selling gift certificates on your web site

[Emanuel E]

I had mentioned this company before
http://www.spaboom.com
in another thread about gift cert sales. I recently signed up for the instant gift certificate service and the online appointment request service (not their dynamic website service, although that is also available & is free since it is in beta right now). It took them about 2 days to write the code for a page to match my web site (they use similar colors, etc, to make it feel as though you are still within the same navigation).
I am thoroughly pleased. I sold almost $200 in gift certs last night while we were closed!
There is no charge, until the month after you make the sales, and then they charge you 5%.
Most of my regular clients buy their gift certs in hard copy (I have beautiful new ones from Eric Brown's BodyworkBiz site), but the 5% charge is a small fee to pay for those that would slip through our fingers when we are closed or too busy to answer the phone, etc.
Their website has all the info, plainly available, if you have any questions.
I was so pleased with my experience. The guy who did my tutorial with me (Matt H) was so nice & patient & helpful. Even his designer (Larry D) is a gem.
You can browse through my website if you like to see/hit the links & get a feel for how it turns out.
I can't say enough nice things about this company.
If you are just starting out & need a free webpage & those other services, read about their offer on their site. They will not be in beta for long, and I'm sure they'll probably charge reasonable & competitive fees, but for now get on the bandwagon & see if your holiday sales improve.
Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[D.Russell]

Umm, I guess I should have posted my web address if anyone wanted to visit to see what Spa Boom did for me. http://www.gilbertbodyworks.com

We actually got an online appointment request that second day. I was a little unenthusiastic about that part, but it was great: the client got their first choice, and we were pleased to have the new client in the book too. (By the way, they are requests only - its not an online scheduling - you have to call or email them back a confirmation or response)

There is no referral program in progress, but if they ever have one, tell them Jill from Gilbert Bodyworks sent ya!
:wink:

Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[shayasaurus]

Well, I'm just going to report on this (even tho I may be talkin' to myself here ha)
I got my pages and links up & running with Spa Boom on November 23rd. I have sold $574 in gift certificates and booked one $75 service from the online appt request feature. ALL of these people were strangers to us - none were previous or current clients.

My deduction so far is this: its the website that gets them in the door, and now that there is a call to action that gives them immediate satisfaction, its all coming together.

The support staff at Spa boom has been fantastic, and thanks to those of you out there that mentioned my name - they thanked me for the referrals when I spoke to them for some help in changing a feature yesterday. There is no referral bonus or anything, it was just fun to hear that some of you were interested too. I hope its as successful a feature for you as so far for us at Gilbert Bodyworks.


Happy Holidays
Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[capone_italia]

Jill~
I looked at your website and that is really cool that you get to design your own gift certificate!! Looks cool to me. I need to get 1 day off the same as my boyfriend where neither of us are busy...so he can help me build a website for my business. I am so computer illiterate, and e can figure anything out.
I think my school did graduation a little different than others, i was the only one that graduated the day i did, no one else from my class or the class that started 8 weeks before me were finished with their requirements. On to my point...I woke up a couple days after i graduated and my boyfriend had a GREAT surprise for me!!! Something he had never done before, he videotaped my graduation and made me a video of it, it was only like 7 min long but the best gift i have ever gotten. He said that he had to mess around with it since he had never done it before, and it took him 3 hours to make the 7 min video : How sweet of him.
Now he does stuff like that as often as he gets fooeforum.xxxe for. We had a group of 15 go to Cancun last year and he made a video?slideshow of our video camera fooeforum.xxxe and everybodys digital pictures...it was so cool, ever couple and every single that went got a copy! They all thought it was hillarious.
Well talk to you later, sorry nobody else has replied to your post yet.
~Jennifer McColleyLMT

 

[dh0pe.]

Sagetherapist

I was really interested in this and I emailed the company some questions and then got my email back saying it was undeliverable. So, I called the 1-800 number on the spaboom website twice and left messages both times and have never received a call back from them. I dont know what to think!! I know you are a reputable poster on this site and if the original message wasnt from you I would probably think this company was a joke.

Help please? Any suggestions?

Renee

 

[Brendon]

Sagetherapist,

I read your post a few days ago and immediately contacted the company, to which they promptly returned my email, and followed up the next day with a phone call. I currently offer online purchase of gift certificates, however we would mail it the next day...not instant gratification like I wanted. I have been looking for a company for about a year now that did such a service, and I was so thankful you shared this info with us! It should be up and running in about 3 more business days, and I can hardly wait! Thanks a million!

 

[jeansgirl40]

Kneadful things and sagetherapist

What phone number or email address are you using to contact this company? I really want to hook up with them but have been unsuccessful so far.

