Gifts Industry Daily Noise News

Hawaiian Gift Card Ban on Fees Begins July 1, 2005

2005-06-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hawaii's new gift card law will soon take effect. Beginning July 1st of 2005, retailers will be prohibited from levying a fee on consumers for not using gift cards. Executive director of the Hawaiian State Office of Consumer Protection, Stephen H. Levins, stated, "They can no longer charge a dormancy fee if the cards aren't being used."

Several merchants offering gift cards currently charge a monthly maintenance fee if the gift card continues to have a balance after six months or a year. Hawaii is among twelve other states that have passed legislation curbing or regulating fees and other penalties. Currently it is also illegal in Hawaii for stores to offer a gift card that expires in less than two years. An expiration date must come after two years from date of purchase. In 2004 U.S. consumers puchased $45 billion worth of gift cards.

Wedding Gift Ideas Offered on Early Show of CBS Network

2005-06-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

The CBS Network Early Show recently hosted Kiplinger's Personal Finance spokesperson, Vera Gibbons, where she offered insider tips and advice on saving money on choosing wedding gifts. Ms. Gibbons stated, "Ultimately it depends on your relationship with the bride, groom or both. But it's not required to go to everything, particularly if you're just a casual acquaintance and it involves travel. One thing you do want to do, though, is RSVP. That's just good manners."

Referring to the 'The Wedding Channel', Gibbons reminded viewers that the average wedding engagement gift amount is about $35, and a wedding shower gift has an average of $25. Regarding wedding gift ideas, Gibbons stated the wedding gift is most commonly based on the giver's relationship with the bride and the groom, in combination with the giver's budget. "If you're a college grad and you spend just $50, that's perfectly acceptable. They wouldn't want you to break the bank. They want to you go to their wedding," continued Gibbons.

Additional ways to save include choosing personalized wedding gifts. Gibbons said, "If you can't afford the expensive china that they registered for, for example, give them a nice place setting and enclose a copy of an old family recipe. Put together a scrapbook or photo album or some of your more memorable moments. This is the kind of thing that can really go a long way." Another possibility is offering your talent. She added, "If you can sing, play the guitar, or have some other special talent, show it off. This is something they'll remember for forever and it won't matter that you only spent $50 or less on the actual gift."

Wedding Gifts to Favored Charities Increasingly More Common

2005-06-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

According to wedding gift industry insiders, there is a growing trend in making charitable donations instead of buying wedding gifts. Affluent brides and grooms are increasingly redirecting friends and family to charities that include the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research, Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam and others. One recently married couple said, “We had lots of stuff so we wanted to get rid of things before we got married. We wanted to ask our guests to instead donate to charity." According to wedding gift industry sources the average wedding has raised about $1,500 for various causes and charities. With the average age of marrying couples at 35 for men and 32 for women experts believe more people are likely to avoid traditional wedding lists and choose more benevolent wedding gift-giving plans.

Steak Branding Irons Expected to Soar in Sales As Father's Day Gift Idea

2005-06-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

Sources for the gift industry recently reported personalized steak branding irons are expected to be popular father's day gifts in 2005. Several different manufacturers offering various father's day gift BBQ branding irons are featuring designs that include western themed brands, letter brands and major college branding irons for BBQ cookouts, picnics and tailgate parties.

Beyond fathers day gift ideas, recent reports reveal branding irons are gaining popularity in corporate gift, wedding gift and Christmas gift categories. Manufacturers have engineered the implements to heat on grills during the meat cooking process. Other styles currently on the market include mini-brands which can be heat up simply with a lighter.

UB Librarians Develop Graduation Gift Ideas Selector

2005-05-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Fred Stoss and David Bertuca, two librarians in the Arts and Sciences Library at the University of Buffalo, recently developed a "Graduate Gift Ideas" selector. Bertuca states on the website, "You can buy a standard graduation gift, of course. But if you want a gift that really says something about a graduate's specialty or peculiar genes, please read on before doing the easy way out by buying a graduation sports car..."

