BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — A survey from gift card processor and issuer,Comdata Stored Value Solutions, has found that a whopping 95% ofthe 600 consumers surveyed between Aug. 31 and Sept. 5 had receivedor purchased a gift card.

The response is 25% more than what was reported in 2005, thecompany said.

Birthdays and what the company called the “Winter Holidays” arethe leading occasions for which people buy gift cards and 27% ofconsumers surveyed said they purchased their cards over theInternet. By contrast, 22% said they purchased them at a mall kioskor store.

Significantly, 31% of consumers reported having purchased a giftcard for themselves in the last year, a jump from the 12% whoreported having done so in the 2005 survey. Additionally, 24% ofconsumers surveyed reported getting gift cards from their employersas a bonus, incentive or reward.

The average load purchasers gave their gift cards was $46, thecompany said. This was up 21% from 2003.

The survey seemed to indicate that the industry had made realprogress against the leading reason people listed for not havingused gift cards in the past–just not having thought about usingthem.

Recipients most often report receiving department store andrestaurant/fast food gift cards, followed by cards for books,clothing, and discount stores, the survey found. They are mostlikely to prefer cards from restaurants and department stores.

While card preferences vary somewhat among ethnicities, genderis more likely to predict preferences. More than one-half of giftcard recipients use their card for the first time within one monthof receiving it, and two-thirds say that they use up the fullamount within one month. While two-thirds use the entire value ofthe card in one visit, one-quarter visit the retailer twice, andone in ten goes back three or more times.

Two recipients in five say that they have left value on a card.The amount is usually less than one dollar and respondents say thatit isn't enough with which to bother.

Consumer advocates have criticized the cards for not providingsufficient value due to the small amounts often left on them.–[email protected]