Evite Users Can Now Send Extra Cheer Along with Their Digital Greetings by Purchasing an eGift Card

PLEASANTON, Calif., Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As people continue to grapple with spending yet another holiday without seeing friends and loved ones in person, Evite has partnered with Blackhawk Network to give users a more personalized option to send a little extra cheer. Evite users can now send eGift cards along with their Evite digital greeting cards or invitations to virtual parties. Powered by Blackhawk, Evite users and recipients can give, receive and spend eGift cards wherever they are and however they prefer--just in time for the winter holidays.

One of the world's leading platforms for bringing people together, Evite offers thousands of digital invitations for virtual and in-person events, as well as greeting cards with video messages that users can schedule in advance.

Now, Evite users will be able to access more than 100 eGift card options from some of the world's most popular brands--in a wide range of denominations--and have them delivered in real-time for any occasion. The eGift card options can be used by anyone that visits the Evite website, but hosts and guests using the platform can also conveniently access them in their invitations. Recipients have the flexibility to upload the eGift cards to a mobile wallet, redeem online, spend in a retailer's app, or even print out for in-store, contactless scanning.

"It's no surprise we've seen the demand for virtual gifts and greetings skyrocket in 2020. Contactless gifting is now a must-have, especially with the holidays approaching," said Victor Cho, CEO at Evite. "Adding an extra touch like an eGift card can help people create personal connections with family and friends that they haven't been able to see. It also helps our users stay safe, creates maximum flexibility for gifters and receivers, and modernizes the 2020 gifting experience. Thanks to Blackhawk's expansive network of eGift card choices, our users have a broad selection to choose from at the tip of their fingertips."

As Evite's eGift card technology provider, Blackhawk not only optimizes the gifting experience for gift-givers and recipients--its technologies also help merchants reach new audiences via a rapidly emerging gifting channel.

"We're seeing an almost 70% increase in egift sales to consumers through our partners' channels--before the peak(1) holiday shopping season. We expect the numbers to grow steadily through the remainder of the year and beyond," said Brett Narlinger, head of global commerce at Blackhawk Network. "Consumers are craving connections and celebrating holidays, special occasions and milestones despite the impacts of COVID-19. As one of the pioneering companies in the digital greeting space, Evite is well-positioned to deliver on the experiences people are seeking via its new digital gifting experiences."

Blackhawk Network works with more than 1,000 brands and card partners, is in more than 200,000 retail locations in 28 countries and connects with more than 300,000,000 shoppers worldwide each week. For more information about Blackhawk's capabilities, visit www.blackhawknetwork.com.

About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network delivers branded payment solutions through the prepaid products, technologies and network that connect brands and people. We collaborate with our partners to innovate, translating market trends in branded payments to increase reach, loyalty and revenue. Serving 28 countries, we reliably execute security-minded solutions worldwide. Join us as we shape the future of global branded payments. Visit us at www.blackhawknetwork.com.

About Evite
Evite is the world's leading digital invitation platform for celebrating together, wherever you are. With thousands of free and premium customizable designs that can be sent by email or text message, Evite makes celebrating virtually or face-to-face easier and more memorable for its 100+ million annual users and their guests. Real-time messaging and RSVP tracking make planning a breeze. Through Evite Donations, which has raised over $20 million dollars, users can invite guests to support a favorite charity or personal cause without leaving their invitation. Launched in 1998, the company has sent nearly 3 billion invitations. Evite is headquartered in Los Angeles. Visit www.evite.com to start planning, get inspired or download the Evite app.

(1) Gift card findings are based on 2019-2020 sales data from Blackhawk Network from over 50,000 merchant locations across the U.S.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Jackson
The Fletcher Group
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ashley@fletchergroupllc.com

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SOURCE Blackhawk Network