One thing that shocked me was that the number of consumers planning to buy gift cards this Christmas is not as big as last year.
Gift cards are strongest when there's nothing to buy.
Gift cards are becoming an easier gift to give. Of course, nobody ever returned cash, either.
Customers are being just as protective with their gift cards as they were with their own money when buying Christmas gifts. The idea of free money is all in the past. They want value or something very special.
About 30% of people who got gift cards plan to use them this week. Many retailers are going to be putting out spring merchandise to get people excited about it.