GiftCard Partners, Inc. has been at the forefront of B2B gift cards since we started out more than a decade ago. Some might call it obsession, others might say it's our job, but we like to use one word in particular, passion. That passion led us to commission a B2B Gift Cards Study back in 2013. We teamed up with
Shapiro+Raj, a research company with more than 50 years of experience of conducting behavior and opinion research, to get a clear pulse on the B2B Gift Card Industry. As a company we are constantly learning and evolving in the marketplace as trends in technology, payments, wellness and much more continue to grow. In order to be the best partner for our clients, we needed a strong understanding of what was happening out on the front lines, with the consumer, not just B2B. Our 2014 B2B Gift Card Study did just that. We focused on two key areas:
- Consumer gift card receipt and redemption- This study was aimed at understanding consumer gift card behavior. We set out to understand the role gift cards play in driving awareness, new customers, incremental visits and new business. We also examined gift card usage and behavior, specifically focused on retail gift card behavior.
- Direct buyers gift card needs- The second study focused on the companies that purchased gift cards in bulk for their employee base, members or constituents. We explored the use of these gift cards as rewards and incentives in employee programs, health and wellness programs, and as a tool for loyalty.
The 2013 B2B Gift Card Study ended up being a great learning experience, allowing us to put a firm finger on the pulse of this dynamic and complex industry. Some key findings included,
- Over 40% of consumers acquire gift cards through various B2B sources.
- 36% of redeemers would have shopped elsewhere without the gift card, indicating that without the card, there is a lost opportunity of a store visit.
- 8% of redeemers had never shopped at the store previously.
- 32% of all redeemers would not have made a purchase if they had not had the gift card.
Check out the full survey presented in the On-Demand Webcast:
2013 U.S. Survey on Gift Card Usage.
You can also read the white paper based on the findings from the 2013 survey:
Emerging Trends in Gift Card Behavior and Usage.
Repeating Success
We had such a huge response from our survey in 2013 that we felt it was only right that we repeat it again in 2015. We commissioned Shapiro+Raj to, once again, survey a fresh batch of 1,000 U.S. consumers nationwide to see what, if anything, had changed in the last two years.
Our 2015 B2B Gift Card Study - Trends in Industry Behaviors touched on several aspects of the B2B industry, tracked changes, and expanded on our understanding of the receipt and redemption of gift cards, specifically in the B2B channels. A few of the key findings included,
- Third party business is growing. Have you ever bought a gift card in a grocery store or pharmacy as a last minute present? Then you've been a party to Third Party. Those gift card racks you search through for your brother's last minute birthday gift are a popular industry in and of itself with no plans of slowing down. Awareness is up 7% from our study in 2013, as well as the type of card (36%), purchasing amount (10%) and overall availability.
- B2B gift cards have reach. 52% of consumers reported they had received a B2B gift card in the last twelve months. The most frequently mentioned locations for these B2B gift cards were Credit Card Loyalty/Rewards, Sales/Promotion, and Dining.
- Lift over gift card value. When consumers redeemed the gift card more than 32% reported that they spent more than the what was on the gift card.
- Generating incremental sales. 1/4 of consumers said that the gift card they received motivated their trip.
Watch all our findings from the 2015 B2B Gift Card Study - Trends in Industry Behaviors in our On-Demand webcast. 
