According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday shoppers plan to spend less on gift cards and recipients can expect cards with lower monetary values. The study by the NRF, part of the 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, reported that holiday shoppers will spend an average of $139.91 per person, compared to $147.33 last year. The average value per card, stated the survey, would be $39.80, compared to $40.54 in 2008.
Most surveyed, 22.1 percent, would not buy gifts cards as presents because they feel they are too impersonal. Other reasons include concerns about expiration dates or fees (12.6 percent), they would rather buy sale items (9.1 percent), aren’t sure which company to buy from (6.6 percent), concerns that the company will go out of business (5.6 percent), and concerns that the recipient would lose it or never use it (5.3 percent). For more survey results, visit www.NRF.com.
