The holiday season stands as the most critical time for retailers and their supporting infrastructure to reach and exceed annual expectations. After a strong start to 2022, the holiday season fell flat, disappointing market observers and the industry. Lessons learned in 2002 and in the early part of 2023 can be applied to the upcoming holiday season and improve the availability, impact, and utilization of prepaid products to create value.

In addition, customer behavior identifies several key areas where gift cards, incentives, and other prepaid products can boost the bottom line by creating additive value on top of the initial offer or purchase. Customers today clamor for the ability to find real and perceived savings that can be achieved through prepaid programs, loyalty memberships, and related services. The risks in the economy, from continued economic uncertainty to organized labor strife, need immediate attention in holiday planning to ensure full preparedness for the peak season.