InComm Payments found that 42% of open-loop gift card purchases were intended for the purchaser's own use in its 2023 research. The company discussed the findings in August 2024, drawing on 6,475 gift card shoppers surveyed across the four quarters of 2023.

Convenience was the leading reason given for self-use. The research also identified money management and privacy as factors, including the desire to allocate a set amount for purchases without sharing details of a linked bank or credit card account at the point of sale.

The average value of a card bought for self-use was $51.93, which InComm reported as 8.4% higher than the average for cards bought as gifts. That comparison concerns the value purchased on the card, rather than the total amount later spent in a shop.

Around one third of self-use closed-loop consumers said they spent more than the card's face value when redeeming it. Among those who spent extra, 41% reported spending at least $50 above the card value. The latter percentage applies to the overspending group, not all gift card shoppers.

InComm suggested that retailers consider self-use promotions, discounts, free shipping and loyalty points or cashback offers when engaging this audience. These were proposed programme tactics following the research.

The findings show a separate purchasing purpose alongside conventional gifting: customers buying cards as a tool for their own spending. All the survey figures in the article relate to 2023, despite the August 2024 publication date.