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.
Our design sessions are the perfect way to show you how TruCentive can help you realize your rewards, gifts, or payout goals in a real-world scenario, building a complete project with everything from your logo, design options, and messaging to incentive selection, deliveries, and reminders.
When we’re done, you’ll:
If you’re ready to start designing on your own, sign up and start sending samples. There’s no credit card required to start exploring your creative side!
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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
