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Unclaimed rewards returned to you
Support | 415-386-8600
Unclaimed rewards returned to you
Support | 415-386-8600
Tangible merchandise can give employee recognition a visible connection to an achievement. A curated choice gives recipients autonomy while helping organizations manage brand, budget, eligibility, and delivery requirements.
Available reward categories may include gift cards, eligible prepaid cards, direct payments, merchandise, charity, or swag. Availability, fees, countries, currencies, shipping, and recipient eligibility vary by program and location.
Merchandise can serve as a tangible reminder of recognition, while a relevant choice may help the reward fit individual preferences. Effects on morale, team spirit, loyalty, or performance vary and should be measured rather than promised.
One approach to recognition is offering a curated merchandise selection that employees can choose from themselves. Choice can give recipients more control and reduce the risk of an unsuitable one-size-fits-all item.
Gift cards, payments, merchandise, charity, or no-gift recognition may fit different people and programs. Do not claim that merchandise creates greater motivation or value than another reward type without directly relevant evidence.
Autonomy can be a useful part of reward-program design. Choosing among relevant options may make recognition feel more personal and can reduce assumptions about what an employee wants.
Preferences differ: some recipients may value merchandise, while others may prefer a gift card, payment, charity option, private acknowledgment, or no gift. Offer an equivalent accessible alternative where practical.
These are design goals, not guaranteed emotional, engagement, or performance outcomes.
A useful item may remain visible after the recognition moment and can remind a recipient why it was awarded.
Perceived value is subjective and depends on the person, item, presentation, quality, taxes, and available alternatives. Do not present merchandise as inherently more valuable than cash or gift cards; give recipients an appropriate choice whenever the program permits.
Some recipients may treat merchandise as an optional item they would not normally purchase, while others may prefer the practicality of a gift card or payment. Neither preference is universal.
A curated selection might include a backpack, speaker, cookware, fitness device, or an accessible alternative. Confirm product suitability, safety, sizing, compatibility, warranty, and accessibility before presenting an item.
A catalog can add personalization without requiring a different manually sourced gift for every employee. A music listener might choose earbuds, a home cook might select cookware, and a commuter might prefer a travel mug or bag.
Not every item will fit every recipient. Curate accessible alternatives and verify current catalog, country, currency, shipping, customs, warranty, size, and eligibility details before communicating available choices.
Use the following practices when designing a merchandise-based employee recognition program:
Gift cards can be flexible and convenient, while merchandise can provide a visible reminder of recognition. The preferred format and its emotional significance vary by recipient.
An employee may continue using a selected backpack or coffee maker after the award. Treat that as a possible benefit, not a guaranteed lasting memory or engagement result.
Review merchandise options regularly for availability, quality, seasonality, technology compatibility, safety notices, accessibility, and warranty changes.
Use branding selectively and offer an unbranded equivalent when practical. Do not require employees to display a logo, and avoid branding that could create safety, religious, political, or privacy concerns.
Ask for the recipient’s consent before public recognition. Offer an equivalent private acknowledgment and make meetings, communications, and reward-redemption steps accessible to employees using assistive technology or accommodations.
If a program uses reward levels, publish clear, job-relevant criteria and apply them consistently. Review for bias, accommodations, wage-and-hour requirements, and unintended incentives for unsafe speed, excessive workload, or competition that disadvantages colleagues.
Start with an approved branded or unbranded message, then let each recipient select from currently available options curated for the program theme, audience, budget, accessibility needs, and location. A thoughtful choice can reduce unwanted gifts while keeping eligibility and administration consistent.
Offer one item, curate a selection for the occasion, or make a broader eligible catalog available. Exact items, brands, inventory, prices, countries, and shipping terms can change.
Send accessible notifications by email or SMS where supported. Collect a shipping address only when necessary, with clear notice and consent; restrict access, use secure transmission, disclose relevant fulfillment providers and cross-border transfers, define retention/deletion periods, and provide a supported alternative for recipients who cannot use the digital flow.
Where available, a program may combine merchandise, gift cards, payments, branded items, charity, or other approved choices. Availability and tax treatment vary by reward, recipient, and location.
Review current item prices, platform fees, shipping, customs, taxes, substitutions, returns, and warranty terms before launch. Do not promise that every program or shipment is free of additional costs.
Eligible on-demand fulfillment can reduce the need for an organization to hold advance merchandise inventory. Electronic communication and recipient-entered shipping information may reduce some over-ordering, shortage, and restocking risk.
Results depend on current inventory, fulfillment terms, address accuracy, substitutions, returns, and recipient claims. Apply the privacy, security, access, retention, and deletion controls described above.
Eligible unclaimed merchandise value may be returned or credited according to reward type, project expiration, supplier or issuer restrictions, substitutions, returns, applicable fees, and current contract terms. Refunds or credits are not guaranteed for every item or program.
Employee merchandise, gift cards, and payments may be taxable compensation. A low-value, occasional merchandise item may qualify as a de minimis fringe benefit only when the facts meet applicable rules; cash and cash-equivalent gift cards generally do not qualify merely because their value is small.
Consult payroll, tax, finance, and legal professionals and review the IRS guidance on de minimis fringe benefits before finalizing a program.
Letting employees choose among relevant, quality-controlled merchandise can make a reward more personally suitable and provide a tangible reminder of recognition. It does not guarantee stronger emotional connection or performance.
Offer merchandise alongside other eligible incentive and no-gift recognition options so each program can better fit its audience, occasion, accessibility requirements, and goals.
Eligible unclaimed reward value may be returned or credited according to reward type, project expiration, supplier or issuer restrictions, applicable fees, and current program terms. Build a reviewed project in the campaign builder with your logo, eligible recipients, and approved incentive selections. Related reading: employee reward merchandise, incentive merchandise delivery.
