Loop Commerce Launches GiftNow Card With Athleta

Loop Commerce, the operator of GiftNow, is announcing the launch of its GiftNow Card with Athleta, the Gap’s lifestyle apparel brand.

GiftNow Cards are designed to allow shoppers in brick-and-mortar locations to make it easier to give the right gift, even if they aren’t sure what the recipient’s size or favored style might be.

The old solution — give a gift card and let the receiver decide what they want — is efficient but lacks personalization. The GiftNow Card — patterned on the online version of the offering currently used by household name retailers like Macy’s, Target, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Coach — allows the recipient to view their gift online and then choose to accept or exchange it online before it ever ships.

“We’re excited to add the GiftNow service to Athleta.com and BananaRepublic.com and be the first brand to work with Loop Commerce on a connected experience by also offering the GiftNow Card in select Athleta stores,” said Noam Paransky, SVP Digital at Gap, Inc. “We believe this new personalized gifting service will provide our customers an easy way to do their holiday shopping both online and in-store.”

While omnichannel commerce has been an area of rapid growth, omnichannel gift-giving has lagged behind. The goal behind the launch of its patent-pending card is to offer shoppers the chance to give their friends and family the gift of flexibility, while still keeping the gift personalized. The GiftNow Card also allows physical retailers to rethink how they manage inventory and shelf space, since the cards essentially open up the brands’ entire catalog to gift buyers, without requiring them to keep items on hand at brick-and-mortar locations.

Staring November 13th, Athleta is offering the GiftNow Cards in select stores nationally, available at kiosks in stores for shoppers who wish to deliver their gifts instantly, via email, to remote loved ones. GiftNow is also available on Athleta.com for anyone shopping from home or on a mobile device, as well as on BananaRepublic.com.

“While online commerce is massive and growing, the majority of the gCommerce opportunity still lies in physical stores, which don’t always have in stock what gift-givers want to give, or where consumers are hesitant to purchase the wrong item as a gift,” said Loop Commerce CEO and Co-Founder Roy Erez. “By inventing the GiftNow Card, we’re providing a seamless alternative to shoppers who want to gift a specific item, which they consider to be more thoughtful than giving a gift card, and we’re helping store associates close more sales.”