Education Session:
The 7 Wonders of Gift Cards
Gift cards have evolved far beyond buying a Blockbuster gift card from a point-of-sale display in 1995. Over the past 25 years, a series of breakthrough innovations has radically transformed gift cards into a powerful engine for incentives, loyalty, and modern payments. Eric Thiegs, a 25-year veteran of the gift card and incentive industry, presents The 7 Wonders of Gift Cards: 7 pivotal innovations that fundamentally reshaped how gift card value is issued, distributed, secured, and used. You'll learn the ideas behind the innovations - from third-party distribution and digital delivery to loyalty-driven payments, secure reward links, non-brand issuance, and the rise of the digital penny.
Eric will also preview several emerging innovations that may define the next era of gift cards. Whether you’re deep in the ecosystem or adjacent through incentives, loyalty, or payments, this session will change how you think about what gift cards really are, and where they’re headed next.