Incentivizing sales teams is nothing new. But how you do it has evolved—and one of the most effective tools today is the use of digital gift cards for sales incentives. They're fast, flexible, and friction-free. But how do they stack up against traditional physical gift cards?
Let’s break it down: digital vs. physical gift cards—the pros, the cons, and which one reigns supreme for modern sales reward programs.
Sales incentives drive performance. Whether you're recognizing top reps, celebrating milestones, or incentivizing pipeline growth, gift cards are universally appreciated and easy to distribute.
Why they work:
Digital gift cards—also called eGift cards—are rewards delivered electronically via email or SMS. Recipients can redeem them online or in-store and even add them to their digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Common types of digital gift cards:
Physical gift cards are traditional plastic cards that are mailed or handed out in person. They require physical handling, shipping, and sometimes include activation fees. While they feel more tangible, they come with some serious downsides—especially for scaling incentive programs.
Digital gift cards can be sent in seconds. Whether it’s an impromptu reward or a scheduled campaign, digital delivery means no delays.
Most physical cards come with:
Digital cards avoid these entirely—especially platforms like Toasty Card, which offers zero-fee delivery.
Want your sales rep to feel truly recognized? Add your:
With digital platforms like Toasty, this is built-in.
Physical cards go out of sight. Digital ones can be:
This visibility helps you prove ROI on your sales incentives.
Digital gifting eliminates plastic waste, packaging, and shipping emissions. For sustainability-minded companies, it’s the obvious choice.
Once mailed or handed out, physical gift cards can get lost—especially in bulk distributions. And recovery? Not guaranteed.
Shipping delays, lost packages, or failed deliveries can derail a campaign. And coordinating physical orders takes time.
Forget dynamic visuals or messaging. Physical cards rarely offer:
They're generic, and they feel that way.
There are times when a tangible gift makes sense:
But for ongoing sales incentives? Digital is more scalable and cost-effective.
Let’s recap why digital gift cards are built for sales reward programs:
Toasty Card is purpose-built for businesses needing to send digital rewards efficiently and affordably.
💡 Pro Tip: With Toasty’s Choice Card, recipients can redeem their gift for hundreds of popular brands—including Visa and DoorDash.
In less than an hour, you can go from planning to sending hundreds of digital sales incentives—something nearly impossible with physical cards.
📈 SaaS company rewards SDRs: After every demo booked, reps receive a $25 digital gift card instantly via Toasty.
🎯 B2B sales team contests: Weekly leaderboard winners are sent $50 eGift cards with custom messages from leadership.
🌍 Global teams: International sales reps can be rewarded just as easily—Toasty supports 90+ countries.
Digital gift cards for sales incentives aren’t just the future—they’re the present. They save time, reduce costs, increase motivation, and align with remote and digital-first work environments.
If you want a reward system that scales with your business, digital is the only choice that makes sense.
Yes. Platforms like Toasty Card use secure delivery and tracking to ensure successful and safe redemptions.
What if the recipient doesn’t receive the gift card?
You can easily resend it at no extra cost—Toasty even lets you know if an email bounces.
Yes. Toasty supports digital delivery to over 90 countries.
Most digital gift cards don’t expire quickly—but always check terms. Toasty’s Choice Card has flexible terms.
Yes! Add a name, message, logo, and more for each recipient.