Gift Card Packaging Drive Card Purchases

Gift card buyers look for special packaging to enhance the gift experience.

Consumers are more likely to buy gift cards that come with free packaging to enhance the gift experience, a recent survey found.

The 2008 Gift Card Packaging Study, commissioned by Seastone, a gift card packaging manufacturer, found 84% of people would buy a gift card if it came with free packaging. Some 55% of consumers said they were more open to buying a gift card if additional packaging was available for purchase. That number grew to 62% if multiple packaging options were available, the study found.

The top form of gift card packaging is a tin box (29%) followed by paper pouches at 19%, greeting cards at 15% and stuffed animal designs at 10%. Some 78% of people said they would buy gift card packaging for birthdays followed by December holidays at 72%.

“Gift card packaging has grown rapidly as a retail product category over the past few years, and this survey shows that consumer awareness is very high,” said Eric Child, Seastone president, in a statement.

Seastone said companies that don’t offer gift card packaging miss out on potential sales.

Shoppers are willing to spend $1.43 for a paper carrier, $2.48 for a tin box and up to $3.66 for a stuffed animal to house their gift cards. But most said they would spend $5 more on a gift card that came with free packaging, the study found.

The Marketing Workshop polled 1,003 people online between Jan. 22-25 for the study.

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