Seastone Study Suggests Even Grown-Ups Want Gifts Wrapped

Entire 2008 Gift Card Packaging Study Released to Public on Seastone Web Site

Seastone, the market leader in specialty gift card packages and gift card promotional programs, recently found evidence connecting adult gifting behavior with the childlike wonder of packages received in childhood. The 2008 Gift Card Packaging Study, now released to the public in its entirety on the Seastone Web site, demonstrates that adult consumers favor gift card packages when buying and receiving gift cards. Coupled with Comdata research* indicating two thirds of gift cards are purchased for adults, the data indicates that adults prefer gift cards that are presented in packages and can be opened and discovered.

“We learn early in life to relish the mystery of a gift inside a special box or wrapping paper,” said Eric Child, Seastone President. “This latest research suggests that we carry this desire to ‘unwrap’ our presents into adulthood. Now that gift cards are the most requested gift, savvy retailers will gain a competitive advantage by serving this consumer need for dressing up the gift card.”

The Seastone study, performed by The Marketing Workshop, found that a large percentage of consumers (88%) are aware of special gift card packaging, and four in ten (39%) have purchased gift card packaging. The high level of gift card packaging awareness shows that retailers who are not yet offering this category are missing a huge opportunity. In addition, retailers who have early stage gift card packaging programs will benefit by expanding their programs to offer more options, year-round.

Consumers have the highest expectation of finding gift card packaging at card or stationary stores (86%), mass merchandisers (85%), drugstores (62%) and department stores (59%). Gift card packaging is most likely to be purchased for a birthday (78%), followed by the December holidays (72%).

With more than 100 million units shipped in 2007, Seastone is the market leader in the fast growing category of gift card packaging. For a copy of the entire 2008 Gift Card Packaging Study visit http://www.seastone.com/html/benefits_2008_study.html.

About Seastone

Seastone (www.seastone.com) is the market leader in specialty gift card packages and gift card promotional programs. The company pioneered specialty gift card packaging and offers turnkey gift card promotional programs through its Give-A-Gift™ brand. Seastone also provides fully customizable programs utilized by many of the nation’s largest retailers, restaurants, banks and mall groups. Additional information about Seastone’s Give-A-Gift™ brand and customizable programs is available at www.seastone.com.

*Comdata Adult Gift Card Survey 2007

Contacts

PilmerPR
John Pilmer, 801-369-7535
jpilmer {at} pilmerpr(.)com