Renee

 

[mda]

Renee,
That is strange to hear, especially in contrast to the immediate attention they had/are given/giving me. Try to email
[email protected] or even [email protected]
There was a toll free number on their website that I called and got directly in touch with Matt.
Hope you have better luck.
They are fantastic in my opinion. I sold 3 more gcs from them while I was in school today! (again, not current or past clients, but new folks)
COOL!

To Jennifer McColley: they have a webpage creation that is currently FREE because they are in 'beta' (like a trial offer) - I would contact them & they might be able to get you going before your great guy can take the time to sit down & do it - don't procrastinate, especially at this great season for business.

Kneadful : that is GREAT. I hope you sell lots very soon!

Happy Holidays everyone!
Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Pompal 09.]

What is the website to help withthis free website? I didn't see it up there unless it is the spaboom thing.

Thanks for your reply...i think i am going to take a stab at it.

~Jennifer McColleyLMT

 

[Judas Rusty]

Jennifer,
The same site:
http://www.spaboom.com
Jill

 

[Vietnam War Veteran]

very easy to process. I am doing this manually right now. (on my terminal, as if someone were calling in a gift cert over the phone.) I haven't encountered any denials or anything. Matt suggested I look into Paypal because they will write that into your data when they are up & running with it - I just feel like I like my merchant account people just fine. I'd be interested in knowing what others think.
Jill/sagetherapist

 

[??A Sohma at heart!??]

I plan to do PayPal. I have an account with them that I use for web design payments. It works great! However, the paypal part won't be functional with SpaBoom for a little bit yet so I'll have to process manually for the time being.

Paypal is nice because it gets processed right away and its a legitimate name people trust. I'd rather have the info processed through them safely and securely than have people's credit card information on my person!

 

[enjoy]

wonderful! i already sell gc's online, but really like the idea of instant gratification (or the ability to choose a future delivery date!!). i emailed yesterday and received a call from Matt and an email from Larry. Spoke with Matt today and they are getting me set up.

Thanks for the info on this site!

 

[dieownhi5x3]

Their Paypal agreement is set. I have to update or upgrade to their WEbPay Pro program, but that should be easy enough. I had thought that I would manually enter the charges & test the waters. Its already getting to the point where I need the instant processing. My gosh, where have these people been all my life?

I hope those of you who are signing up are getting great responses too.

Jill/sagetherapist

 

[Summer099]

and now i've just signe d up wiht them!

thanks for the great tip!

yes, matt is a doll and i'm really excited to get this up and running!

toodles!
amanda

 

[Im a mexican muslim]

I plan to do PayPal. I have an account with them that I use for web design payments. It works great! However, the paypal part won't be functional with SpaBoom for a little bit yet so I'll have to process manually for the time being.

Paypal is nice because it gets processed right away and its a legitimate name people trust. I'd rather have the info processed through them safely and securely than have people's credit card information on my person!

So does that mean SpaBoom takes 5% and PayPal takes a percent too? Ouch! SpaBoom does not process the credit cards at all?

Just trying to better understand the system.

 

[Sexual Predator]

You understand it perfectly. I have sold $2300 in gcs since 11/23. Only $300 of that was from existing client/known people. That % is fine with me. Its the cost of advertising. That's the only payment they receive from me for writing the code for my hyperlink and the continuing service, including tracking features, etc. Personally, it works fabulously for me. We only have receptionists presenece in the mornings from 9AM-NN. This saves alot of scrambling on my part and possible lost sales. The Paypal rate is just about comp to my merchant services, but less than my non-qualifying rate when I do not swipe the card for each purchase.
jill/sagetherapist

 

[juicygirl172]

i have to echo what jill says about the % - the amazing work that matt, larry & co did with my site - at no cost - is totally worth it.

it's so cool that the client can design and print their own g/c - i don't even have to mail it! plus, there are reporting features that really help with marketing later on. totally worth it in my book.

they should have their own superhero costumes. spaboom REALLY saved my holiday sales - my g/c page WASN'T secure and i think people knew it, that's why i didn't have any sales. i got my first sale today with my first day up and running. : ) and, they got my info late friday afternoon and had it finished for me sunday night! too cool! (thanks, jill!)

 

[I demand a recount]

No, there's no referal program, but they do call me and say thanks & send me nice emails. That's all I need.
I am so glad that some of you are lovin it too. That's cool!
Cheers,
Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Vampy]

First, a giant thank you to sagetherapist for all the wonderful references! You have been a wonderful advocate for us and we're very, very grateful.

Second, a giant apology to those of you who received our postcard with the WRONG phone number. Very embarrassing for us!

Thank you all for the kind words; we're very pleased to be working with you.

Cheers,

Matt (The SpaBoom Guy)