The third annual National Use Your Gift Card Day is coming up on Saturday, January 15, reminding consumers to go out and spend unused gift cards. The day aims to stop the loss of billions of dollars in forgotten gift cards, which amounts to $15.3 billion according to Bankrate.com.
According to a Pitney Bowes BOXpoll survey, most consumers who receive a gift card (58%) plan to spend it either within days or a few weeks after the holiday, and nearly one in three (30%) consumers spend gift cards months after the holidays.
“Most of us received at least one or two gift cards this holiday season,” says Tracy Tilson, founder of the national shopping holiday. “National Use Your Gift Card Day is a reminder – right after the holiday gift card giving season – to rescue those unused gift cards and use them before they are forgotten.”
Retailers and restaurants supporting the national shopping holiday include:
- Applebee’s
- Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s
- Bonefish Grill
- Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Chick-fil-A
- Chipotle
- Levenger
- Macy’s
- Melting Pot
- Panera Bread
- Smashburger
Retailers and restaurants can give consumers the opportunity to add value to their cards by offering a special incentive to use their gift cards on National Use Your Gift Card Day, such as giving a free cookie with the use of a gift card for a purchase.
