InComm Payments reported a 16.6% year-over-year increase in gift cards purchased per quarter in its review of 2021 consumer surveys. Published on April 12, 2022, the analysis examines shopping for both network-branded open-loop cards and closed-loop cards tied to a particular retailer or brand.
Email led promotional discovery
Convenience remained central, but promotions gained influence. The report said the importance of getting a deal as a purchase factor increased 47% among closed-loop shoppers and 27% among open-loop shoppers. About a quarter of each group said discounts on multi-packs or multiple cards could influence their decisions.
Email was the leading channel where both groups expected to learn about promotional offers. In-store signage became less prominent, while social media and digital coupons also ranked among the preferred channels.
The chart shows the reported year-over-year change in getting a deal as a purchase factor. It explains the promotional demand behind the channel discussion; it does not measure email readership, a percentage-point change or the share of shoppers responding to an offer. The public summary does not disclose the survey country, sample size or weighting.
Deals gained influence in both card groups
Reported change in getting a good deal or promotion as a gift-card purchase factor, 2021 versus 2020.
% relative change
Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.
Source
Separate shopper groups. Relative percentage changes, not percentage points or purchase shares. Country, sample and exact fieldwork dates are undisclosed; no causal sales effect is established.
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| Category | % relative change |
|---|---|
| Closed-loop shoppers | 47 % relative change |
| Open-loop shoppers | 27 % relative change |
Most buying remained deliberate: 77% of open-loop purchases were planned in advance, while 84% of closed-loop purchases were described as mostly or always planned. The company connected that advance planning with the importance of stocking the brands customers had already decided to buy.
Open-loop shoppers were more willing to stay in a store and ask for help if a card was difficult to find. InComm reported a 14% increase in that willingness and a 22% decline in those choosing another store instead. Closed-loop shoppers also became more willing to ask for help, although going online remained their main response to an unavailable card.
Grocery and online channels grew
Big-box retailers remained the main channel, but grocery stores gained attention. A quarter of open-loop shoppers preferred grocery stores; the corresponding figure for closed-loop shoppers was 17%. InComm also reported growth in online channels, of 24% for open-loop shoppers and 13% for closed-loop shoppers.
Grocery preference by gift-card type
Share preferring grocery stores for gift-card purchases in the 2021 research summary.
% of respective shopper group
Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.
Source
The source says a quarter for open-loop shoppers and 17% for closed-loop shoppers. Different card-type respondent groups; country, group sizes, recruitment and weighting are undisclosed. These are stated channel preferences, not grocery sales shares.
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| Category | % of respective shopper group |
|---|---|
| Open-loop shoppers | 25 % of respective shopper group |
| Closed-loop shoppers | 17 % of respective shopper group |
The findings included a recovery in cards bought for other people. Open-loop gifting to family sometimes served practical purposes, such as unexpected expenses or managing money, while closed-loop buyers reported confidence in choosing brands their recipients would like. InComm’s analysis links those gifting and self-use patterns with the need for a broad retail selection and clear communication of offers.
In this article
Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed covers industry acquisitions, investment and market research for Gift Card News.