Aussie tech startup gift flick is partnering with major retailers and reimagining digital gifting

Stressing out over Christmas shipping deadlines is now a thing of the past thanks to Australian tech startup gift flick’s instant digital ‘gift wrap’ service.

To date, gift flick has joined forces with 24 retail partners across Australia and is set to ring in the new year with even more. 

Co-founder and chief marketing officer Helen Marsh, who started gift flick with co-founders Nathan DeRozario (CEO), Tomo Tomo (CTO) and Alvin Webster (CCO), confirmed to SmartCompany that new inquiries are coming in on a daily basis, with three more retailers reaching out to the startup on Monday morning.

Adore Beauty, Country Road, David Jones, Kitchen Warehouse, Mimco, Minimax, Red Balloon, Samsonite, Wine Selectors and Witchery are just some of the names to have joined gift flick’s growing roster.

Gift flick’s API connects with a retailer’s e-commerce platform to allow shoppers to select a gift and then create a one-minute ‘gift story’ video — which can include a 30-second video message, personalised text and a digital reveal of the gift they are sending — all from the palm of their hand.

The gifter is given a URL link to send through text, email or social media message at any time to the receiver and the gift is fulfilled through normal shipping methods.

Three pricing tiers are available for retailers that use the platform, based on how more they want to tailor the ‘gift stories’ available from their site. Retailers can opt for the templated gift story option, which costs $79 per month and $1.60 per gift flick sent, or a bespoke gift story option, which allows them to create a customised gift story at a cost of $299 per month and $1.50 per gift flick sent.

Retailers that select this higher tier can then set up an additional bespoke gift story for $3000, or opt for the third pricing tier, which allows for two bespoke gift stories at a cost of $399 per month and $1.40 per gift flick sent.

There are no set up fees for retailers, however, the two higher priced tiers do require retailers to sign-up for 12 months.

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Marsh says gift flick solves a genuine pain point for customers who may only remember a key date when it arrives or may be challenged by shipping deadlines, which is highly applicable at Christmas.

“While gift flick has enjoyed a big influx of partners coming onboard in the lead-up to Christmas, most of gift flick‘s partners are using the platform for evergreen gifting and stay with us beyond seasonal campaigns,” she explained.

“Christmas or Mother’s Day come once a year — but we all know birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, new babies, congratulations and condolences happen every day of the year.

“It’s also an opportunity for creatives to play with a new executional channel. While the customer is given a URL to gift, the experience for the received is a ‘gift story’ that is very much in line with the branding of the retailer.”

Marsh adds that gift flick had found a gap in the market when it comes to gift giving. At Country Road, for example, 82% of the retailer’s gift flick business is happening outside of peak seasonal gifting periods, says Marsh, and 92% of the retailer’s gift flicks are for physical gift reveals rather than gift vouchers. 

“We love that gift flick is adding to business’ bottom lines by enabling them to make the online gifting experience so much more personalised and consumer-led,” said Marsh. 

“It’s an enhanced experience to get a text or email from your loved one with a personal video message than it is to get a corporate email from a retailer in your inbox — and clever retailers know this.”

According to a recent report conducted in November by gift flick, 27% of people have changed their plans for this Christmas due to the financial pressures of this year, a further 23% were still unsure if they would end up celebrating the day together, and 45% of them didn’t know the shipping deadlines for online orders. 

This article was updated at 11am on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.