Gift Card Culture

As a busy consumer, I love the convenience that gift cards offer me. During this past holiday season, I received four of them. As the giver of gift cards, it allows me to quickly buy a present for someone, but also tailor the gift card to the receiver’s interests showing them I care about what they like through the type of card I give them. As the receiver, it allows me to pick out exactly what I want.

Even though the major holiday season is over, I just bought a gift card yesterday. With Valentine’s Day coming up, and birthdays, weddings and anniversaries happening throughout the year, gift cards never go out of season. I also buy gift cards for myself. For example, instead of leaving a credit card open on my iTunes account, I buy gift cards each month so I can better monitor how much I’m spending. It allows me to set a budget and not go over-board buying music or books. Once my gift card runs out, then I’m finished spending for that month. As a consumer, it helps me feel more secure than giving my credit card number out online.

My gift card buying habits are common among people throughout the United States. The popularity of them cannot be ignored. Gift card sales in 2014 reached $124 billion.

As a retailer, why should you carry gift cards? Here are three reasons:

A gift card station provides a convenient way for your customers to purchase gifts during shopping trips, saving them valuable time. This also creates loyalty to your store since you’re adding more value to customers’ grocery stops.

By offering custom gift cards for your own store, you’re encouraging more convenient ways for customers to shop. At the same time you’re opening the window for potential new customers who may have not visited your store prior to receiving a gift card from another patron.