Lymington: Giftpro software company acquired by tech group
ClearCourse Partnership LLP, a group of technology companies providing software, services and digital capabilities to the membership, events & bookings and sports & lifestyle sectors, has acquired Giftpro, a software platform that allows hotels, restaurants, spas and other venues to sell and manage gift vouchers and event tickets. Giftpro, based at Lymington, was established in 2014 to help hospitality businesses unlock the power of their brands and increase direct sales by selling their experiences as gifts online.
The Company’s solution allows businesses to sell fully personalised gift vouchers online through its customisable platform, integrating all requisite inputs for the e-commerce transaction to take place. Giftpro provides an end-to-end service, creating the online store and providing merchandising, promotional tools, payment processing and fulfilment capabilities. Clients include The Ivy Collection, The Pig, Jason Atherton, Searcys and Harbour Hotels.
As part of ClearCourse, Giftpro will have the opportunity to further expand its offering to customers with a broader range of payment types, including recurring payments, instalments and other innovations for purchasing higher-value gift vouchers online. The deal also gives rise to cross-selling opportunities for ClearCourse Group companies with direct consumer offerings, including sports clubs, spas, and health centres, which are increasingly selling gift vouchers to customers and will benefit from Giftpro’s e-commerce solution. Giftpro’s entire team, including management, will continue to run the business and deliver for its impressive suite of hospitality brands.
Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, commented: “Giftpro is a creative and fast-growing business with a strong focus on providing excellent customer service. There is a great opportunity for Giftpro to synergise with our Group companies that have direct consumer offerings, allowing them to provide a more integrated and holistic offering to customers than they are able to do on their own. We look forward to working closely with the Giftpro team as they continue to develop and grow their business.”
Will Howard, managing director of Giftpro, said: “Giftpro was established in a bid to re-invent e-commerce for the hospitality industry and to build sustainable products that are human centred and results driven. Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the world’s most renowned hospitality brands who share our passion for progress and innovation. Together with ClearCourse, we will be able to continue to make e-commerce less complicated for our clients and create value within the Group through the power of shared technology.”
Richard Hull, co-founder and creative director of Giftpro, commented: “Since launching five years ago, we are proud to have built an outstanding team who are results-orientated and committed to continuing to help our clients grow. As a business we are constantly looking for ways to improve our services, and our relationship with ClearCourse will help our clients achieve better results through implementing new and creative ways for them to generate revenue online."
