Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) is launching a new multi-store gift card, FromMe2You. The cards will be available from early November in Topaz garages and online.

The FromMe2You gift cards can be used in coffee shops, fast food restaurants and supermarkets that haven’t accepted multi-store gift cards before. Tiger Stores, Supermacs, Insomnia, Avoca, Harvey Nichols and IKEA are some of the retailers involved.

Retail Excellence Ireland is a retail industry body representing around 1,200 retailers. The organiation says the new card will offer retailers reduced commission compared to other gift cards as well as allowing them to promote specific consumer rewards and promotional deals to users that will encourage customer footfall.

Some of the larger REI members have invested €1 million in the card's development, coupled with a commitment to €2.2 million in marketing spend for the card's first year.

FromMe2You gift cards will be  accepted by retailers who haven't traditionally accepted multi-store gift cards, including Homestore & More, Tiger Stores, Supermacs, Avoca and Compu b.

In Association with

Harvey Norman Ireland CEO Blaine Callard said: "We are delighted to see competition come to the gift card market. We will embrace customers with FromMe2You gift cards in all our stores.”

Gift cards are popular among employers as non-cash benefits of up to €250 can be given to staff tax free, making them ideal for employee Christmas gifts.