How to Evaluate Corporate Gifting Vendors: A Scorecard
A practical vendor evaluation scorecard for corporate gifting and gift card platforms — catalog, sourcing, ordering, invoicing, security, support, data protection and pricing.
Choosing a corporate gifting vendor affects employee experience, finance workload and security risk. A structured evaluation prevents surprises.
The evaluation scorecard
| Criterion | Weight (example) | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog breadth & relevance | 15% | Brands your recipients use, across categories |
| Authorised sourcing | 15% | Cards issued by brands or authorised program partners |
| Ordering flexibility | 15% | Multi-brand, multi-denomination, bulk quantities |
| Invoicing & documentation | 10% | GST-ready invoices, order summaries |
| Delivery options | 10% | Scheduled, bulk, direct-to-recipient |
| Security | 10% | Code handling, access control, audit trails |
| Data protection | 5% | Minimal data, clear retention, legal compliance |
| Support | 10% | Named contact, resolution SLAs |
| Pricing & terms | 10% | Transparent fees, clear payment terms |
Adjust weights to your priorities.
Detailed criteria
Catalog breadth and relevance
- Number of brands and categories
- Brands relevant to your geography and demographics
- Availability of premium and practical options
- Clarity on denominations and validity
Authorised sourcing
- Are cards sourced from brands or authorised program managers?
- Can the vendor explain its sourcing?
Comparison of vendor capabilities on a whiteboard
Ordering flexibility
- Can you order many brands in one request?
- Can each brand have multiple denominations and quantities?
- Are there practical minimums?
Invoicing and documentation
- GST-ready invoices
- Clear separation of voucher value and service fees
- Brand-wise and denomination-wise order summaries
Delivery
- Scheduled delivery dates
- Direct-to-recipient or bulk code delivery
- Delivery confirmation
Security
- Encrypted transfer of codes
- Access controls
- Handling of failed or invalid codes
Data protection
- What recipient data is required?
- Retention and deletion practices
- Alignment with applicable data protection law
Support
- Dedicated account contact
- Response and resolution timelines
- Escalation process
Pricing and terms
- Transparent pricing
- Payment terms
- Refund or replacement policy for invalid codes
Questions for vendor demos
- Walk us through ordering 10 brands with different denominations and quantities.
- Show a sample invoice and order summary.
- How do you deliver codes securely?
- What happens if a recipient reports a code issue?
- What data do you need about recipients?
Reference checks
Ask references about:
- Delivery reliability during peak season
- Issue resolution speed
- Invoice accuracy
- Account management quality
Red flags
- Unclear sourcing
- No clear invoice documentation
- Vague answers on security
- No escalation path
A sample scored comparison
| Criterion (weight) | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalog (15%) | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Authorised sourcing (15%) | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Ordering flexibility (15%) | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Invoicing (10%) | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Delivery (10%) | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Security (10%) | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Data protection (5%) | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Support (10%) | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Pricing (10%) | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Scores on a 1–5 scale; multiply by weights to get totals. Illustrative only.
Running a pilot
A good pilot:
- Uses a real but limited program (for example, one quarter of spot awards)
- Includes at least five brands and two denominations
- Tests delivery, a support ticket and invoicing
- Collects recipient feedback
Ongoing vendor management
After selection:
- Hold quarterly business reviews
- Track SLAs for delivery and issue resolution
- Review brand catalog relevance annually
- Monitor invoice accuracy
Key takeaways
Use a weighted scorecard, validate claims in demos, check references and pilot before scaling. Ongoing reviews keep the partnership performing.
Evaluate Orbit by SaverPe against this scorecard — request a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most important criterion for a gifting vendor?
Authorised sourcing and reliable fulfilment are foundational, followed by catalog fit, invoicing and support.
Should we run a pilot with a new vendor?
Yes. A small real program tests delivery, support and invoicing before you commit to peak festive volumes.
What questions should we ask vendor references?
Ask about peak-season reliability, issue resolution speed, invoice accuracy and account management.
Orbit Insights Team
The Orbit by SaverPe insights team works with HR, procurement and sales leaders to research what makes corporate gifting and reward programs effective.
How we research and fact-check