Consumers Filling eStockings and Going Mobile According to 2011 Holiday Survey

This holiday season, CashStar’s annual holiday shopping trends survey found that consumers are going to fill eStockings and plan to leverage their smartphones. eGift Cards are an expected eCommerce bright spot for retailers this challenging economic holiday season as more than 70 percent of consumers prefer the convenience of eGift Cards over plastic. Also, the survey found that consumers will be walking and shopping this holiday season with more than a quarter of shoppers with smartphones planning to use them to purchase gifts. The survey of U.S. online shoppers was conducted in November 2011 by CashStar, the digital gifting and incentives company.

Shoppers are clearly stating that they prefer to send personalized eGift Cards this holiday season over plastic. Also, consumers are still watching their wallets with 80 percent stating that an incentive would make them more likely to purchase a digital gift. While still a developing but key digital gifting channel, 12 percent would leverage a social network such as Facebook to send their eGifts. Also, reflecting both the growth of mobile and digital gifting, more than 30 percent of respondents with smartphones would buy eGift Cards if available this year, up 10 percent from 2010.

“Consumer lives have gone digital and mobile and, logically, their holiday shopping choices match these trends,” said David Stone, CEO and co-founder of CashStar. “Reflecting the growth opportunity of digital gifting, more retailers are offering consumers the ability to send personalized eGift Cards from multiple channels including brand websites, Facebook and smartphones. They are also providing many special offers, like those found at www.clickittogiftit.com, to help consumers meet their holiday budgets.”

Other key highlights from this year’s survey include:

• Video still hot – More than a third said that a personalized video option makes them more inclined to send an eGift Card.
• Gift cards still booming – Even more are giving gift cards once again this holiday - 68 percent in 2011 versus 54 percent in 2010 plan to give gift cards.
• Gift card givers are generous this year – 40 percent are giving $100 or more in gift cards this holiday season.
• Consumers buying gift cards in more places - Restaurants now share more equally with department stores, general retail, specific retailers and entertainment.
• Recipients shift in 2011 - While friends and mothers were the primary beneficiaries of gift cards last year, it appears the market is evolving with 45 percent this year going to children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
• Consumers buying online and then printing at home - 85 percent of consumers surveyed make purchases online and then print coupons, eGift Cards, movie tickets or boarding passes for use in the physical world.

The 2011 Holiday Online Shopper Trends Survey is an annual national survey designed to provide insight into the holiday gifting behavior of online shoppers. The survey was conducted in November 2011 via Zoomerang, an online survey services provider, and is based on 1439 respondents. The survey is sponsored by CashStar. A graphic research brief providing detailed information on the findings is available at http://www.cashstar.com/egift-card-resource-center/.

About CashStar, Inc.

CashStar is the preferred digital gifting and incentives partner for retailers nationwide. Its powerful platform delivers retailers high-margin sales, promotes online and in-store traffic and encourages customer loyalty by providing consumers with the most personal, compelling and convenient gifting experiences available. CashStar is the only company to successfully combine an on-demand digital gifting and incentives platform with innovative multichannel marketing strategies. More than 200 brands are successfully partnering with CashStar to drive incremental sales, increase retention and boost profitability including Gap, Best Buy, Chili's Bar and Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Hot Topic, The Container Store, CVS/ pharmacy, The Home Depot, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Landry's Restaurants, Pizza Hut, Regal Cinema, Staples and Travelocity. To learn more about how CashStar is constantly innovating the way businesses deliver personalized gifting experiences to consumers and partners in the digital world, please visit www.cashstar.com or e-mail sales@cashstar.com.

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