Scottish fintech Miconex has revealed that over £1.9 million was spent through its Town and City Gift Card programmes in 2020.
Showing that consumers are shopping local, using multi-venue gift card programmes in a bid to support local businesses. The 2020 sales data represents 350% year on year growth for the firm.
The Perth based company Miconex has increased to 17 gift card programmes in locations across Scotland. Including launching new schemes in Aberdeen, Falkirk district, Kirkcaldy and rural Scotland.
As places sought to capture the shop local sentiment and unite businesses behind one gift card that can be spent across retail, leisure, hospitality and services.
Christmas was a key trading period for the company with 10 of its Scottish schemes recording five figure sales in November and December. Aberdeen achieved over £130,000 in gift card sales in December alone.
The sales figures have demonstrated success with the gift card programmes for both small towns and big cities.
In Kirkwall, located on the Orkney Islands off Scotland’s north coast with a population of 9000, over £80,000 was spent through the Kirkwall Gift Card in 2020.
Laura Bruce, consultant for Kirkwall BID received a High Street Heroes award from Scotland’s Towns Partnership for her efforts to support the Orkney economy in 2020. Laura commented:
“We launched the Kirkwall Gift Card in December 2019 and have around 80% of retail type businesses signed up to receive the Kirkwall Gift Card.
People will come from other islands to Kirkwall to spend their card, and with pop up shops and even click and collect over the festive period, we’ve been able to cater for all shopping preferences.
“In 2020, the pandemic meant Orkney lost out on the usual tourism income but our corporate sales really increased. 15% of our sales actually came from outside Orkney, from as far as Australia, as people purchased them as gifts for family and friends living here
As well as keeping money locked in Orkney, we’re also bringing new money in. The amount of positive comments we get about the Kirkwall Gift Card are unreal.”
One of the larger cities that has enjoyed significant success with its gift card programme is Aberdeen, which has a population of over 200,000.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We have been pleased with the fantastic sales the Aberdeen Gift Card has had since it launched in late November.
They also found most people who purchase these gift cards do so to show support for local businesses. With 3500 cards bought with a total value of £150,000, it really has given a boost to the local economy.
