Why shop with Buyagift?

Buyagift is a real internet success story. Founded in 1999 by its chief executive officer Dan Mountain, the company was originally managed from his bedroom in North London. Within two years, however, he had transformed Buyagift into profitable enterprise. Today, 19 years later, with headquarters in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, it’s one of the best known experience-based online gift retailers in the UK.

As a result of this massive growth, Buyagift now offers well over 4,000 amazing experiences all across the UK, as well as overseas. You name it, it’s got it. Buying for a supercar enthusiast? There’s a driving experience for that. How about a food aficionada? Take your pick from Michelin-starred restaurants to afternoon tea spots. Are they into adventures? There are countless action-packed experiences to thrill.

Buyagift also caters for all sorts of budgets. So, if you’re looking to be a little more thrift or splash the cash, you can tailor choices based on price, with some experiences as low as £15 – if not lower – and as high as £250 and above. What’s more, if you enter the website via one of our links, you can earn cashback on your purchases.

Treat someone to a unique, personalised experience

Knowing that you’ve found the perfect gift for someone is one of life’s little joys, whether it’s for a specific person or to mark a special occasion, such as a 70th birthday or wedding. And with Buyagift, it has never been easier.

There are easy-to-navigate sections, from ‘driving’ and ‘days out’ to ‘food and drink’ and ‘adventure’. Each is broken out into further sub-sections, helping your narrow your search. There are also categories based on who you’re buying for, including ‘him’, ‘her’, ‘couples’ and ‘children’, as well as categories for landmark birthdays and popular occasions. You’ll find a unique, personalised experience in no time.

Smartboxes offer choice and flexibility

Still, even with such an overwhelming selection of experiences to choose from – and all easy to find – knuckling down to one gift can be quite the challenge. Sometimes you’re not entirely sure it’s the right gift at all, or unconfident whether it’ll go down well. And there’s always someone close to you who is consistently hard to buy for.

Buyagift’s Smartbox does away with all of these concerns. Instead of picking a specific experience, in its place you “give the gift of choice” – a collection of experiences for your recipient to choose from. So, if they’re into adventure, your Smartbox of choice will include a selection of activity-packed escapades for them to decide on. If they love cars, then their Smartbox will feature a variety of motoring inspired experiences, and so on.

Experiences are UK-wide

While specific experiences are tied to a certain location – a day out in London is obviously going to be in the capital! – many of the experiences on offer can be enjoyed throughout the UK, and some overseas (Ireland and Europe, for example).

This means you can select an experience in a practical sense, as in somewhere close to where your giftee lives, or pick a location that they’ve always wanted to visit. Alternatively, you can let them choose where they want to go, as with many of the experiences it’s not necessary to pinpoint a location. Again, you’re giving the giftee the amazing luxury of choice!

Share the experience and treat yourself

When it comes to gifting someone an experience with Buyagift, why not be part of the action yourself? From sailing and climbing to cocktail making and playing a round of golf, there’s a wonderful shared experience waiting to be had.

You can even treat yourself to an experience. Just head to the ‘gifts for me’ page and take your pick from an exciting range of activities. And when you book through one of our links, you can earn cashback on your personal treat, too. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Easy online shopping experience

With over 4,000 experiences to choose from, you’d assume that finding an experience that ticks off all the boxes is easier said than done? Far from it. From the get-go, Buyagift offers a seamless online shopping experience.

At the top of the homepage there is a fixed navigation menu with clear sections that are a breeze to browse. Each features further subcategories and sub-subcategories. You can also filter results by type, region, brand and price. Each experience, meanwhile, is clearly explained. A star-rating system and customer reviews adds further detail to help shape your decision. Basically, it takes away all the hard and stressful work of finding a gift for a particular person or moment.

5 ways to make the most of your cashback with Buyagift

Feeling excited about the prospect of selecting your next gift, and earning cashback too? With Buyagift, it’s certainly not going to be a half-hearted, unimaginative, stressful or impulsive last-minute purchase – there’s fun to be had! If you’re after some inspiration to get you started, here are five top ideas.

1. Treat someone to a relaxing spa experience

Detox and revitalise. Unwind and cleanse. Escape and chill. With a massive range of spa experiences to choose from, from one-day events and weekend retreats to luxury breaks and tailored beauty treatments, you can be confident that your lucky recipient will feel totally zen by the end of it.
Treatments vary from massages and hot stone therapies to facials and cleansing rituals, with many deals including access to spa facilities like steam rooms, saunas and jacuzzis. Each package is unique, so do check the details to see what’s included. Particular offers and discounts are highlighted in red, and if you order through Quidco you can also earn cashback on your gift.

