As much as we want to be organised when it comes to gifting season or a special occasion, life often gets the best of us and we’re left scrambling for time to find the perfect gift for a sister, friend, wife, or mother.
Although gift vouchers might once have been considered inconsiderate and unimpressive, many mums these days actually prefer to receive gift cards rather than a product that they have to return or exchange.
When you think about it, a gift card is really a win-win situation – you don’t need to fret over choosing the perfect gift, and the recipient is 100% guaranteed to end up with something that she actually wants because she has full control over what she buys.
I’ve put together a gift guide of the best online stores in Australia offering gift cards and vouchers for products or services that both new and seasoned mums will love and enjoy.
You may also be interested in:
[2020 Gift Guide] Personalised Gifts
11 Best Australia Gift Hampers
20+ Coffee Lover Gifts
Best 10 Tea Gift Sets
EXPERIENCES
Class Bento
Unique artisan experiences for mums who love learning
ClassBento now offers a wide range of online creative classes so you can learn from the comfort of your home. All materials are delivered to you in a craft box before the class, so remember to book at least a week in advance!
Their live-streamed workshops include artisanal crafts like making a Kokedama (a Japanese moss ball), Indigo Shibori Dyeing (Japanese tie-dyeing method), DIY soap and shampoo bars and many more.
ClassBento gift cards can be redeemed for both online and in-person classes with a valid period of three years, so there’s plenty of time to book a workshop.
Blys
Mobile, on-demand massage service – anytime, anywhere you want it
Blys is your on-call massage service in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Gold Coast, with more cities to be added in the future. Their network of professional therapists offer services such as remedial massage, romantic couples’ massage, and sports massage.
You can book a therapist to visit your home, workplace, or even a hotel. They can be booked from 8 am to 11 pm, seven days a week, and you can ask for a therapist that is registered for private health funds.
Read my review of my experience with their pregnancy massage at home.
ECO HOME & LIVING
Biome
Beautiful in-store experiences and eco workshops
Although first and foremost an online retailer of eco-friendly and natural home products, biome also has a few physical stores in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne. Their stores are beautifully designed and make for a relaxing shopping experience.
Their vouchers can be used towards their DIY workshops like making natural skincare and hair care products from scratch. The workshops are hosted in Brisbane and Gold Coast.
Mocka
Scandinavian furniture and home decor for Australian families
With its humble beginnings in New Zealand, Mocka has been based in Australia since 2012, bringing exclusively designed Scandi-inspired furniture to Aussies and Kiwis.
Their collections are every mum’s dream, from beautiful wooden kids toys to stylishly curated bedroom packages that are affordable and functional.
ECO Modern Essentials
Made in Australia, 100% pure essential oils for the whole family
ECO is your one-stop-shop for all essential oils. Their gift sets are great value and curated for various needs, like the Pregnancy Aromatherpay Box for expectant mums, the Travel Pack for mums on-the-go, and the Women Wellness Kit for overall health and wellbeing.
For experienced essential oil users, they can even build their own kit by choosing their own oils, accessories and storage. They also have a range of essential oils safe for children over the age of three months.
Use code BLE10 at checkout for 10% off your order!
Upper Notch Club
Unique Australia home & lifestyle gifts for the whole family
Upper Notch Club was designed and built around the Aussie lifestyle. Its gorgeous products range from whimsical items like colour changing kids umbrellas to eco-friendly wellness tools like the cork foam rollers.
Their matching yoga outfits for mums and their mini-me are delightful, but if you really want to spoil mum for Mother’s Day, this folding picnic table with wine holder is the perfect size for a breakfast-in-bed.
SHOES & APPAREL
Cotton On
One gift card, seven brands – the most versatile fashion & lifestyle gift card in Australia
Few people are aware that the Cotton On Group consists of some of Australia’s most loved fashion and lifestyle brands, like Typo, rubi shoes, Supre, and Cotton On Kids.
When you give someone a Cotton On gift card, they can redeem it at any of the stores under the Cotton On Group, both online and in-store. Best of all, it has no expiry date attached and you can personalise it with your own message.
Seed Heritage
Timeless Australian designed fashion from newborn to womanhood
This high-end iconic Australian brand began in 2000 as a children’s boutique store in Armadale, Victoria. Now, with more than 200 stores globally, its collections include apparel, shoes, accessories, toys and more, from birth to mature womanhood.
With a focus on sustainability, Seed Heritage uses natural fabrics and minimalistic designs for its products. They are the perfect, sophisticated balance between style, eco-friendliness, and comfort.
