When it comes to recognizing employees, thanking customers, or incentivizing participation, the intent is always the same — show appreciation and drive engagement. But too often, traditional incentive programs fail both the sender and the recipient.
Fair for You. Fair for Them.
TruCentive is built on transparency. Every dollar is tracked, every reward is measurable, and every recipient gets real choice. No breakage bonuses. No disappearing dollars. Just results you can stand behind.
No Breakage Profiteering – Unclaimed rewards stay with you or your program, not us.
Face Value Pricing – You pay what the reward is worth. No hidden markups.
Automation Reduces Admin Costs – Schedule and send without manual tracking or follow-ups.
Clear Reporting for Budget Control – Real-time data helps you manage and optimize spend.
Recipient MultiSelect Increases Utilization – Rewards get used, so your budget drives actual engagement.
Choose What You Actually Want – No more pretending to love that gift card you’ll never use. Merchandise, Swag, and more…
Split It Your Way – One reward, multiple options—gift card, swag, merch? Yes, please.
No Pressure to Decide Now – Make your choice when it’s convenient for you.
Global Options – Whether you’re in Toledo or Tokyo, there’s something that works for you.
Easy to Use – No apps, no logins, just a few clicks to something you’ll actually enjoy.
Many incentive platforms quietly generate revenue in ways that reduce the impact of your reward budget and shortchange your recipients. TruCentive was built to change that — delivering value that’s fair, transparent, and fully aligned with your goals.
Traditional Model:
When recipients don’t claim gift cards, that unspent money — known as breakage — becomes profit for the incentive company, not you. There’s little incentive for them to ensure the gift gets used. No reminders, questionable email delivery, and a difficult delivery process.
TruCentive’s Approach:
You only pay when the reward is claimed. Unused rewards remain with you, not the platform. That’s real accountability for results.
Traditional Model: Many platforms mark up gift cards or merchandise and keep the spread — you pay $100, they pay $95. Add inflated shipping or branded product costs, and your budget buys even less.
TruCentive’s Approach: No hidden markups. No inflated costs. We make our money on the delivery fee which also ensures you get your money back on unclaimed deliveries. TruCentive passes gift’s full value to your recipient and shows you the real cost upfront.
“Employees often compare the value of incentives they receive to what they’d pay out-of-pocket on Amazon or other major retailers — and when the branded merchandise or gift selection is limited, marked up, or bundled with inflated shipping fees, it quickly feels like a bad deal.” Eric Chaisson, Walt Disney Company
Traditional Model: Many platforms steer recipients to a narrow list of reward options— often the ones offering the highest commissions — limiting real choice.
TruCentive’s Approach: Give recipients what they actually want. TruCentive supports gift cards, charitable donations, branded swag, local vendors, and more — all in one platform. No pressure, no preferences — just personalized choice.
Traditional Model: When a recipient chooses a $92 item on a $100 reward? That $8 disappears — with no benefit to the sender or recipient.
TruCentive’s Approach: Partial balances don’t get lost. TruCentive’s multi-select feature lets recipients use the full value of their reward — no wasted dollars.
“When a “$50 reward” feels like $35 worth of actual value, the perception shifts from appreciation to frustration. Instead of feeling recognized, recipients may feel shortchanged — and worse, they may start to question whether the company is using its money wisely.
If the rewards feel overpriced or poorly chosen, it can undermine trust and send the message that the organization is either out of touch or wasteful with its budget.” – Tanya Lofgreen, Intel
Traditional Model: Once a selection of gifts cards, merchandise, or SWAG is sent, the money is gone — even if it’s never used. That means wasted budget and no chance for recapture.
TruCentive’s Approach: Rewards that go unclaimed don’t get billed. You only pay for what works, giving you control and flexibility to reallocate funds or try again.
A significant portion of distributed gift cards go unclaimed. A 2024 Bankrate study showed that up to 43% of U.S. adults have at least one unused gift card, voucher, airline or food delivery service voucher, or store credit. In 2022 unused gift card value in the U.S. amounted to over $21 billion. This unredeemed value, known as “breakage,” becomes profit for the incentive companies, providing them little motivation to ensure recipients use their rewards.
“Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy when it comes to gift cards. We relegate them to the back of our wallet or stuff them in a junk drawer, never to be seen again.” – Ted Rossman, Bankrate
The hidden mechanics of traditional incentive platforms can silently erode your budget and damage trust with your recipients. You may think you’re rewarding people — but often, you’re subsidizing someone else’s margins.
TruCentive flips the model: transparent pricing, pay-on-redemption, and complete choice for recipients. That’s not just more fair — it’s more effective.
The merchants represented are not sponsors of the rewards or are otherwise affiliated with TruCentive. The logos and other identifying marks attached are trademarks of and owned by each represented company and/or its affiliates. Please visit each company’s website for additional terms and conditions. TruCentive© 2025
