Click to enlarge

courtesy: www.giftcards.com

The survey has revealed 80 per cent of consumers have received a gift card in the past year and nearly 70 per cent have purchased at least one. Of these shoppers, 84 per cent have bought three or more cards following their first purchase. 
This growth is having a considerable impact on retail sales - with 82 per cent of consumers stating they would make a purchase above the limit of their gift card, using other forms of payment at point of sale.

The gift card concept is also bridging the gap between retail outlets and potential customers, as shoppers are encouraged to visit stores outside their regular buying patterns. A quarter of respondents disclosed they had received a gift card from a store they would not normally frequent and as a result, have commenced shopping there on a regular basis.

"With shoppers being introduced to new brands and outlets through the Gift Card Store, the consumer dollar is spreading and retailers are set to benefit. The concept is massively popular in the US and is slowly taking hold in Australia - however there remains a general lack of awareness about the availability of gift cards in this market,"  according to Stewart Rigby, Managing Director of Blackhawk.