Gift Card Madness -- The Most Requested Gift Keeps Surging

by William Becorest

The allure of plastic is still fantastic! And that's the only conclusion one can draw when considering that gift cards (digital and printed) are the most requested gift for eight years running now, according to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF). A whopping 62% of the 6,593 shoppers surveyed in 2014 said that's their top gift preference.

It seems the stigma of gift cards as being an impersonal, last-minute option is being replaced with the feeling that a gift card means you really care about making sure a friend or loved one gets exactly what they want. "No longer impersonal or only about convenience, gift cards have become the perfect, practical gift item for millions," said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay.

The survey revealed that the average gift card purchaser in 2014 spent $172, and that number likely will increase for 2015. Adults 65 and over spent the most on gift cards, at $204.59. One somewhat surprising data point was the men spent more than women on gift cards in 2014. According to the survey, 37.7 percent of gift card buyers will give a loved one a gift card from a department store, while 34 percent will give the gift of a meal at a restaurant. One in five pick up coffee ship gift cards.