Switching Gift Card Providers? Here’s Your No-Stress Migration Checklist

Switching gift card providers can feel like a big move.

If you’re responsible for rewards, incentives, or payouts, the stakes are high. A failed redemption flow doesn’t just create support tickets, it damages trust with customers, members, and users.

The good news? Moving to a new provider doesn’t need to be risky or complicated.

With the right plan, you can switch smoothly, protect the user experience, and come out stronger on the other side. This post breaks down a practical, no-stress migration checklist you can follow step by step.

Key takeaways:

• A gift card provider migration should protect the user experience first.
• Clear requirements save time and prevent painful surprises later.
• Phased rollouts reduce risk, especially during busy seasons.
• Testing real user journeys is more important than ticking technical boxes.
• The right partner makes switching feel simple, not stressful.
  
  

When should you switch gift card providers?

There are plenty of reasons businesses choose to switch, but the most common reasons we hear when customers switch to Tillo are:

❌ Our previous rewards catalog wasn’t strong enough

If users can’t find brands they love, redemption drops. That impacts engagement and ROI.

❌ Delivery with our previous provider was slow or inconsistent

Rewards should feel instant. Delayed gift cards can cause frustration and distrust.

❌ Our previous provider was a drain on our ops team

If you’re constantly troubleshooting, chasing updates, or manually fixing issues, your provider isn’t helping you scale.

❌ We want to expand into new markets

Global programs need coverage across currencies, brands, and regions.

❌ We had concerns about our previous providers ability to handle Peak volume

If performance becomes a question mark during busy periods, that’s a risk you don’t want.

The no-stress migration checklist

This checklist is designed to help you migrate with confidence, whether you’re moving one reward flow or an entire program.

1) Define your requirements (before you pick a provider)

The fastest way to slow down a migration is to start without a clear spec.

Before you migrate, confirm what you actually need:

• Which countries do you support today?
• Which countries do you want to support next?
• Do you need multi-currency rewards?
• What gift card brands matter most to your users?
• Do you need a reward catalog front-end experience, API delivery, or both?
• Do you need closed-loop, multi-choice, or prepaid-style rewards?
  
  

💡 Tillo Top Tip:

Don’t just ask internal stakeholders. Use real redemption data to see what users actually pick.

2) Map your current user journey (so you don’t break it)

Your technical integration matters, but your user journey matters more. Write down exactly how rewards work today:

• What triggers a reward?
• Where does the user redeem?
• What do they see on-screen?
• How do they receive the reward?
• What happens if something fails?
  
  

Even small differences in flow can impact trust and engagement.

3) Choose your migration approach 

There are two main ways to migrate:

Option A: “Big bang” switch where you move everything at once.

This can work if:

• volumes are low
• complexity is minimal
• reward journeys are simple
  
  

Option B: Phased rollout where you migrate in stages.

For example:

• move one region first
• move a single reward type first
• move a smaller segment of users first
  

4) Build a clean integration plan (and avoid double work)

Once you’re ready to integrate, focus on what will impact delivery reliability:

• API connection (order request + fulfillment response)
• Webhooks/callbacks (status updates)
• Error handling and retries
• Secure delivery methods
• Reporting and reconciliation
  
  

This is also the moment to confirm how you’ll handle:

• partial failures
• duplicate orders
• timeouts
• user disputes (“I didn’t receive it”)
  
  

A good partner will help you plan for these, not leave you guessing. 

5) Test real scenarios, not just happy paths

A migration can pass every technical test and still fail in real life. That’s why your test plan needs to include real-world situations like:

• users entering the wrong email
• slow network connections
• someone redeeming twice
• high volume spikes
• refunds or cancellations
• redemption support queries
  
  

The goal is simple: make sure rewards still feel smooth even when things go wrong. And the only way to prepare for these scenarios is to test them.

💡 Did you know:

Tillo is the only gift card platform independently certified for Customer Service Excellence? 

6) Confirm fraud and risk controls early

Gift cards are valuable, and so unfortunately they can attract fraud. Before going live, confirm your new provider supports controls such as:

• order velocity limits
  
• location or IP monitoring
• unusual redemption pattern detection
• limits by user or account
• secure code delivery methods
  

This is especially important if your platform offers instant rewards, cash-out options, or public redemption links.

7) Align your internal teams before launch day

Most migration stress doesn’t come from the integration. It comes from misalignment between teams. Before you switch, make sure these teams are ready. Here are some things to make sure you align on with your internal teams.

Customer support

• What should agents say if there’s an issue?
• Where can they check order status?
• What’s the escalation path?
  
  

Marketing / comms

• Will users notice anything changing?
• Do you need to announce better brand choice or faster delivery?
  
  

Finance / operations

• How does reconciliation work?
• Do you need new reporting formats or invoice structures?
  
  

This step protects you from chaos the moment you go live.

8) Go live with monitoring and a backup plan

Even if everything looks perfect, treat launch day like a controlled event. Here are some best practice is to go live with:

• real-time monitoring of redemptions
• alerting for failures or slowdowns
• a clear owner for incident response
• a fallback option if needed
  
  

If you’re doing a phased rollout, this becomes much easier because you can control the volume and limit risk.

Common migration mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Here are a few issues that show up again and again:

❌ Migrating during peak season

If you can avoid migrating during peak reward periods, do it. Peak season adds pressure and risk. 

❌ Not testing the member experience end-to-end

It’s easy to focus on API calls and forget what the user sees. Test the full journey like a real user would.

❌ Treating “catalog coverage” as a nice-to-have

Brand choice isn’t a bonus. It’s the product. If your users can’t find what they want, your rewards program won’t perform.

❌ Underestimating support impact

Even small changes create questions. Make sure support is ready with answers and tools.

FAQs: Switching gift card providers

How long does it take to switch gift card providers?

It depends on complexity, but many businesses can migrate to Tillo within a few weeks. A phased rollout often speeds things up because you can launch while improving in parallel.

What’s the biggest risk when migrating reward partners?

The biggest risk is breaking the user experience. That includes failed delivery, missing brands, or confusing redemption steps.

Can you switch providers without disrupting users?

Yes. With the right partner, you can make the switch feel invisible to users, or turn it into a positive upgrade with better choice and faster delivery.

What should you look for in a new gift card partner?

Look for strong catalog coverage, reliable fulfillment, global scale (if needed), strong fraud controls, and a support team that’s easy to work with.

Switching doesn’t need to feel risky

A gift card provider migration can be a turning point. Not just operationally, but in how your users experience rewards.

Done well, switching can unlock:

• better brand choice
• faster delivery
• a smoother reward journey
  
• less admin for your internal teams
• confidence as you scale
  
  

If you’re considering a switch, the smartest approach is simple, plan carefully, test real journeys, and choose a partner built for reliability.

Because when your rewards matter, good enough isn’t good enough.

If you want to explore a smoother switch to a stronger gift card network, Tillo can help you migrate quickly and confidently without disrupting your users.