MATERNITY WEAR
Cake Maternity
Australian eco-friendly maternity wear brand with a mission for social impact
A lesser-known Aussie maternity brand with a global footprint, Cake Maternity focuses on sustainable and ethical production of their collections. They also partner with women-centred charities to empower young girls and women around the world.
The best thing about them is their generous 45-days return policy, so you can buy with full assurance.
St Frock
Wide range of stylish, affordable maternity wear with free shipping
There’s one distinguishing fact about St Frock – they are first and foremost a women’s fashion store and they just happen to have a collection of stylish, high-quality tops and dresses that are also pregnancy and breastfeeding-friendly.
This means that you’re more likely to find unique maternity wear that doesn’t actually look like maternity wear. They clearly have a keen eye for general fashion pieces that can accommodate a bump, or has a front opening that also functions as nursing access.
Queen Bee Maternity
Australia’s biggest & most affordable online maternity wear retailer
Queen Bee is practically synonymous with “maternity wear” here in Australia. Having served Aussie mums since 2005, it is now one of the most established and largest online stores for all your motherhood needs.
Despite its big online presence, they are actually a family-owned business with a small team, so you can rest assured you’re getting the most personable customer service.
BOOKS, STATIONERY, CRAFTS
Dymocks
Leading Australian bookseller – books, stationery, toys & more
If you know a stationery lover or someone who loves getting lost wandering in bookstores, they’ll be no stranger to Dymocks, first opened in Sydney in 1879.
For those with kids, you’ll be delighted to know that Dymocks also has an exclusive Wiggles collection including books, apparel, tableware and more.
Hobbycraft
The largest selection of international craft brands with express delivery to Australia
Although based in the UK and not an Australian store, Hobbycraft ships worldwide and stocks an impressive range of brands and products for every imaginable craft, from paper to digital.
For someone who might be interested in finding a new hobby, they have a great selection of craft kits. They even have cardboard playhouses that kids will enjoy colouring in and decorating.
The team behind Hobbycraft also publishes beautiful and inspiring DIY craft tutorials, showing just how much they know their stuff and their passion for crafts.
FOOD & DRINKS
Cudo
Enjoy award-winning cuisine around Australia at up to 60% off
Cudo is my not-so-secret guilty pleasure, its dining section offers a wide selection of local eateries and restaurants, from cafe brekkie experiences to fine dining.
The buffets or degustation courses are an affordable way to explore new places or plan a date to catch up with friends or family. You can check the date availability for the voucher BEFORE you purchase and you can book directly within Cudo once you’ve bought the voucher.
T2
Beautiful tea sets, giftwares, and exotic flavours for tea lovers
Well-known for its creative tea flavours, T2 also sells beautifully made teawares from Moroccan-inspired tea sets to travel-friendly flasks and thermos.
Excite and inspire a tea-drinker with a gift card so she can go crazy with shopping for her next tea adventure.
Koko Black
Premium Australian handcrafted artisan chocolate for gifting
Amidst the myriad of chocolatiers in Australia, Koko Black stands out from the crowd with its chic and minimalistic packaging – perfect for gifting – and their mouth-watering chocolate recipes.
For a more tangible experience, visit one of their stores to indulge in chocolatey luxury.
GENERAL STORES
Amazon Australia
Thousands of international & local brands available at your fingertips
Amazon AU launched in Dec 2017 and is a giant online marketplace that rivals eBay with some clear competitive advantages (read my comparison of Amazon vs eBay).
If you’ve never tried Amazon, you’ll be amazed to see how many international and local brands they offer. An Amazon Prime member also gets free express shipping and 15% off baby essentials like nappies, baby wipes, and baby food with the “Subscribe & Save” offer.
Kogan
Australia’s biggest online department store
Thanks to its reward program with Qantas, Kogan has quickly grown to become one of Australia’s largest online retailer with a massive range of everyday products.
They’ve also launched an exclusive members-only program called Kogan First. Very much like Amazon Prime, you get free express shipping on all orders and exclusive discount.
Gift Card Store
Prepaid Mastercard or VISA cash cards with express delivery across Australia
The name itself is self-explanatory, Gift Card Store specialises in physical prepaid cash cards. These cards can be used online or in-store anywhere that accepts Mastercard and VISA.
There’s no expiry date attached and because it’s not a credit card it doesn’t affect anyone’s credit rating. There is also no risk of spending over the limit because once the funds in the card are used up, the card essentially becomes useless.
They have a large selection of pre-designed cards you can choose from, or you can design your own.
If you want something fast, you can order a digital gift card instead, which will be emailed to your recipient the same day. Note that digital cards can only be used online and not in-store.
