Nearly 60% of children using gift cards make impulse purchases, with toys and board games their most popular choices.
In addition, 60% of mothers reported that their children received a gift card within the past few months, according to an online survey of mothers with children ages two to 14 conducted by the NPD Group.
The study also found that the average value of the cards was $44, with 55% spending no additional money and 39% spending more than the face value of the gift card. In most cases (67%), the additional bucks came from the parents of the child who was wielding the card.
While toys and board games were the biggest draws, kids ages nine to14 were most likely to buy clothes or video games. Boys were more likely to receive gift cards for electronics or entertainment stores, while girls typically got cards for department stores, clothing stores or book stores.
Most cards were received for Christmas (73%) or birthdays (18%), and some parents are now using gift cards as rewards or for an allowance.
Final survey data was weighted to represent the population of kids ages two to 14, with qualified respondents asked to comment on one child. The fieldwork was conducted between mid-February and early March. NPD subscribers can access the full report at NPD.com.
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