Holiday: Mastering gift cards

By: Kristen Castillo

Tips and tricks on how to personalize gift cards for the many acquaintances in your life.

Do you give friends, family and colleagues gift cards during Christmas? Recent data show consumers like to both give and receive gift cards and digital certificates.

Every year, the National Retail Federation surveys consumers on holiday shopping. The 2018 survey of 7,313 adult consumers showed gift cards were the most popular wish-list item for the 12th year in a row.

“On average most consumers purchase 2 gift cards during the holiday season.” That’s according to the CardCash company website, and that number might become even higher as interest grows. In addition to tangible gift cards, consumers love to give e-gift cards, contributing to this $127 billion industry.

Since gift cards are the “in” present during the holidays, how can you master gift card giving?

*Convenience:

Make sure the gift card will be used.

“I love going to the movies, but I’ve had a card sit in my desk for a year, as I never remember to take it with me,” says Nicolas Gremion, a general manager for an audiobook company, who suggests giving gift cards that are easy for the recipient to redeem.

Half of the CardCash survey respondents said they like giving a gift card because it allows the recipient to buy what they like; nearly a quarter say gift cards are easier for them as the gift-givers.

Convenience goes both ways, but give the recipient the edge. It’s Christmas, after all.

*Know the Recipient:

Give a gift card that fits the recipient’s specific interests. Does he like to read? Does she enjoy getting a massage?

Would he or she be OK receiving a digital card? Do they like unwrapping a gift? CardCash’s survey found “millennials are more than twice as likely to have purchased or received a digital gift card,” compared to someone over 35.

If you give an e-gift card to the non-tech-savvy senior in your life, will he or she ever use it? If not, it’s a waste of money.

*Food:

Restaurant gift cards are a practical choice.

“Everyone eats, so consider choosing restaurant gift cards,” suggests Mike Falahee, who owns an awning company in the Midwest. “You still might run into a ‘I-don’t-like-that’ response, but people are more likely to spend gift cards if they’re food related.”

You know your friends and family well, but sometimes you’re still not sure how to personalize a gift card. Buy a gift card to a specific eatery if you know a restaurant your friend loves; invest in a gift card from a website like restaurants.com or delivery platform such as Postmates or Grubhub.

*Major Retailers:

CardCash says store gift cards are big sellers, too. This includes Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Kohls and Macys. Niche retailers, such as Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy and AMC Theatres, are popular gift cards as well.

*Travel:

Gifting a gift card for experiences can be practical, too. Give your friend or colleague who loves to travel a gas card or a gift card toward a hotel stay. Those cards can add up to sizable savings when traveling.

*Credit Card Gift Cards:

Certified financial analyst Lou Haverty cautions gift card givers that many gift cards go unused because they’re only valid for a specific retailer. He suggests purchasing a Visa, Mastercard or American Express gift card instead.

“The one downside is there is usually a small fee to purchase these gift card,” he says, explaining that, comparatively, merchant gift cards for a specific store typically don’t have any fees.

He also suggests buying a gift card for Amazon. “The reason this is effective is because you can load Amazon gift cards to your online account immediately,” he says. “This reduces the risk the person will lose or forget the gift card.”

Whether you give a gift card you can wrap or one that’s digital, personalize the present with a sincere holiday message.

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