Gift Cards + Smartphones= Mobile Payment Adoption?

We are about a quarter of the way through a very intense holiday shopping season. It's time for a check in on what
consumers are talking about buying, and what devices they are talking about buying them on. What consumers do this holiday season is a good indicator of how employers can and should distribute gift cards for employee rewards next year. According to a
new study from
InComm, a point of sale provider, 74% of consumers are planning to buy a digital gift card this year. Even more interesting is that 90% of millenials (shoppers 18-35) indicated more interest in digital gift cards this year than in 2013.
Fun fact: Gift cards came in 2nd, topped only by clothing for the gift internet users plan to give this season. If the post-holiday numbers hold these predictions true, we could have the catalyst for the shift to mobile payments. While some of these digital cards will be used for online (desktop) purchases,  79% of millenials have interest in using gift cards on their phones. If consumers use gift cards on their phones, it may reduce the anxiety about mobile payments. However, more immediately, it may provide a more convenient delivery method of employee rewards. Delivering gift cards directly to smartphones and tablets helps prevent lost cards and unused rewards, reducing the trophy value and lasting memory of the employer's investment.