More evidence of gift card popularity

Almost 70 percent of U.S. consumers surveyed by BIGresearch said they would rather give a gift this Christmas than receive one. If pushed, however, over half (52 percent) said they would prefer to be given cash or a gift card.

Why? Because 45 percent find it a hassle to return unwanted gifts, and many just don’t like the gifts chosen for them. Forty-five percent of those who received clothing in the past either didn’t wear it or didn’t like it, found the survey.

The majority, 82 percent, of the 4,069 respondents agreed that gift cards are a smart alternative, especially for people they didn’t know well.

Gift cards were less likely to be re-gifted, and while nearly a quarter had re-gifted previously received gifts, just 10.5 percent had re-gifted a gift card. Just 13.5 percent had never redeemed a gift card and 16.1 percent partially redeemed a gift card.

With other gifts, 22.5 percent had re-gifted gifts received, and 22.7 percent exchanged unwanted gifts for something they wanted.

Full American Pulse survey findings can be accessed on the BIGresearch website.

Tags: Christmas gifts, gift cards, survey