Thinking of running a Gift With Purchase (GWP) campaign? Whether it’s your first campaign or this is a monthly affair, running a GWP can be a great way to drive sales while reaping the rewards of branded merch. The key part? You have to do it right.
For those new to the term GWP…
What is a GWP?
A Gift With Purchase is when a customer receives a free product, experience or piece of branded merchandise when they meet a specific purchase requirement. For example, spend $150 on makeup in-store and get a free toiletry bag.
GWPs can be a great way to add value to a purchase without simply discounting your RRP.
If the gift is something your customer actually wants to use, you get the bonus of increased brand visibility and all the other benefits that come with good merch.
But what makes a good GWP?
Before you choose your Gift With Purchase
Like any merch project, there are a few things to consider. We’ve already broken down exactly how to plan a Gift With Purchase campaign, but here’s a little refresher.
- Know your objective: Be clear on what you want your GWP campaign to achieve.
- Know your audience: Choose something your customers will genuinely value and use.
- Know your budget: Work out your target cost per unit based on your overall campaign budget.
- Know your lead time: Work backwards from your launch date to determine what products and customisation options are possible.
- Find the right fit: Choose a GWP that feels relevant to your brand, audience and campaign.
- Plan your promotion: Get your campaign assets, copy, email, social and website content ready to support the offer.
- Create urgency: A deadline or limited quantity can give customers an extra reason to act.
How do you choose the right Gift With Purchase?
We’re about to lay 17 options on the table, and you might be wondering which one is actually right for your campaign.
Your next GWP campaign product could be in this list, sitting somewhere else in our catalogue, or it could be something completely custom that we haven’t even dreamt up yet.
While our list can be a great source of inspiration, a good GWP needs to make sense for your brand, your audience and your campaign.
Ask yourself:
- Will my customers actually use it?
- Does it make sense alongside the product they’re purchasing?
- Does it fit within my cost-per-unit?
- Does the product timeline fit my timeline?
- Can the product be customised in a way that feels true to my brand?
Remember, the most important part: It needs to be something your customer actually wants.
17 Gift With Purchase Ideas
Bags & Travel
1. Logan Large Non-Woven Bag
A spacious, reusable tote that’s practical for retail, events, conferences, schools and community campaigns. Its large printable area gives brands plenty of room to make an impact, while the bag itself is useful enough to keep in rotation.
View the Logan Large Non-Woven Bag
2. Vegan Leather Luggage Tag
A natural fit for travel brands, luggage companies, hotels and tourism businesses, particularly when the customer is already heading somewhere. Small and practical, a branded luggage tag can travel with the customer long after the original purchase.
View the Vegan Leather Luggage Tag
3. Canvas Cooler Bag
A reusable cooler bag is a practical Gift With Purchase for food and beverage, hospitality, outdoor, lifestyle and event brands, particularly for summer campaigns. With room for drinks and snacks, it can become the go-to bag for picnics, weekends away and outdoor events.
4. Wine Cooler Sleeve
For wineries, hospitality, food and beverage and lifestyle brands, a wine cooler sleeve is a more compact Gift With Purchase that still feels like a proper gift. It’s easy to take to picnics, outdoor events and gatherings, putting your brand alongside the occasion.
Drinkware
5. Alpha 500ml Drink Bottle
A reusable drink bottle is one of those GWP products that can work for a huge range of brands. People use them at work, at the gym, on the go and outdoors, but the key is making the design something your customer actually wants to carry.
View the Alpha 500ml Drink Bottle
6. Pure Sip 550 Glass Bottle
A glass drink bottle can be a great GWP when you want something that feels a little more considered. The borosilicate glass and bamboo lid give the Pure Sip a clean, premium look that could work particularly well for lifestyle, wellness, hospitality or design-led brands.
View the Pure Sip 550 Glass Bottle
7. Finley Coffee Cup with Magnetic Lid
Coffee is part of many of our morning routines, so a cup that keeps it warmer for longer makes for a strong GWP choice. Give someone a cup they actually like using, and your brand can become part of their daily ritual.
View the Finley Coffee Cup with Magnetic Lid
Caps & Hats
8. Core Cotton Dad Cap
Pair a trendy cap with great artwork, and you’ve got a GWP that feels more like fashion merch than a promotional giveaway. The relaxed, everyday style makes it easy to wear beyond the campaign, giving your brand plenty of visibility long after the initial purchase.
9. Corduroy Bucket Hat
If your customers spend their weekends outdoors, at the beach, festivals or events, a bucket hat could be a GWP they’ll want to take with them. The corduroy finish gives it a retro, fashion-forward feel, making it a little different from the typical branded merch line-up.
10. Custom Supporter Beanie
A custom beanie can make a great GWP for winter campaigns, sporting events, schools or brands with a strong community around them. Customise with your colours and design, and it becomes something customers can wear to show they’re part of the group, not just another piece of branded merch.
View the Custom Supporter Beanie
Clothing
11. Custom Branded Socks
A good pair of socks is something most people will happily put to use. Go beyond your logo with custom colours, patterns, mascots or artwork, and you could have a pair customers reach for again and again.
12. Custom Made Printed Jacket
This is the kind of GWP that could become a collectible. A bold, custom design can turn a jacket into something customers look forward to getting their hands on, particularly for limited-edition campaigns or collaborations.
View the Custom Made Printed Jacket
13. Classic Branded Hoodie
Hoodies are a classic for a reason. They’re practical, comfortable and have a higher perceived value than many smaller merch items, making them a strong GWP for bigger purchase thresholds, customer rewards or winter campaigns.
View the Classic Branded Hoodie
Tech & Lifestyle
14. Outdoor Speaker Pro
A portable Bluetooth speaker is a fun Gift With Purchase for customers who love getting outdoors or entertaining. Small enough to take anywhere but useful enough to keep around, it gives your brand plenty of opportunities to come along for the ride.
15. Casino Royale Playing Cards
A deck of playing cards can be an affordable but memorable option, particularly if your brand has a playful personality. They’re also easy to take on holidays, road trips and weekends away, while the artwork can become part of the product rather than simply being a logo on the front.
View the Casino Royale Playing Cards
16. Custom Coasters
If your brand is in the business of drinks, dining or entertaining, you don’t have to default to the bottle opener or stubby holder. A custom coaster can give you more room to play with your branding, artwork or campaign message, while keeping the GWP cost low.
17. Custom Lapel Pins
Small, collectible and easy to customise, lapel pins are a great way to turn your brand, campaign or artwork into something customers can keep. Add a custom printed card, and you’ve got a small Gift With Purchase that feels more like a considered piece than a promotional freebie.
View the Lapel Pin with Printed Card
Need help finding your next Gift With Purchase?
You don’t have to be a merch expert. That’s our job.
Whether you want something ready to go or a completely custom product made specifically for your campaign, we can help you find the right fit.g
Get in touch with the Good Things team to start planning your next GWP.
