Revenue · 6 min read · Updated June 2026
Gift cards: the seasonal operator's cash-flow engine
For a seasonal business, the hardest quarter isn't the busy one — it's the silent one. Gift cards move money across that gap: guests buy in December, sail in June, and your winter has revenue in it. Here's how to run the play deliberately.
By the Theybook team — built with operators, for operators
Why gift cards fit seasonal businesses perfectly
A gift card is revenue today for capacity you'll have anyway tomorrow. The cash lands in the off-season exactly when fixed costs bite, and redemption arrives in peak season when marginal cost per seat is lowest.
Better still, gift recipients are new customers acquired at zero marketing cost — someone else did the selling for you, with a personal endorsement attached.
The holiday window does the heavy lifting
The two weeks before Christmas routinely produce more gift-card volume than the rest of the year combined; Mother's and Father's Day form the second wave. Put the link everywhere from late November: homepage banner, email signature, social bios, a counter card at the dock.
Sell denominations that map to real trips — the price of two adult seats outsells round numbers, because the buyer is purchasing an outing, not a balance.
Mechanics that protect you
Use software with real balance tracking: partial redemptions hold the remainder for next time, codes are unique, and redemption happens in the same checkout as any booking — no side ledger to reconcile.
Decide your policy up front for expiry (check local law — many places restrict it), refunds, and whether cards apply to add-ons. Boring clarity now prevents dockside arguments in July.
Beyond the holidays
Gift cards quietly solve other problems all year: make-goods for weather cancellations that keep revenue in the house, corporate gifting for local businesses, and donation requests from charities — a card costs you nothing until redeemed.
Track redemption rate (50–80% is the broad industry norm) — unredeemed balances are real margin, but plan service capacity as if every card comes back.
Key takeaways
- Gift cards move peak-season revenue into off-season cash flow
- Price cards as trips ('two adult seats'), not round numbers
- Balance tracking + clear policy prevents reconciliation pain
- Recipients are zero-cost customer acquisition with built-in endorsement
Ready to keep 100% of your bookings?
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Questions, answered
FAQ
01Do gift cards cost extra to sell on theybook?
No — gift cards with automatic balance tracking are part of the flat plan. Guests buy online, funds settle to your Stripe like any sale, and redemption happens at checkout.
02What if a card is only partly used?
The remaining balance is stored automatically and applies to the next booking — no manual ledger, no expiring leftovers unless your policy says so.
03How much does Theybook cost?
Theybook is a flat $99/month (or $83/month billed annually) with every feature included — unlimited bookings, unlimited experiences, the full design studio, automated emails, waivers, gift cards, CRM and team accounts. There is no commission, no per-booking fee, and no setup fee. The only other cost is Stripe's standard card-processing rate, which is paid to your own Stripe account like any other payment processor.
04Do you really take 0% commission?
Yes — zero, permanently. Commission platforms typically take around 6% of every order, which on $300,000 of annual bookings is roughly $18,000 a year. Theybook's flat fee means a record month costs exactly the same as a quiet one, so every additional booking you win is pure margin.
05Who processes the payments?
Your own Stripe account. Guests pay by card at checkout and the money settles directly to your bank on Stripe's normal payout schedule. Theybook never holds, routes or touches your funds — if you ever leave, your payment history and customer relationship with Stripe remain entirely yours.
06Do I need technical skills to set it up?
No. Setup is self-serve and most operators are bookable the same day: add experiences, set availability, pick a design preset and connect Stripe. The design studio uses visual controls with a live preview, and embedding on an existing site is a single copy-paste.
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