.
For instance, if you’re targeting travelers, you’ll be creating a more customized experience if you offer rewards for airlines like Delta and Southwest or accommodations like Airbnb and Hotels.com.
Likewise, if you’re targeting parents, digital rewards to purchase everyday essentials at grocery stores or big-box retailers will be more likely to incentivize them to act.
Virtual prepaid cards like Visa and Mastercard, which are redeemable in over 150 countries, are the perfect choice if your audience is across the globe.
They’re just as convenient as Amazon incentives — and they can still be used on Amazon. In Fiserv’s survey, 17% of respondents said they preferred Visa prepaid cards, most likely because of their flexibility.
The most effective approach to make sure your rewards are both globally available and personalized may be to offer a curated selection of rewards specifically relevant to your audience, survey, or campaign.
READ MORE: The Best Online Gift Cards for Rewarding Each Generation
BHN Rewards’ Smart Global Choice feature can detect each recipient’s location and automatically serve up a list of rewards that are available in their country. Just specify a reward value and your recipients will see a curated list of only the rewards they can redeem — including Amazon incentives, if they’re available.
Want to see how our Smart Global Choice feature makes sending international rewards a breeze? Request a demo now!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