The University of Buffalo librarians list as examples of unique gift ideas, a statue of the lovely "Francine, a study in languor," the Pillaged Village, or even a Hershey's chocolate diploma. Consumers are instructed to go to the UB site and click the link to Graduation Gift Ideas where viewers will then be provided with a complete list of web sites that explain how to select a Graduation Gift, as well as highlighting 2005's top 10 Graduation Gifts.

Bertuca explains the the UB website includes a list of links to observatory gift shops, museum stores, math lovers, sites that feature gifts for actual or amateur biohazard managers, paleontologists, historians, musicians, biochemists, meteorologists, poets, artists, geographers and cartography enthusiasts.

Verizon Superpages.com to Offer Graduation Gift Ideas

2005-05-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Verizon Superpages.com., an online shopping and local search directory, announced recently that it is now providing graduation gift ideas for high school and college boys and girls. Company spokesmen stated that Verizon superpages.com is focusing on graduation gift ideas for the purpose of assisting graduates, their families and friends in making selections.

The company recommends that for the best or unique graduation gifts, consumers should carefully consider the graduate's future plans. Whether the graduate plans to attend college, law school, nursing school or enter directly into the workforce, it is possible to find a variety of cheap graduation gifts from portfolios to Class of 2005 picture frames at any local bookstore. Additionally, for graduation gifts that are truly one-of-a-kind, consider gift items that can be personalized, embroidered or monogrammed.

For those organizing a graduation party, the company said that local stationery stores offer a wide selection of invitations, decorations and guest books that can be personalized for a specific person or party theme.

Graduation Gift Idea List Released by Financial Industry

2005-05-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

The financial industry has recently released a list of high school graduation and college graduation gift ideas. An industry spokesman highlighted several considerations graduation gift givers need to consider before making a selection. For instance, often times graduates don't live close by, so consumers may not be familiar with the recipients' interests or habits. Also, the difference between a high-school or a college graduate is likely enough of an age discrepancy to alter the graduation gift selection. Listed below are several featured categories to consider:

Electronics - The obvious selection in this category is an iPod. However, a college graduate gift entering the world of business may find a handheld PDA to be more practical. It is important to remember that many new cell phones have features that provide both of these things, keeping an organizer and playing music. Find out first what the graduate already owns.

College spirit - Popular high-school graduation gifts are ones that make reference to the college the student plans to attend. Merchandise with their college's logo is an excellent option.

Money - This is usually the best option if the recipient's interests are completely unkown. A gift certificate is often a good alternative to cash.

Phone - These are particularly good college or high-school graduation gifts for those who will be moving away from home to go to college or beginning a new job. Also many cell phones now include free nationwide calling plans.

Travel - Several airlines now offer travel vouchers that can be purchased and then redeemed over a one-year period, at the graduate's choice. The gift giver can also consider using their own frequent flyer miles and travel rewards before they expire.

Tuition assistance - A graduation gift of financial assistance is becoming more frequent and is usually the most appreciated by the recipient. It is important to remember that for financial-aid purposes, gifts made directly to the college may be best for the graduate.

Subscription - A subscription to a financial publication such as SmartMoney, Kiplinger Personal Finance or The Wall Street Journal is one of the few college and high-school graduation gifts that is ongoing. Many discounts are also offered to students.

First investment - Another option is a single share of stock to start the graduate on a systematic investment program. Online companies such as oneshare.com and sharebuilder.com offer choices for either a share of stock to give as a gift or a program to start the graduate on a monthly investment schedule.

Professional advice - A gift for graduation that also keeps giving for the long term is access to a financial adviser that can provide valuable direction and possibly assistance with employee-benefit elections at the graduate's new employer.

Herbal Supplement Cited as New Trend in Mothers Day Gifts

2005-05-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

Gift industry analysts recently announced this year's selection of the most unusual, yet popular, Mother's Day gift for 2005. They highlight a liquid sexual health supplement, called African Fly, that users claim can reverse the effects of diabetes and that can sometimes lower sexual energy and drive. Brian Ayers, founder of Genesis BioTech, manufacturers of African Fly, said, "We have had fathers and sons as customers for awhile. We never gave much thought to African Fly as a Mother's Day gift. But it has been used as a bridal shower gift, Valentines Day gift and Christmas gift."

