Energizing in-app traffic through surprise thank-yous.
GasBuddy, the leading gas price finder app with 100M+ users, sought ways to delight customers, improve session frequency, and boost month-over-month retention.
Instead of interrupting users with traditional display ads or promo codes, GasBuddy partnered with Nift thank-you gifting to offer high-value gift credits after key user actions.
“We’ve been extremely impressed by the whole team. They came to the table with ideas and collaborated with us. That partnership mentality makes thank-you gifting a no-brainer.” — Bobby Spence, VP Strategic Partnerships
How the partnership scaled.
Starting with email thank-you moments in 2023, GasBuddy expanded integration to an in-app SDK in Q3 2024. Customers were rewarded with personalized gifts tailored to their interests (such as D2C wine delivery, apparel, and lifestyle products).
87% of GasBuddy users enjoyed their gift, 74% reported liking GasBuddy more after receiving a gift, and 98% liked GasBuddy more or the same amount — turning routine app usage into moments of brand appreciation.
The main takeaway
Native thank-you gifts outperform traditional ads because they reward users when they are naturally engaged. Platforms get zero-cost user retention and incremental revenue share, while D2C brands acquire high-intent buyers below CAC targets.