Gift cards will be the most requested gift this year, with nearly 55 percent of consumers reporting they would like to receive a gift card this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Each year, 70 percent of consumers purchase a gift card as a holiday gift and for the fifth year in a row, gift cards are expected to lead holiday purchases.
The main reasons shoppers purchase gift cards, according to a study by Deloitte, are
1. They allow recipients to select their own gift.
2. Gift cards are easier and faster to buy than traditional gifts.
However, nearly one quarter of respondents stated they would be less likely to buy gift cards because they feel gift cards are impersonal.
Offering the convenience of a gift card, but a more personal gift, the GiveCard is the first and only gift card that allocates $5 from every card for a donation to a charity of the recipient’s choice. Recipients have the choice of thousands of organizations that they can donate to. The sender has the option to personalize the delivery of the card through online capabilities on GiveCard.com. The rest of the money left on the card is for spending like cash, everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. It’s like two personal gifts in one.
The idea for including a donation within a gift card came while founder Clayton “Nick” Nicholas was stationed overseas in the military. His mom liked to receive gift cards, but he always wanted to send her something more personal, which was often difficult with limited options and the distance separating them. A more meaningful, personal gift card that benefited a cause she believed in solved the problem–and an idea was born.
On average, if just one percent of gift cards given were GiveCards, an additional $50 million would be donated to charity. That’s the power of microgiving: small contributions adding up to a big impact. With the struggles charities have seen during this turbulent economy, these donations are providing a vital impact. Recipients can choose from thousands of national and local 501(c) registered charities like the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Humane Society.
By giving a GiveCard, one generates a small donation and joins the growing community of microgivers who realize that when a large number of people make small individual contributions, they can make a big difference. But microgiving is not just monetary; it’s the small acts of kindness and charity made by people around the world every day. Join the microgiving movement on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GiveDay. To learn more about microgiving and GiveCard, visit www.GiveCard.com.