A recent study reports that 67% of older couples are seeking out remedies to improve their sex lives. As baby boomers mature and life expectancy keeps rising, many seniors believe a healthy sex drive is important to a continuing relationship. Mr. Ayers added, "We expect sales of African Fly to increase for holidays like Mothers Day and Fathers Day as people begin to see the role that a sexual health supplement can have in their lives. The company explains that African Fly is made from eight herbs indigenous to Africa, which can stimulate testosterone and blood flow. While often compared to Viagra, Genesis states that it is a distinctly different formula that sets itself apart by creating results in both men and women.

Mothers Day Gift Purchases for Jewelry Outpaces All Other Categories

2005-05-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

According to a study recently conducted by Internet telecommunications infrastructure provider Verisign, online sales of jewelry outpaced all other Mother's Day gifts categories for 2005. Results of the study state that jewelry sales increased 79% over 2004, with diamond sales up the highest at 101%.

The diamond category average purchase price was $517, according to the Verisign study, with total online Mother's Day gift purchases from April 25 to May 8 increasing 24% to $4.4 billion. Purchases made for Mothers Day gifts accounted for 54.8 million transactions, a 31% increase from the same period in 2004. The most popular online shopping day was Monday May 2nd, with 5.43 million transactions valued at $473 million. Online candy sales for Mothers day gifts remained flat, although chocolate sales is reported to have increased 56%. Surprisingly, online flower purchases decreased 13% in 2005.

The Verisign study was conducted through a process of compiling statistics through an analysis of online sales volume processed through Verisign Payment Services, which handles transactions for 135,000 online retailers or over 37% of all North American e-commerce.

Photography Industry Provides Mothers Day Gift Ideas

2005-05-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

A spokesman for the photography industry recently outlined a series of suggestions and recommendations for consumers to consider when purchasing pictures and portraits for Mother's Day gift ideas. The spokesman stated, "Moms are usually the center of the family and they are often the ones responsible for capturing all of the memories. Moms are typically the ones documenting the family milestones. So when it comes to the professional family photos, many moms have to beg their families to participate to preserve these lasting moments. The gift of photography resonates with many mothers because not only is it a chance to capture their family in the present, but also capturing the personalities and relationships for future enjoyment."

Highlighted recommendations of gift ideas for Mother's Day include selecting a gift certificate for a family sitting with a professional photographer; creating a composite of family pictures from the past and having the collage framed to hang in a special place at home or in her office, similarly unique family albums and scrapbooks are recommended as well; Long distance families can have everyone send in photos to create a family collage, and each family member is invited to hold a sign with a part of a phrase such as "We love you" or "Happy Mothers Day" and present the photos in a special card on the holiday.

Mother's Day Gift Selection Made Easier with Yahoo Shopping Gift Finder

2005-05-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

The new Yahoo Shopping Gift Finder has rolled out in time for searchers looking to find the perfect Mother's Day Gift. The online tool enables users to find a gift that's tailored to match the recipient's interests and personality. Described as a "recommendation engine", the tool allows users to specify a few key variables, such as age, personality type and other information and then suggest Mother's Day gifts and the online merchants that offer them.

Yahoo's Shopping Gift Finder offers customized recommendations drawing from 60 million products from more than 200,000 merchants. The service is powered by Choicestream, a provider of personalization services. In performing a Mother's Day gift search, users select the type of gift they are looking for by indicating the recipient's age, gender and relationship of the person the user is shopping for, they can then describe the recipient's lifestyle using categories such as "active retiree," "fitness fanatic," or "stylish, sophisticated" by clicking appropriate links.

A list of Mother's Day gift search results that match the searcher's criteria is then created. Results are grouped into categories, allowing users to drill down by clicking the "more like this" link for each category. Yahoo reports that members can save information about products as well as the profile so one doesn't have to build it again when he or she returns.

