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Gifts are given all year round, for a variety of reasons. And gift cards are a favourite among many. Just how popular are they? According to Consumer Reports, women vote them as their number one favourite gift, and number three according to men.
With stats like that, your choice should be clearer, but still not crystal. Because just as there is a huge variety of retailers, there are a vast array of gift cards to chose from. Before you rush out and buy any old gift card, give some thought to the person you are giving the gift to. If you know for certain that they love to shop at a specific retailer, then by all means, buy the card that store offers. But what if you have no idea? Then how about a gift card from a big department store, or a card that covers all the stores in a given mall?
Still not sure? Think giving gift cards is far too impersonal? How about some more stats? It the last few years there have been a slew of surveys over the gift card phenomenon. Results from a survey done by American Express show that gift cards were second only to clothing when it came to the most popular Christmas gift. Here in Canada, a Statistics Canada survey shows that more than 80% of retailers offer a gift card. And the U.S. National Retail Federation states that 8 of 10 people have chosen to give a gift card during past holiday seasons.
So, what are your options? What kind of gift cards are available? Is it always smart to buy a gift card, and what should you beware of? You'll find the info on choosing gift cards and the pitfalls of gift cards on the following pages.
Buy Gift Cards, But be Smart!
