An outdoor-themed gift with purchase can connect a retail promotion with customers' plans for patios, gardens and summer activities. In a March 17, 2025 article, Elite Rewards' VP of Growth and Client Strategy, Jeff Magner, describes how to plan that campaign around inventory, margins and the selling season.

The starting point is to identify the products a retailer wants to move and bring merchandising, sales, marketing and the reward partner into the planning. Magner recommends selecting gifts that complement the main purchase, with examples including fire pits, hammocks, patio heaters and coolers.

The proposed timetable begins before the US Memorial Day weekend and runs through roughly July, with adjustments for the store's region and market. The guidance recommends leaving the campaign before back-to-school activity or the end of the outdoor season makes the offer less relevant.

A choice of rewards at different spending tiers can serve customers with different needs and encourage larger purchases. Gift cards are included among the outdoor-themed options, alongside physical products.

Magner emphasizes gross margin dollars on each transaction. His example pairs a $2,000 sale with a $200 gift, requiring the retailer to structure the sale so that the reward cost leaves a positive margin. It is an illustration of campaign economics, not a reported retailer result.

Elite Rewards describes a model in which the retailer pays for the reward after a qualifying sale rather than committing to an upfront reward inventory. The article also lists support such as signage, point-of-purchase materials, customer handouts and sales-team incentives, with scope and timing dependent on the chosen partner.