Detroit Zoo Announces Special Mother's Day Gift Program

2005-05-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

The Detroit Zoo has announced a special Mother's Day Gift program it hopes consumers will choose to give this year to mothers, wives, grandmothers and friends. In honor of the Zoo’s newest mother, Barle, the polar bear, the Detroit Zoo is having its first Mother’s Day Wildlife Preserver, Adopt-an-Animal Program. This special Mother’s Day gift box includes an adorable plush polar bear with a personalized adoption certificate, a card and fact sheets. Officials stated the promotion runs until the end of May.

Zoo officials explained that Barle’s story is particularly heartwarming for mothers of all kinds. Barle had a difficult start in life. The Detroit Zoo rescued her from the Suarez Brothers Circus in Puerto Rico in 2002. Since then, she has made a complete recovery, giving birth to her healthy cub.

The Detroit Zoological Institute, is comprised of the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Zoo. The Institute, founded in 1928, is committed to celebrating and saving wildlife. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is open year round with several indoor viewing areas. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is located on Belle Isle Park in Detroit. The Detroit Zoological Society works to promote the general welfare and interests of the Detroit Zoological Institute. Financial support has allowed the Zoo to expand its animal collection, open new exhibits, and implement major beautification projects.

Flowers and Jewelry Reported to be the Mother's Day Gifts of Choice for 2005

2005-04-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

More than 55% of respondents to a recent gift industry survey reported that they plan to buy a Mother’s Day gift, with flowers and jewelry nearly even as the most popular gift choice for 2005. However, flowers saw a sharp decline in popularity, chosen by only 17%, down from 30% last year, while fine jewelry was chosen by 17%, up from 15% in 2004, according to the study.

The highest percentage of respondents also plan to purchase their Mothers Day gift one or two weeks before the holiday, earlier than they did last year. Slightly less than 25% indicated they will purchase their gift within one month of Mother’s Day. National jewelry chain stores and local independent fine jewelers are the top shopping venues. The majority of respondents plan to spend under $300 on fine jewelry for mom.

Over 50% of the mothers in the study responded that receiving a Mother’s Day gift is either somewhat or extremely important to them.

Mother's Day Gift Promotion Announced By Girlgear Industries

2005-04-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Girlgear Industries recently announced it's 2005 Mother's Day gift promotion. Company spokesmen stated that they are offering a 20% discount on the Pink Tool Belt for customers purchasing Mother's Day gifts. The special Mother's Day discounted price is valid through May 15th, 2005. Further details described in the announcement include the requirement that customers must purchase the Pink Tool Belt directly from the Girlgear Industries website.

In meeting current Mother's Day gift demands, the company stated that it has expanded the Pink Tool Belt product line to include leather tool belts and related home and garden accessories designed especially for women. The products offered are heavy-duty industrial grade, yet lightweight and shaped for a woman's body. The Pink Tool Belt is currently popular with professional contractors, carpenters, renovators, landscapers and handywomen. Girlgear Industries added that over half of their sales of the Pink Tool Belt product line are to men who purchase Valentine's Day and Mother's Day gifts. Girlgear Industries is currently working on special edition Pink Tool Belts to benefit the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness foundation and the Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program.

Global Gift Industries Offers Free Martha Stewart Everyday Candle Replacement

2005-04-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the Kmart and Global Gift Industries, has announced a voluntary recall of the Martha Stewart Everyday "sunny meadow" four-piece sanded votive candle sets. Consumers are instructed to stop using the recalled products immediately. Kmart and Global Gift Industries explained the "sunny meadow" four-piece sanded votive candle sets can have a high flame, posing a risk of burn injuries to consumers.

Kmart reported that it has received one account of a high flame, but no reports of injuries so far. The scented, flowerpot-shaped candles are approximately 2.5" high and have a sand coating and were sold in two different four-piece sets. The recalled candle sets were sold at Kmart stores nationwide between April 2004 and January 2005. Consumers can contact the manufacturer, Global Gift Industries, to request a free replacement product. Consumers can also return the candles to any Kmart store for a full refund.

Graduation Gift Certificate Concept Announced By Resume Ink

2005-04-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Lynham, President of Resume Ink, recently announced the company has launched a new Graduation Gift concept to coincide with the upcoming high school and college graduation season. Specifically, Lynham explained the program is called Resume Ink Gift Certificates that are intended to result in powerfully composed resumes and cover letters that can help graduates get the interviews they are seeking.