Review current project setup and billing options →
Confirm current security, privacy, payment, fulfillment, accessibility, and compliance documentation for your program requirements.
Employee engagement is important to letting employees know they are valued. Gratitude boosts productivity, and builds a positive company culture. Merchandise choices are an excellent way to reward employees.
Employee engagement helps to keep folks motivated and build morale.
Gratitude and appreciation for employees shows your workplace’s values. Gifts and incentives amplify and support this goal.
No matter the occasion, a little bit of fun in the workplace along with unexpected gifts can boost morale, build team spirit and foster a sense of loyalty to the organization.
Offering merchandise choices can be the right approach.
One proven approach to incentives is offering merchandise rewards choices that employees can choose from themselves. It may sound simple, but offering choices in a thoughtfully structured merchandise-based incentives program taps into a powerful psychological driver that can make a greater impact than just simple gift card programs.
That driver is choice.
Gift cards are great, and should be offered as an alternative, but choosing merchandise may have a far greater impact for the same cost.
Merchandise works well as an incentive, and merchandise choice helps contribute to a stronger, more motivated workforce.
Autonomy is a powerful aspect of every effective reward program. The ability to make a personal decision about which incentive to choose for a recognition award is motivating. The act of choosing a reward makes the experience potentially more satisfying. That personalized experience, and a sense of ownership contribute to greater satisfaction and engagement.
One-size-fits-all gifts and gift cards may feel more impersonal, transactional, and easily forgettable.
Choice reinforces autonomy: The ability to choose implies that the person’s preferences matter.
Boosts emotional investment: Employees feel more connected to a reward they selected themselves.
Enhances perceived value: A reward feels more valuable when it aligns with personal wants or lifestyle.
Gift cards have been a go-to for years, often because they’re easy to distribute and are a flexible option.
But gift cards may not create the lasting emotional impact that merchandise does.
Merchandise usually stays around for multiple appearances. An employee may use a backpack every day or make coffee in their new espresso machine and fondly remember choosing the merchandise and receiving the incentive reward.
The ongoing association, “I got this because I was recognized for my contributions,” turns a reward into a lasting token of recognition, increasing the emotional ROI of your program.
The perceived value of merchandise often exceeds that of the equivalent cash value of a gift card. Merchandise is tangible when framed as a reward, more so than a cash equivalent.
Choice of merchandise, for example a $100 backpack, is highly personal. When just looking at the dollar value of a gift versus the value of merchandise, folks often associate the dollar value with more mundane and day-to-day expenses like getting gas for the car or buying lunch. The impact of merchandise feels more impactful and thoughtful.
Gift cards are great for many people, but gift cards often get spent on necessities such as groceries and gas. While cards are very practical, those day-to-day purchases don’t seem special, and they may not leave a lasting impression or inspire joy or loyalty.
By comparison, merchandise is more likely to be something an employee wouldn’t typically buy for themselves: a high-quality backpack, Bluetooth speakers, cookware, or a fitness tracker. These personal choices are often splurges that elevate the incentive experience beyond just money for daily expenses.
Giving people the ability to choose from a catalog adds a layer of personalization without the complexity of managing one-off gifts for each employee.
What might your recipients choose? A music lover might choose wireless earbuds. A home chef might pick a cast iron pan. A commuter might opt for a travel mug or duffel bag. Every recipient gets something relevant to their life, which strengthens the emotional connection to the company. You’re giving a tangible object that expresses gratitude.
To make the most of merchandise-based employee engagement, follow a few best practices:
Keep the Catalog Fresh
Update merchandise options regularly to reflect current trends, seasons, or tech updates. Boredom is the enemy of excitement.
Branding Selectively
Subtle branding can reinforce company pride, but avoid overdoing it. Let the reward feel like a luxury item and not just a piece of company swag.
Celebrate the Win
Make the reward moment public or celebratory when appropriate. Acknowledge recipients in meetings, and communication channels to boost visibility and team morale.
Reward Levels
Allow people to earn higher-tier rewards as they meet greater goals or milestones. This adds a game-like sense of progress and drives ongoing motivation.
We make it easy to send merchandise for any occasion.
Start by designing your message using one of our templates, and then let your recipient select from your curated options.
You can easily curate a selection of merchandise and gift options that fit your organization, program theme, or location. Offering choices avoids bad gift blowback and ensure everyone’s happiness.
TruCentive delivers every incentive without the need for inventory or waste. No more ordering merchandise in advance, and getting caught with too much – or too little.
Restocking and inventory loss as well as losses associated with unclaimed incentives are a thing of the past. Communication and redemption is done electronically. All deliveries use world-class merchants with efficient delivery infrastructures to ensure we don’t add additional warehousing and re-packaging.
As with gift cards and payments, the value of unclaimed merchandise is automatically returned to your account.
De minimis employee gifts can be used to offer tax-free gifts and awards, provided they meet IRS guidelines. According to the IRS, a de minimis benefit is one that is “so small as to make accounting for it unreasonable or impractical” (IRC Section 132). Non-cash gifts such as merchandise (e.g., branded apparel, small electronics, mugs, or snacks) often qualify under this rule, as long as their value is relatively low and given infrequently. The IRS does not specify a strict dollar amount, but gifts valued under $100 typically qualify as de minimis. (Investopedia)
By letting employees choose meaningful, high-quality merchandise, companies can create stronger emotional connections, drive performance, and build a culture of appreciation.
It’s not just about giving out gift, it’s about reinforcing the message: “We value you, and we want you to feel proud to be here.”
Merchandise choices, awards that give folks the ability to choose a preferred merchandise item, has the power to to boost how people feel about their work.
So if you’re looking to level up your employee engagement strategy, give employees a reason to remember why it matters to be part of your team.
