According to the CEB TowerGroup 2015 Gift Cards Report, overall gift card sales reached $129.7 billion in 2015, with spending on closed loop gift cards reaching $82 billion, up from $79 billion in 2014. Digital gift cards showed the greatest growth of any segment, up 26% to $7.1 billion in 2015. Gift cards are an important offering for merchants. They help acquire new customers and build loyalty and increase purchase frequency with existing customers.

Beyond just revenue from the face value of gift cards, merchants benefit from the incremental spending that takes place when gift cards are redeemed. Having a robust gift card offering also ensures that merchants maximize their ability to capture consumer spending on gifts over the course of the year and especially around holidays.

CashStar worked with Libran Research & Consulting to better understand online gift card purchasers. This 2016 research, conducted with consumers who have purchased plastic and digital gift cards through the CashStar platform, will provide valuable insights to merchants who have or are evaluating an online gifting program.

The report features answers to questions addressed by the research such as:

• Who purchases gift cards online?
• How satisfied are buyers with their purchase experience?
• Which personalization options are important?
• How prevalent is self-purchase?