A one-year-old Tauranga start-up has expanded across New Zealand and aims to shift Kiwi’s mindsets from gifting stuff to gifting exciting experiences.
Removing the ‘will they like it?’ uncertainty from gifting, Chuffed Gifts lets the recipient select a real-life experience from up to 120 experiences per package. Plus, each Chuffed Gift comes presented in a colorful recyclable tube to ensure giving and receiving a Chuffed Gift is (almost) as fun and exciting as the recipient’s chosen experience.
Founder James Fitzgerald owned a tourism activity business in the Bay of Plenty that was badly affected by COVID-19. He formed Chuffed with redundant tourism marketing staff during the first lockdown and began testing the Chuffed Gifts concept in the central North Island with 20 experience partners.
“We faced a situation where we had to make some staff redundant. We didn’t want to do that to them in the middle of a nationwide lockdown, so we started Chuffed Gifts and offered them roles in it.”
“We knew that if we could make this work, it would also have a positive impact on our fellow tourism operators. With the borders shut, supporting the New Zealand tourism industry was a big motivation for the team.”
One year on, Chuffed has now moved into Tauranga CBD and partnered with more than 200 tourism operators across New Zealand, collectively supplying more than 700 experiences.
Sales have been growing rapidly and are split evenly between customers buying for occasions, such as weddings and birthdays, and businesses who are acknowledging clients and thanking staff. Businesses are seeing Chuffed as a more strategic way of showing appreciation and the value of their relationship.
How it works:
- Choose a Chuffed Gifts package: Some packages having 120 different experience options to choose from, so there is something for whoever the gift is intended for. Plus, all experiences are valid for two years, so it is convenient.
- Receive and give the Chuffed Gift tube: Couriered to your door, inside the Chuffed Tube is a passport to a new experience and an exciting colour booklet outlining their options to choose from.
- They choose the experience: Is it a relaxing massage, a sunset sail, an adventurous canyoning excursion, a wildlife encounter, food and beverage experience, scenic flight, zipline adventure or a more sedate guided tour? They pick the experience that appeals most, then redeem their experience with Chuffed Gifts.
Full details and booking are available online: www.chuffedgifts.co.nz
- Content supplied by Chuffed Gifts.
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