Gift Cards Are The New 'It' Gift For Canadians: Rakuten.ca Poll

Canadians split between using gift cards for self or others

TORONTO, Dec. 9, 2019 /CNW/ - Last-minute shoppers rejoice: a gift card may be exactly what your loved ones are looking for this year. According to the results of Rakuten.ca's annual survey, Canadians are happy to receive gift cards as a holiday gift (84 per cent) and most (70 per cent) consider them a thoughtful gift. This makes it a win-win for gift-givers, the majority of whom (83 per cent) say that gift cards greatly simplify their holiday gift shopping. 

"They're convenient, they're versatile and they're proven to be thoughtful when you choose the right retailer for the person you're gifting," says Graziella Mitri, brand specialist and resident shopping expert at Rakuten.ca. "This is especially a great option for Canadians looking to finish their holiday shopping." 

Canadians are strategic when it comes to using their gift cards. Almost half plan to save their gift cards for the new year as a post-holiday pick-me-up. Another 45 per cent will likely use it to purchase a gift for someone else. This "re-gifting" is most prevalent among younger shoppers, with 55 per cent of those under 35 stating they've used their gift cards to purchase gifts, as opposed to only a third for those 45 or older.

With the holidays closing in, many Canadian shoppers are not done checking everything off their list just yet. While nearly two-thirds of Canadians have already begun their holiday shopping this year, 33 per cent say they'll likely wra up their shopping "in the nick of time before the holidays hit." And, another 30 per cent say the majority of their holiday shopping happens last minute. 

A great time to use gift cards is on Boxing Day. Forty per cent plan to shop for themselves, compared to only 26 per cent during Black Friday and 30 per cent during Cyber Monday. But while 50 per cent of Canadians are planning to shop this Boxing Day, only 33 per cent of total respondents have included these expenses as part of their holiday budget, making gift cards an ideal way to ease cash flow.

"We're seeing an increase in those who prefer to shop online on Boxing Day," says Mitri, citing the survey's five-point increase in online shoppers to 31 per cent in 2019 from 26 per cent in 2018. "At the end of a busy holiday season, online shopping is the best way to quickly purchase the items you need and put your gift cards to use!"

Topping the list of items consumers are shopping for include clothing/accessories, electronics and health/beauty, though many see Boxing Day as a good time to gear up for their New Year's resolutions. About half (49 per cent) will be shopping for healthier food items on Boxing Day and 40 per cent will be looking to purchase fitness and workout items.

Rakuten.ca recently expanded their Gift Card Shop to include 30 malls nationwide including Yorkdale Mall (ON), Crossiron Mills (AB), Montreal Eaton Centre (QC), Mayfair Shopping Centre (BC) and Mic Mac Mall (NS). Rakuten.ca members can earn up to 5% Cash Back on more than 100 gift cards across categories like gas, grocery, restaurants and travel. Visit Rakuten.ca/GiftCardShop to learn more and purchase your last minute gift cards at retailers like Cineplex, Air Canada, Walmart and Indigo. 

About the survey The Rakuten Canada survey was conducted online by Ignite Lab, a Toronto-based survey consultancy specializing in retail, travel and technology segments, in October 2019 with a nationally representative sample of 1,023 Canadians. A sample of this size is accurate to within +/-3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Rakuten.ca. Rakuten.ca is a leading e-commerce company that provides free membership for deals, rewards and Cash Back to its over 5 million Canadian members – and counting. Since launching in 2012, Rakuten.ca has helped Canadians earn over $70 million in Cash Back at over 750 of their favourite top-name retailers. Rakuten.ca headquarters are located in North York, Ontario, and is proudly built by Canadians, for Canadians. For more information, visit Rakuten.ca.

SOURCE Rakuten.ca

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]