2. … Or a memorable afternoon of tea, sandwiches and cakes

There are few classically English ways of whiling away a few hours of the day than afternoon tea, a charming pastime that continues to grow in popularity. With Buyagift you can either pick a traditional experience – featuring the usual mix of hot tea served in an elegant teapot, crust-free sandwiches and fresh scones with plenty of jam and cream – or a more modern one. Options include cleverly named 'G an Tea experiences (that’s gin, by the way), post-lunch shindigs based on a particular theme, and nibbles and drinks at more luxurious venues.

3. Surprise friends or family with a driving experience

Whether you’re looking to surprise a classic car enthusiast, someone who has a passion for formula one or a loved one that would get a kick out of off-road driving, Buyagift has an extensive range of driving experiences up and down the country to choose from.

Other quirkier options include stunt driving, getting behind the wheel of an iconic movie car and smashing up cars with a monster truck. Buyagift also has experiences for youngsters, from mini electric cars that give them their first real taste of driving to the exhilarating thrill of go-karting.

4. Plan a special short break for you and your partner

From time to time, it’s nice to get away from the humdrum of normal life with your other half, and short breaks are perfect for just that. Whatever your interests, whatever the occasion, whether you want to keep it local or travel further afield, Buyagift has a superb collection of mini getaways.

There are romantic breaks, cultural breaks, spa breaks and country breaks. You can go glamping or even more leftfield with a treehouse escape. A nice treat is to let your partner choose, which you can do with Buyagift’s hotel choice vouchers. Do check the terms and conditions on this page though, as vouchers might not be eligible for cashback.

5. … Or an unforgettable day out

Escape rooms. River cruises. Stadium tours. Theme parks. Landscape gardens. Historic attractions. These are just a few of the fun and interesting things you and others can experience over the course of a single day with Buyagift. You can make memorable days out as active or as chill as you’d like and, as ever, pick an experience based on price, region and interests. Check out for special offers, too, as Buyagift regularly features deals like 2 for 1, seasonal discounts and exclusives on select experiences.

Shopping with Buyagift

If this is your first time shopping with Buyagift, or in fact you’re entirely new to experience-based gifting, then you might have a few questions on your mind. We’ve put together answers to some of the most frequently asked below.

Who owns Buyagift?

Buyagift was founded in 1999 by its current chief executive officer, Dan Mountain. In 2010, it was bought by the Smartbox Group, which specialises in experience-based gifts across the world. Along with Red Letter Days, Buyagift represents the UK arm of the Smartbox Group.

How does Buyagift work?

It’s simple really. You browse the site, find the perfect gift and purchase – and if you do it through Quidco, you can earn some welcome cashback, too. As it’s not a physical gift you’re ordering, you’ll receive a voucher in the post, nicely packaged and designed to fit through most letterboxes. You can send the experience-based gift directly to the recipient, as well. Alternatively, you can request the voucher be sent to your email address, which is handy if time is of the essence.

Once the recipient has received their voucher, they will be directed to Buyagift’s voucher website. Here they will be required to enter in a reference number and pin code (this information will be on the voucher), prompted to select a location and asked to contact the experience provider to book it in.

What is Buyagift’s Smartbox?

Buyagift’s Smartbox is all about giving someone the amazing “gift of choice”, all packaged nicely in a chic box. This features a glossy booklet that lists all the experiences your recipient can choose from, which tend to be around a particular theme. So, for example, if you know they’re into adrenaline-fuelled activities, the Smartbox will feature a number of action-based experiences. Amazingly, prices start from £29.99 and the voucher remains valid for an impressive two years.

Can I refund a Buyagift experience?

Absolutely. Buyagift will happily refund a gift in full within 60 days of an experience being purchased – so long as it hasn’t been used. Do note, however, that once a voucher has been activated and booked in with the experience provider, its particular terms and conditions will come into effect. So do read up on this to see what that entails.

Don’t worry if you miss the 60 day limit – while you won’t be able to get a refund, Buyagift nevertheless offers you the opportunity to exchange the experience for another one, so long as it’s the same price. Do check the terms and conditions, as this might invalidate your cashback.

How do I contact Buyagift?

You can get in touch with Buyagift in a way that’s convenient for you, but before you do, visit its online ‘help’ section, which answers a range of common questions. If that doesn’t help, the most effective way of contacting Buyagift is through its online form.

If you do this during the week, between 9am and 5.30pm, you should get a fairly rapid response (it aims to reply within four hours of a query being submitted, during office hours). If, however, you are keen to speak to a member of staff, you can call Buyagift’s customer service team. This service is available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm.

More cashback deals with brands like Buyagift

If you’re looking for other top ideas for gifts and ways of earning cashback, Quidco is the place to be. Check out our deals with retailers like I Want One of Those and Prezzybox, as well as GettingPersonal.co.uk, Snapfish  and Moonpig.

Even though we do our best to keep the information on this page up-to-date, it may be out of date from time to time.