Canonical URL: https://giftcard.news/research-trends/buyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff/ --- description: A June 2017 company analysis compares default and occasion-based designs, while leaving sample size and sales effects unresolved. title: Buyatab compares occasion-based and default gift card design choices image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/buyatab-compares-occasion-based-default-gift-card-design-choices-c3e8d3ed8b00688f172e8a97d05e03c0.jpg --- 1. [Home](https://giftcard.news/) 2. [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) # Buyatab compares occasion-based and default gift card design choices A June 2017 company analysis compares default and occasion-based designs, while leaving sample size and sales effects unresolved. By [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) June 1, 2017 2 min read Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Buyatab%20compares%20occasion-based%20and%20default%20gift%20card%20design%20choices "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Buyatab%20compares%20occasion-based%20and%20default%20gift%20card%20design%20choices%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Occasion-based and generic cinema gift card designs arranged on a seesaw](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/buyatab-compares-occasion-based-default-gift-card-design-choices-generic-cinema-designs-w1000.webp) Buyatab’s illustration of gift card design options, published in June 2017. Photo: Buyatab [Buyatab](https://giftcard.news/company/buyatab/) reported in June 2017 that adding occasion-based gift card artwork changed which design customers selected. In its comparison, 90% of buyers at brands offering only generic artwork retained the preselected design. When generic and occasion-based designs were available together, buyers were three times as likely to choose an alternative to the default. [\[S01\]](#article-source-1) ## The decision being measured The outcome was design selection. It was not purchase conversion, average order value or the likelihood of returning to the brand. Buyatab described a random sample comparing brands, but did not disclose its size, collection period or an assignment procedure. [\[S01\]](#article-source-1) That leaves an important distinction between an observation and an experiment. Customers shopping at different brands can have different intentions before they see any artwork. Without comparable groups and a defined research design, the reported difference cannot be attributed solely to the presence of a birthday or other occasion image. Scroll left or right to see all columns __The decision being measured__ | Question | What the published comparison establishes | | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Did buyers keep the default design? | Buyatab reported a 90% share where only generic designs were offered | | Did occasion artwork affect the selection pattern? | The company reported more non-default selections in the comparison group | | Did more people complete a purchase? | No purchase-conversion result was reported | | Does the finding represent all gift card buyers? | The sample and observation period were not disclosed | ## A useful question for the buying journey Artwork is part of how a giver explains the purpose of a gift. A design can provide a quick way to signal a birthday, a thank-you or another occasion without changing the underlying stored value. That makes the selection step worth examining in its own right. A retailer assessing that step would need to distinguish browsing a design, selecting it and completing the order. A change at one stage may have no effect at another. A larger range might help some buyers express their intention while adding decisions for others; the published comparison does not settle that trade-off. ## An early observation, with defined limits The June 1, 2017 article offers a specific observation from Buyatab’s business. Its narrow conclusion is that design choice differed across the brand groups it examined. [\[S01\]](#article-source-1) The finding can inform a retailer’s own investigation of the gift card purchase journey, but it is not a measured promise that adding occasion artwork will increase sales. ## Sources and documents ExpandCollapse * [\[S01\] Gift card design comparison, June 1, 2017](https://web.buyatab.com/blog/1605-2/?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news) — Buyatab ## In this article ### Companies * [Buyatab](https://giftcard.news/company/buyatab/) Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Buyatab%20compares%20occasion-based%20and%20default%20gift%20card%20design%20choices "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Buyatab%20compares%20occasion-based%20and%20default%20gift%20card%20design%20choices%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Fbuyatab-examines-the-impact-of-gift-card-design-options-on-customer-purc-63d3937fa9ff%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Portrait of Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/suzie-elis-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) About the author ## [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) Journalist — Gift Cards & Digital Gifting Suzie Elis covers gift card products, digital gifting and distribution for Gift Card News. From reading to building ## Your next move in gift cards. Tell us what you’re building. We’ll help you explore suitable providers. [Find a provider ](https://giftcard.news/find-a-provider/) ## Related articles [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) Analysis ### [India’s Digital Gift Card Market: Growth, Consumers and Regulation](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/india-digital-gift-card-market/) [Oliver Reed](https://giftcard.news/author/oliver-reed/) September 18, 2026 30 min [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) Analysis ### [AI Can Shop for You. 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