Black Friday's Unsung Hero: The Rise of Discounted Gift Cards

SCHAUMBURG, IL – December 11, 2025

As the dust settles on another record-breaking Black Friday, the headline figures tell a familiar story of surging online sales. Cyber Week 2025 generated an unprecedented $44.2 billion, with e-commerce growing at a brisk 7.7% year-over-year. But beneath the surface of this massive consumer spend, a more nuanced narrative is emerging—one not just about what people bought, but how they bought it. This year, a key protagonist in that story is the humble gift card, repurposed as a strategic tool for budget-conscious shoppers. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in the blockbuster November results from CardCash.com, the secondary gift card marketplace owned by Giftify, Inc. (NASDAQ: GIFT).

The company reported a staggering 18.8% year-over-year jump in the total face value of gift cards sold, reaching $16.47 million for the month. This performance, which more than doubles the growth rate of the broader e-commerce market, signals a profound shift in consumer behavior and highlights the innovative business models thriving in an inflationary economy.

The New Shopper's Playbook: Savings as a Strategy

In an environment where 84% of consumers report cutting back on spending due to rising prices, the hunt for value has evolved from a casual pursuit into a core financial strategy. The days of simply looking for a 20% off coupon are over; today's savvy shopper is "stacking" discounts, and discounted gift cards have become the foundational layer of that strategy. CardCash's 9.4% increase in its customer base this November is a testament to this mainstream adoption.

The logic is simple yet powerful. By purchasing a gift card for, say, 10% below its face value on a platform like CardCash, a consumer creates an immediate, built-in saving. When they then apply that gift card to a purchase that is already on sale during a Black Friday event, they effectively amplify their discount. This method transforms a passive payment tool into an active savings engine. Recent consumer research supports this, showing that 37% of consumers now purchase gift cards for their own use specifically to control spending and lock in savings.

This trend extends beyond discretionary purchases. Industry reports note a significant rise in consumers using gift cards to offset the cost of necessities like groceries and gas. “As consumers continue to navigate inflationary pressures, CardCash remains committed to offering smart, immediate savings,” said Ketan Thakker, Chief Executive Officer of Giftify, Inc., in a recent statement. His comments underscore the platform's role as a "trusted value destination," a position that resonates deeply as households look to stretch every dollar.

Beyond the Shopping Cart: A Look Under the Hood

While surging consumer demand tells one side of the story, CardCash's success is equally a tale of operational excellence. For investors and business leaders, the most compelling figures from the November report lie not in the top-line volume, but in the company's stunning gains in profitability and efficiency. Gross Profit climbed 8.0% year-over-year, but the real story is in the margin: CardCash saw its Gross Margin leap from 13.16% to 18.59%—a remarkable 41% improvement.

This isn't an accident; it's the result of a finely tuned marketplace model. A key indicator of this efficiency is the 45% decline in the "Max Card Age." In layman's terms, this means the company is turning over its inventory of gift cards nearly twice as fast as it was a year ago. In the secondary gift card market, where card balances can be a liability and fraud is a constant risk, speed is paramount. Fresher inventory means lower risk, better cash flow, and ultimately, a healthier bottom line.

Furthermore, a 49% surge in sales from affiliate partners demonstrates the power of CardCash's network. By integrating its offerings into other platforms and loyalty programs, the company is meeting consumers where they are, expanding its reach far beyond its own website. Combined with a 7.4% reduction in shipping costs, these operational enhancements paint a picture of a company that isn't just riding a wave of consumer interest but is actively steering its ship with data-driven precision.

Giftify's Ecosystem: A Portfolio Play for the Future

CardCash's impressive performance is a critical pillar in the broader strategy of its parent company, Giftify, Inc. The company is assembling a portfolio of brands designed to create a comprehensive ecosystem for incentives, rewards, and consumer savings. This strategy goes far beyond the resale of gift cards.

Giftify also operates Restaurant.com, the nation's largest digital deals brand for dining, and recently acquired Takeout7, a restaurant technology platform offering online ordering and AI-powered marketing. The potential for synergy is clear. A consumer who saves money buying a retail gift card on CardCash can be cross-promoted a dining deal on Restaurant.com. Meanwhile, Takeout7 provides the back-end technology to deepen relationships with the over 184,000 restaurants and retailers in Giftify's network.

This integrated approach aims to capture consumer attention and spending across multiple verticals—from retail and dining to entertainment. By owning different parts of the value chain, Giftify can create a flywheel effect: more consumers on one platform drive value for the others, while the data gathered across the ecosystem allows for smarter marketing and more personalized offers. This positions the company not just as a collection of separate businesses, but as a unified force in the rapidly growing incentives industry, which is projected to become a multi-trillion dollar global market by the end of the decade. As consumer habits continue to evolve, this focus on integrated, tangible value is a powerful model for the future of commerce.