Gift Cards and Gift Giving

Gift cards are frequently located at premium points inside the retail space where stores sell not only their own cards but also other retailers’ cards for almost every occasion. Media encouraged practitioners to promote these cards. However, this emerging phenomenon of consumers’ preference of gift cards has not been explored thoroughly yet. The objective of the current study is to understand consumer reactions to gift cards in terms of their impact in gift giving and gift receiving relationships. Specifically, this qualitative research seeks to investigate the following research objectives: (1) How gift givers and receivers perceive gift cards; (2) What roles of gift cards play in gift giving rituals; and (3) What meanings gift cards communicate for receivers and givers.