Comparison: bulk vs self-serve vs API-based ordering

Comparison: Bulk vs Self-Serve vs API-Based Ordering

Organisations use different methods to distribute rewards or gift cards depending on the volume, frequency and purpose of their campaigns. The three most common approaches are bulk ordering, self-serve platforms and API-based integrations. Each method has its own strengths, and the right choice depends on the scale of your gifting needs and the level of automation your team requires. For large or high-volume campaigns, the Hubble bulk orders page helps companies manage procurement easily and access volume benefits.

Bulk Ordering

Bulk ordering is ideal for organisations that run large gifting campaigns a few times a year. This approach works well for festivals, employee appreciation days, customer events or partner programmes where thousands of gift cards may be required at once.

• Suitable for large, planned gifting cycles
• Volume discounts available from providers
• Options for physical cards, branded packaging and special denominations
• Manual distribution through email lists or physical delivery

Bulk orders provide predictable pricing and structured fulfilment, making them a good fit for procurement-led operations.

Self-Serve Ordering

Self-serve platforms are designed for teams that need flexibility and quick turnaround. Marketing, HR or operations teams can log in, create a campaign, choose brand categories and send rewards instantly. There is no dependency on vendor approvals or long procurement cycles.

• Instant ordering for digital gift cards
• Great for ad hoc rewards or on-the-spot recognition
• No minimum quantity requirement
• Simple dashboards for tracking sends and engagement

Self-serve tools are best for ongoing reward programmes that require speed and autonomy without requiring tech integrations.

API-Based Ordering

API-based ordering is suited for companies that want to automate gifting inside their existing systems. This includes apps, CRMs, HRMS systems, loyalty platforms, fintech solutions and marketplaces that deliver rewards based on customer or employee actions.

• Fully automated sending with no manual intervention
• Triggered rewards for events such as sign-ups, purchases or milestones
• High scalability for businesses with large user bases
• Consistent experience across customer or employee journeys

API integrations are ideal for product and tech-first organisations that want to embed rewards directly into workflows.

How to Choose Between the Three

The decision depends on how frequently your organisation sends rewards and how automated you want the process to be.

• Choose bulk orders when you need large quantities for specific occasions such as Diwali, annual celebrations or partner summits.
• Choose self-serve when teams need quick access to gift cards without depending on procurement.
• Choose API-based ordering when rewards need to run automatically as part of customer or employee workflows.

Final View

Each method has a clear purpose and serves a different organisational need. Bulk ordering remains the best option for high-volume gifting with planned timelines, self-serve tools help teams act quickly and API-driven systems support scalable automation. Platforms such as Hubble provide all three options, giving businesses the freedom to choose what matches their gifting strategy.