PLEASANTON, Calif.,
Nov. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Shoppers bargain hunt while shopping for gifts, but considerations
like the brand and a gift's overall fit for the recipient are an
important factor. This, along with gift giving trends across age
and income, were revealed today in a new research study from
Blackhawk Network.*
The research, "How America Gives Gifts in 2016," surveyed more
than 2,300 Americans in September
2016 to examine the factors they consider in gift giving,
plans and preferences for holiday shopping and the impact the
payment experience has in gift purchasing.
"Interestingly, amidst our price-conscious society, our research
found that factors besides price may be more important in the gift
shopping process," said Teri
Llach, chief marketing officer at Blackhawk Network, a
pioneer of gift cards, payments tools and rewards delivered via a
robust and convenient network. "Despite shoppers' fondness for
bargain hunting, more than half of
consumers surveyed say picking gifts that are a good fit
for their recipients is a top priority, even
more important than price and convenience. Brand is also
an important factor. So, while price still certainly plays a
role in gift giving, it is not the main driving
force for more than half of the consumers we surveyed."
Key findings from the "How America Gives Gifts in 2016" consumer
survey, include:
- Consumers plan on spending and giving about the same as last
year: The shoppers surveyed estimate they will spend about
$740 on holiday gifts this year,
compared to $755 last year.
- Price is not the main driving force for gift selection:
More than half of consumers surveyed (55 percent) say picking gifts
that are a good fit for their recipients is a top priority, even
more important than price (39 percent) and convenience (26
percent). Forty-two percent of consumers also say brand is an
important factor when giving gifts.
- Plastic is king: Most shoppers surveyed plan on using
either their credit card (50 percent) or debit card (28 percent)
when purchasing gifts. Additionally, credit card usage increases
among shoppers with age and affluence, however, the opposite is
true for debit card usage, which decreases with age and
affluence.
- Gifts are typically given in-person, regardless of how they
are purchased: When shopping for gifts, shoppers surveyed favor
in-store shopping (91 percent) slightly more than online shopping
(75 percent). However, regardless of how the gift is purchased, 95
percent of shoppers give their gifts in-person.
- Gift givers continue to love gift cards: Most shoppers
surveyed (80 percent) plan on purchasing at least one gift card
this holiday season, with most (81 percent) also estimating that up
to half of their gifts this year could be gift cards. These results
align with the importance of brands to consumers, as gift cards are
an extension of branded value.
- Gift giving preferences vary by generation: The
millennials surveyed are more likely to research gifts online and
bargain hunt. Re-gifting, while rare overall, is also more common
among the millennials surveyed than older generations.
- Gender plays a role in preferences when it comes to shopping
for gifts: More of the women surveyed (93 percent) tend to
describe themselves as the primary gift buyer for their household
than men (70 percent). When it comes to shopping for gifts online,
men tend to prefer using a desktop/laptop (61 percent), while women
tend to use their smartphone (30 percent). Women are also partial
to coupons (63 percent) and Groupon offers (27 percent) when on the
lookout for promotions, relative to men.
- Household income factors into many aspects of gift
giving: For instance, the likelihood of respondents buying a
gift for their spouse, their children, and even colleagues and
acquaintances, steadily increases with income levels. The
percentage of shoppers planning on shopping online also increases
with income levels.
- Gift givers are on the hunt for a good bargain:
Eighty-two percent of shoppers surveyed look for some type of
promotion when purchasing gifts, and roughly six in ten did some
bargain hunting—like comparison shopping—last year.
Blackhawk Network built its business on pioneering branded value
payments products and solutions such as merchant-specific cards,
prepaid debit cards and egifts. This success is rooted in
Blackhawk's expertise in shopper
marketing, shopper preferences for gifting and dedication to
research on consumer behavior.
*About the "How America Gives Gifts" Report
How
America Gives Gifts is an Internet-based survey conducted
by Blackhawk Network in September
2016. The sample size included 2,341 American respondents,
ages 18+.
About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK) is a leading prepaid and payments global
company, which supports the program management and distribution of
gift cards, prepaid telecom products and financial service products
in a number of different retail, digital and incentive channels.
Blackhawk's digital platform
supports prepaid across a network of digital distribution partners
including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile
wallets. For more information, please visit
www.blackhawknetwork.com or product websites Cardpool, Gift Card
Lab, Gift Card Mall, GiftCards.com and OmniCard.
CONTACT:
Courtney Brunkow
Courtney@fletchergroupllc.com
303-717-9575
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SOURCE Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.