Because we’re sick of people saying that no one likes gift cards.
Mostly because EVERYONE WANTS THEM!
We’ve told you time and time again that even though they get a bad rap, gift cards are not only one of the most requested gifts each year by recipients, but they’re also the easiest and quickest gift for the gift giver.
So today, we’re debunking these myths once and for all. Take notes.
1. GIFT CARDS ARE IMPERSONAL & LAZY
THE MYTH: Gift cards are an unoriginal and notoriously “oops I forgot it was your birthday,” last-minute gift. Giving a gift card to someone shows that you didn’t put any thought into the gift, or that you don’t know them well enough to get them an actual present.
THE FACTS: Yes, this was true… Back when gift certificates were pieces of paper with a dollar amount written on them. But we’ve come a long way, people. And just like you no longer need physical money to pay for your morning coffee, you also don’t need a piece of plastic to use a gift card.
Gift cards these days can be completely customized — from animated wrappers, to added messages, photos, and even videos. Now you tell us: How could a gift with a custom video message seem unthoughtful?
And sure, sending digital gift cards is kind of lazy. But you can take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. E-gift card sales in 2015 rose 26% to $7.1 billion, proving that we’re all looking for convenience. Some may call that lazy, but we call it resourceful.
2. GIFT CARDS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY
THE MYTH: Buying gift certificates is a waste of money, because recipients will forget they have them and it will remain unused in the back of a drawer for years.
THE FACTS: We totally understand the stereotype of long forgotten gift cards. We all have them. But the truth is a HUGE majority of people do redeem them!
In 2014, $750 million on gift cards went unredeemed. We know. That seems like a lot. But when you take into account the industry as a whole, it’s a completely different story. That same year, gift card sales rose as a whole to $124 billion. Grab a calculator and do the math.
That means that less than 1% of gift certificates were unused.
Mind blown?
3. PEOPLE DON’T WANT GIFT CARDS
THE MYTH: No one wants to receive a gift card as a present. It’s extra effort on their part to remember go spend the gift card after receiving it.
THE FACTS: First thing’s first, we’ve gone over this a million times. See evidence here, here, and here. But of course, we’ll tell you a few of our favorite stats again.
- 74% of millennial women prefer to receive gift cards as gifts
- 2/3 of affluent American want gift cards
- More than half of all U.S. consumers would prefer a gift card to a physical gift
Convinced yet?
THE BETTER WAY TO GIFT, FUN AND PERSONALIZED GIFT CARDS 