Surveys put gift cards top of gift lists

A couple of recent surveys indicate that gift cards will be the favorite choice for consumers and retailers alike.

by Helen Leggatt

According to this year’s Annual Holiday Survey, commissioned by Deloitte, 69 percent of consumers are planning to purchase gift cards this year compared with 66 percent last year.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that gift cards have been a top gift choice and it’s not just friends and acquaintances that are on the receiving end. More people are buying them for immediate family, across all age ranges.

In a separate survey, Comdata found that the average gift card purchaser expects to spend around $203 on gift cards, up from $186 in 2006, and that the average amount placed on each card is up 32 percent from $46 to $53.

Other findings from the Comdata survey include:

- 50 percent of gift card purchasers are more likely to buy a gift card that comes beautifully packaged in a box or tin with ribbons.

- 85 percent purchased gift cards to give recipients a choice.

- 57 percent purchased gift cards because they had no idea what to buy.

- Over half, 53 percent, often or always spend more than the amount loaded to their gift cards.

- Gift cards increase traffic as they are usually spent over 2 visits.

- 38 percent who had never purchased a gift card said they were somewhat or very likely to purchase them this year