Giftcards.com and its parent company Blackhawk Network are consistently engaged in market research, consumer insights, trend analysis and case studies to deliver the most up-to-date statistics and learnings concerning the gift card industry. Bookmark this page to get the latest information and data on everything gifting and gift card related as we post our most recent research.
Below is a selection of key learnings from the most recent report:
(1) Major Consumer Behavior Shifts
- Promotions Are Now Essential
- 90% of consumers leveraged some type of promotion during the 2025 holiday season
- Early shoppers have nearly double the gifting budget compared to late shoppers
- 31% identified Black Friday as the leading promotional period, beating Cyber Monday
- Consumers are strategically using gift cards, AI, and promotions to make budgets work harder
- Gift Card Strategy Evolution
- Gift cards transitioned from convenience items to strategic planning and budgeting tools
- More shoppers bought fewer gifts overall due to economic concerns and prioritized spending
- Shift toward group gift exchanges (Secret Santa, White Elephant) to amplify budgets socially
(2) Digital Gift Cards Dominate Last-Minute Shopping
- Christmas Eve/Day Surge
- Nearly 75% of respondents purchased digital gift cards on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
- 80% purchased a digital card for last-minute gift occasions
- Digital cards became a "safe haven" for forgotten gifts or unexpected occasions
- Physical vs. Digital Balance
- Digital will not replace physical gift cards—both serve different purposes
- Timing and distance determine format choice
- Physical cards average $11 increase in load value (2024-2025)
- Digital cards average $15 increase in load value—people spend more when shipping costs are eliminated
(3) Gift Card Financial Impact
- Rising Card Values
- Average total gift card value: $236 in 2025, up from $209 in 2024
- Consumers received an average of 3 gift cards (consistent year-over-year)
- Individual card values are increasing, not quantity
- Overspending Phenomenon
- Recipients overspend by an average of $108 beyond card value
- This overspending is planned, not impulsive
- Creates significant secondary revenue opportunity for merchants
(4) AI & Technology Adoption
- Generational AI Divide
- Nearly 75% of younger consumers (Gen Z, Millennials) used AI for holiday shopping
- Only 31% of older consumers (Gen X, Baby Boomers) used AI
- Gen Z/Millennial AI usage grew 8% YoY vs. only 1% for older generations
- AI Use Cases
- Finding promotions and best prices
- Comparing products
- Generating creative gift ideas
- Solving gift-giving challenges for long-time recipients
(5) Loyalty Programs & Redemption
- "The Loyalty Era is Here"
- 75% of younger consumers exchanged loyalty points for gifts
- 57% of older consumers redeemed loyalty points
- Almost half of loyalty point redemptions were for gift cards
- Remaining redemptions split between physical gifts (~40%) and experiences (~10%)
- Implication: Integrating gift cards into loyalty programs is critical for engagement
(6) Marketing Channel Evolution: Traditional vs. Emerging Channels
- Older Generations (Nearly 2/3):
- Emails
- Word of mouth
- Print in-store flyers
- Younger Generations (~50%):
- Cash Apps
- Shopping discount channels
- Price comparison tools (Google Shopping)
- Deal forums (Slickdeals, Reddit)
- Social commerce (TikTok Shop)
- TikTok Shop Impact
- Becoming a primary purchase source for Gen Z
- Significant populations using TikTok Shop instead of traditional retail
- Merchants must be present where younger consumers gather and are influenced
(7) Corporate Gifting Growth
- 65% of employees received a gift from their employer
- Nearly 9 out of 10 employer gifts were gift cards
- Gift cards are popular year-round, not just during winter holidays
Past Research
View past research from Blackhawk Network and its partners:
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