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Sometimes, you'll want to thank an employee or congratulate a client on their success. Corporate gifting is the perfect way to do that.
In this guide, we'll take you through the basics of corporate gifting, explain the tax implications, and share our recommendations on the best way to manage your corporate gifts in 2025.
Corporate gifting involves sending a virtual or physical gift from your business to a client, customer, employee, vendor, or prospect. For an added personal touch, you might also consider gifting the families of those people.
The intent behind corporate gifting varies, but other popular reasons to send them are:
Corporate gifts don't have to be big or grand. They can be as simple as a gift basket to welcome a vendor to your business family or a Hoppier card with funds for an employee’s birthday.
Corporate gifts welcome, celebrate, and thank those who help your business thrive. But they also benefit your business strategy. A great gift can forge new relationships, rally customer confidence, and even provide your staff a shot in the arm — all in one thoughtful gesture.
Business owners have many ways to impress clients and build long-lasting business relationships. They can offer an amazing product or service, provide high-quality customer service, use automation integrations to boost profits and efficiency, or take an intelligent approach to pricing.
However, maintaining a business relationship can often lie outside of operations. Personal relationships forge even stronger bonds between businesses and clients, employees, and others — that’s what makes corporate gifting or employee gifting a savvy relationship booster.
Clients want to feel valued, appreciated, and revered; corporate gifting can create that experience in many ways. For example, you could use gift-giving to acknowledge your clients’ anniversary with your business or to congratulate them when they win an award or achieve a business milestone.
You can also send corporate gift boxes to prospects who aren't yet customers. This intriguing introduction to the client relationship shows potential clients that you're the right company for the job — whatever it may be.
Sending corporate gifts can help you stand out to key decision-makers. If you follow up on the first meeting with a thoughtful, personalized, and curated gift, you're likely to bring a smile to that person's face and stick in their mind when they require your services again.
Corporate gifting isn't just for clients — the idea also extends to your staff. Your employees are your most valuable asset, so take care of them with a generous and heartfelt approach to corporate gifting for all their hard work.
Your employees are like your business family. They want to work where they're appreciated and feel at home. As an employer, you also reap the benefits of an engaged workforce — increasing employee retention and productivity. According to a study, 81% of employees were more likely to work harder for an employer or manager who appreciated their efforts.
Set up a corporate gifting strategy to send thoughtful gifts to employees during crucial moments like birthdays and corporate anniversaries or times when they've done a fantastic job on a project. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on corporate gifting companies or expensive gifting services. Even in a small company, that can add up quickly.
An affordable way to do corporate gifting for employees at scale is through Hoppier virtual gift cards. You can even plan for large orders or staff expansion and buy virtual bulk gift cards — giving you a one-stop shopping option for all your corporate and employee gifting needs.
The idea of corporate gifting is straightforward for the most part, but you should still have a basic understanding of its policies, taxes, and limitations. Before you send corporate gifts to everyone you know, consider these aspects.
Creating personalized gifts for every client, vendor, and team member is time-consuming and expensive. So, an overall strategy and policy are integral to avoid a hassle and a potential budget blowout. They allow you to create similar experiences for all clients and team members and simplify the gifting process.
Set a clear policy that outlines your business's approach to corporate gifting. Think about your budget per gift, the types of gifts you'll send, when you'll send them, and how you can align corporate gifting with your values.
For example, an e-gift — like a digital gift card — is the perfect option if you're passionate about sustainability. Instead of mailing physical products, you can send a virtual gift without worrying about your carbon footprint.
Set a policy on whether your employees can accept personal gifts from other companies' contacts. If you send corporate gifts, chances are your teams will receive them, too. Set ground rules and whether they need to inform you of any gifts received.
Corporate gifts are sometimes tax deductible, depending on their value and type. The IRS states that organizations can deduct gifts of up to $25 for each individual per tax year. This applies to gifts given directly to an employee or indirectly — such as those given to the family of an employee or a client.
If you send your employee a $65 gift basket to celebrate a personal milestone, $25 is tax deductible. Incidental expenses like engraving can be deducted beyond this $25 figure — but only if they don't significantly enhance the item's value.
Some types of gifts work differently for tax purposes. For example, gift cards are tax deductible because they're classed as taxable income — just like cash. Unfortunately, you'll need to withhold taxes from your employees for these.
Company swag is also tax deductible if it costs under $4, has your company name engraved on it, or is something you'd typically distribute — like pens or stationery.
Keep records and receipts of any corporate gifts you send and the business purpose for sending the gift, just in case Uncle Sam wants to know.
While many organizations allow employees to accept corporate gifts, some don't. Government employees or people in positions of power may be unable to accept your gift, no matter how much it's appreciated.
If you're sending high-value gifts, check with your client's company first to ensure they can accept them. If you want to send surprise gifts to clients in the future, include a question in your welcome process to ask if they can receive gifts and keep them on file for later.
Now that we've covered the basics let's examine some corporate gifting options. From treats to luxuries to health and wellness products, these business gifts will surely wow your client, employee, vendor, or associate.
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Traditional but still popular, gift sets are an excellent option for corporate gifting. Partnering with local businesses or gift box companies makes sourcing such gifts accessible. You can also add a personal touch by tailoring the gift set to the recipient’s interests.
Luxury gift baskets have long been a popular corporate gift idea. They combine that high-quality feel with the freedom to curate a personalized experience filled with the recipient's favorite items, gift vouchers, or products from your local area. Hampers can get expensive, so they're best reserved for annual gifts or a welcome gift for a VIP client.
