Plastic gift card

According to results from Standard Register's National Consumer Retailer Survey of Plastic Card Usage, 45 percent of adults have used prepaid gift cards, an increase of 34 percent over last year's survey. The holiday season is the number-one gift card giving occasion, with birthdays a close second. Consumers spent an average of $200 a year on gift cards, an increase of $61 from 2000.

Prepaid telephone card usage rose 14 percent, and the research found the following percentages of adults use: credit cards, 87 percent; ATM cards, 62 percent; membership cards, 52 percent; debit cards, 41 percent; prepaid telephone cards, 43 percent; loyalty cards, 18 percent; and smart cards, percent.

According to the results of the retailer survey, which included interviews with 50 of the top 250 retailers, 44 out of 50 offer gift cards, prepaid telephone cards, or loyalty cards. Retailers cite convenience to customers and increasing sales as the most important reasons for offering the cards. The survey results also show that retailers believe the battle for consumers takes place inside the retail environment. In-store signage and point-of-purchase displays remain the most common methods used by retailers for generating awareness of prepaid cards. From an external communications standpoint, 80 percent of retailers use print advertising, followed by the Internet, 57 percent; radio, 25 percent; and television, 18 percent.