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Gift cards for pet shops: presents for other people's pets

Square sells eGift cards online and at the till for people buying for a friend's pet, with fees only when a card sells. Free.

At a glance

  • What it costsFree

  • Worth, in extra profit or time saved in the worked example$27£20€24A$38C$38 a month

  • Pays for itselfFree to run

  • Sign up and configure; no technical skills neededEasy to set up

Figures come from the worked example below, using its stated assumptions. Tool prices checked . How we check prices

The problem

In December people want to buy something for a friend's dog or cat but don't know its food or size, so they buy nothing or go to a big chain. If a pet shop is asked for vouchers 40 times in December and could sell each at $27£20€24A$38C$38 that's $1,064£800€952A$1,536C$1,504 of sales missed.

What the AI does

Square Gift Cards has no monthly fee and nothing to pay to set up digital cards. Customers buy eGift cards from an online ordering page or at the till, and cards are redeemed through Square's point of sale with no redemption fee. Physical cards start at $0.69£0.52€0.62A$1C$0.98 each if buyers want something to hand over. Card processing applies when a gift card is sold: 1.4% + 25p for UK cards online and 1.75% in person. Put the eGift link on your website and social posts from November, and a sign by the till.

A worked example

A pet shop in Harrogate uses Square at the till and is asked every December whether it sells vouchers. It sets up eGift cards and orders a small pack of physical cards.

Before

No gift cards; about 40 December requests turned away

After

40 gift cards sold at $27£20€24A$38C$38: $1,064£800€952A$1,536C$1,504 of sales, mostly spent in January

What it's worth

About $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month in profit, averaged over a year, at an assumed 30% margin on $1,064£800€952A$1,536C$1,504 of gift card sales in December ($319£240€286A$461C$451 a year, divided by 12). There's no monthly fee; card fees come off each sale, and physical cards cost from $0.69£0.52€0.62A$1C$0.98 each.

How to set it up

  1. In Square, set up digital gift cards and the online page where people buy them.
  2. Decide whether to order physical cards, from $0.69£0.52€0.62A$1C$0.98 each, for buyers who want something to hand over.
  3. Set the amounts people can choose, such as $13£10€12A$19C$19 $27£20€24A$38C$38 and $40£30€36A$58C$56.
  4. From November, add the gift card link to your website and social posts, and put a sign by the till.
  5. Show staff how to redeem a card at the till before the January rush.

What goes wrong

  • Gift cards are money you owe customers until they're spent; keep track of what's outstanding.
  • Decide your own terms for gift cards, including any expiry, and show them to buyers before they pay.
  • Card fees are taken when the gift card is sold, not when it's spent.

More ideas for Pet shops

Stock control for pet shops: never out of their dog's food

Square for Retail tracks every food line and bag size and builds purchase orders, so regulars don't find their brand gone. From about $65£49€58A$94C$92 a month.

  • Costs $65£49€58A$94C$92/mo
  • Worth $200£150€179A$288C$282/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
  • Some setup needed

Pet food subscriptions for pet shops: repeat orders sorted

The free Shopify Subscriptions app lets regulars put their usual dog or cat food on a repeat order, instead of ringing each month. From about $25£19€23A$36C$36 a month.

  • Costs $25–33£19–25€23–30A$36–48C$36–47/mo
  • Worth $100£75€89A$144C$141/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
  • Some setup needed

Shelf labels and product text for pet shops, drafted fast

ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini turn supplier details into short shelf labels and online product text, which you check against the pack. Free to about $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month.

  • Costs Free–$27Free–£20Free–€24Free–A$38Free–C$38/mo
  • Worth $80£60€71A$115C$113/mo
  • Pays for itself in about a week
  • Easy to set up

AI chat for pet shops: answer stock questions online

Tidio's Lyro AI answers website questions about stock, opening hours and delivery from your own content, and passes the rest to you. From about $37£28€33A$54C$53 a month.

  • Costs $37–45£28–34€33–40A$54–65C$53–64/mo
  • Worth $77£58€69A$111C$109/mo
  • Pays for itself within the month
  • Some setup needed

Life-stage emails for pet shops: puppy food to adult food

Brevo emails opted-in puppy and kitten owners when their pet reaches the age owners often change food, inviting them in. Free.

  • Costs Free–$17Free–£13Free–€15Free–A$25Free–C$24/mo
  • Worth $43£32€38A$61C$60/mo
  • Pays for itself in about a week
  • Easy to set up

Loyalty scheme for pet shops: rewards without stamp cards

Square Loyalty gives regulars points at the till by phone number, replacing paper stamp cards for food and treats. From about $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month.

  • Costs $33£25€30A$48C$47/mo
  • Worth $67£50€60A$96C$94/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
  • Easy to set up

Last updated October 17, 2026.