With the rise in remote work popularity, wellness gift boxes have become popular corporate gifts. Inside, you'll find items to help your giftee focus, balance, and wellness — like tea, positivity cards, a tumbler, or a candle.
Personalized gifts, including stationery, have their rightful place in corporate gifting. They’re thoughtful and unique gifts that look downright snazzy. Many gifting companies will create a series of notebooks, pens, or pencils personalized with your client's business or personal name.
Functional gift baskets are unique corporate gifts, but not every gift needs to appeal to practicality. Sometimes, a gift that indulges a sweet tooth or savory craving works just as well. By choosing an edible corporate gift that appeals to the taste buds, you can leave a great taste in your recipient’s mouth — figuratively and literally.
A delicious brownie, cookie, or cake delivery can brighten a client's or employee's business day. Baked good boxes sent by mail have risen in popularity as a corporate gift, as they're easy to order and sent directly to your team or clients. If you send cookies, have them baked and decorated with your corporate logo for a lingering statement.
A customized snack box is an indulgent and delicious client welcome gift or surprise gift for your teams. Themes add a fun element to the gift, to boot. For instance, a globetrotting snack box lets your employees eat their way around the world one treat at a time. You could also ask your gift recipients for their preferences and build custom gift boxes based on these.
If you want to get started, Caroo helps you build your own snack box with custom swaps to include company swag, luxury items, healthy snacks, and personalized messages for a delicious corporate gift experience.
Also known as a charcuterie board, meat and cheese plates and gift boxes hit that craving in a way few other foods can. Paired with a nice bottle of wine or a six-pack of craft beer, this edible corporate gifting option will surely satisfy.
Though you’re never locked into high-dollar items, some top-selling corporate gifts come with a price. If you have some extra money in your budget, these items should impress your recipient while giving them something they can use regularly.
According to a 2023 study, 92% of Americans would rather have an experience than a physical gift. It only makes sense that this trend would extend to corporate gifting.
Experiential gifts provide entertainment and a long-lasting memory, all while reducing clutter or impracticality. Whether you want to send a restaurant gift card or concert and sports tickets, your recipient will enjoy a magical evening.
Clothing is a gamble in the corporate gifting world. It’s almost impossible to nail a person’s fashion tastes, favorite colors, and preferred brands. However, a fashionable accessory is always a welcome addition to a person’s wardrobe.
Handbags, wallets, belts, tasteful jewelry, watches, and scarves could all be the exact fashion that your recipient is missing.
You don’t have to be a trendsetter to enjoy electronics and handy gadgets. Even technophiles will appreciate a gadget that streamlines productivity or leisure. Though these products may cost a bit more, you’re giving something that the client, employee, or customer will use. You can’t put a price on that.
Noise-canceling headphones and earbuds are some of the most popular corporate gifting options. Combining portability and convenience, these gadgets provide simplified and streamlined ways to take calls, listen to podcasts, or drown out distractions.
Stereo systems aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, especially with people always on the go. Instead, many opt for the convenience of Bluetooth speakers. Small but powerful, these speakers entertain no matter where your recipient goes.
The trouble with corporate gifting options is that they often lack flexibility and simple management. You need to find the perfect supplier, submit a request, and organize all the addresses—an especially tall order if you have a remote or fully distributed team.
Corporate gifting should be easy, which is why we've created Hoppier, a digital platform that lets you treat clients, partners, and employees wherever they are. If you want a smart, organized, and thoughtful way to send corporate gifts, Hoppier could be the ideal partner for your gifting needs.
With our digital gift cards, you won't need to worry about most of the gifting program process. You can immediately focus on getting your thank you or congratulations gift out there.
Hoppier cards are the perfect gift for most corporate gifting moments, such as birthdays, milestones, and gratitude gifts. They're great for virtual events, too, which means you can manage all your client gifting in one place.
Setting up a program within Hoppier is quick and painless. Create an account or log in, and then create a new program. Fill in the essential details and then jump into customization.
Customize your Hoppier cards with your company logo and colors to continue your branding through your corporate gifting program. You can also add a stipend icon to your program, which helps you sort them in your dashboard.
After customizing your card, set a program balance per gift recipient. Choose a dollar amount and decide whether it’s a one-off gift or a recurring gift—like an anniversary gift. You can also specify a time period when the balance can be spent.
Hoppier also adds an element of savings to the traditional gift card equation. If your gift recipient doesn’t use their full balance, it doesn’t get lost. After the expiration of the virtual gift card, you recoup the unspent funds and bring them back into your marketing budget for future corporate gifting.
In addition to setting a gift balance, you can limit your gift recipients’ choice of stores. The gift selection is quite diverse though and includes options for food, wellness, home products, and entertainment. Alternatively, you can give them access to all of our vendors if you want your giftee to use their digital card anywhere it’s accepted.
Once you’re satisfied with your corporate gifting program, send gifts to your employees, clients, or prospects with ease. All you need to do here is to use our template to create and upload a CSV file with recipients' email addresses. From here, you can decide when to send the invite with the digital card — no fussy checkouts or profile assists.
Successful corporate gifting is all about sending thoughtful presents at the right time to the right people. Create a gifting strategy that lets your employees, clients, and vendors feel appreciated and go the extra mile to stand out in their minds with customized gifts.
If you're ready to simplify your corporate gifting program and create a fun experience for your recipients, book a free demo with our team. We'll take you through all the different ways you can use Hoppier to send corporate gifts so you can mark the personal and professional moments in your clients' and employees' lives.
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
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