Lynham stated, "When writing their own resumes, many entry-level job applicants underestimate their experience, often omitting impressive information. On the flip side, some exaggerate their achievements - a tactic hiring managers see right through. Either way, they don’t get the interviews they want. Resume Ink’s specialty is presenting the talents of entry-level jobseekers in ways that attract hiring managers and get interviews."

Bithday Gift Program Created for Visually Impaired Children

2005-04-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a donation to the National Library for the Blind from the Lions Club United Kingdom, visually impaired children throughout the United Kingdom will each receive a special birthday gift this year. Members of the National Library for the Blind between the ages of 8 and 12 will receive a birthday gift in the form of a giant print book to mark their birthdays.

Director information services at the NLB, Pat Beech, stated "Visually impaired children don't have the same opportunities to buy books as their sighted friends, which makes the Birthday Gift Book scheme vitally important. They can't just pop to the local shop to browse the Giant Print book selection because it simply doesn't exist. We feel this project is an ideal way for these children to start to build their own personal library of books to read again and again."

Currently only 5% of books published each year in the United Kingdom are available for people that are visually impaired. The addition of a Giant Print service means that NLB will now be able to offer more selections to the 20,000 partially sighted young people and children. Beech added "We launched the UK's very first lending library of books in Giant Print aimed at partially-sighted children and teenagers last year and it's already proving extremely popular. It's a free service to all who need it and we've already had some very positive feedback from parents and schools. The book birthday gifts scheme is a logical extension of this service, and we hope it will prove popular with the children and their parents."

'Secretary of the Year' to Be Awarded by Chamber of Commerce

2005-04-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

A spokesman from the Louisiana Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce announced it is hosting a promotion to select a "Secretary of the Year" in honor of Secretary's Day on April 27. In the first annual promotion all members of the chamber can nominate their secretaries until Wednesday, April 20. The winner will be selected by the Chamber's Executive Board of Directors and the membership committee, with the winner to be announced on April 27, Secretary's Day.

Avon Knowlton, Chamber of Commerce Executive Assistant, stated "We want to recognize our secretaries in the area. They are the backbone of their businesses." Besides the Chamber of Commerce Membership Services Committee, the event is sponsored by Lake Area Limousine, Sweet Dreams, Green's Flowers and Gifts and Double D Steakhouse Restaurant. Knowlton explained that the Secretary's Day gift prize for the winner will be a gift basket of goodies, one dozen roses, a limo ride and lunch.

Secretary's Day Gift Bags Available from Red Cross

2005-04-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Morgan-Lawrence County Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross recently announced they are offering gift bags in appreciation of National Secretary's Day on April 27th. A spokesman explained the Secretary's Day gift bags are on sale for $30, with half of the proceeds going to support Red Cross services.

The spokesman added that the secretary gift bag contents includes a freshwater pearl and organza ribbon necklace donated by Jimmy Smith Jewelers, Masterpiece Collection stationery, a citrus spice-scented candle, citrus foaming bath salts, citrus burst moisturizing lotion, a Red Cross cork coaster, Wilford's cheese crisps, a flower-shaped cookie on a stick, a membership to Curves and a personalized gift card. All this is included in a decorated gift bag. Also it is reported that more than 100 random bags will contain a secret gift item.

Amazon Birthday Gift Determining Tool Receives U.S. Patent

2005-04-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

According to a recent US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) filing, Amazon.com has been granted a United States patent entitled "Methods and systems of assisting users in purchasing items", including the use of gift idea purchasing habits to determine the age, gender and birth-date of gift recipients. More specifically the patent refers to determinining information about gift recipients and using that data to suggest relevant gifts and services, such as birthday gifts or Mother's Day gifts and reminders and age- and gender-appropriate gifts.

The patent states "For example, if the purchased toy is a dress for a doll, it may be inferred that the recipient is a girl. The gender information may be used in determining which gift wrapping colors and patterns should be suggested when the item is being purchased as a gift. For example, if it is inferred that the recipient is a girl, pink or pastel colored gift wrapping may be suggested first."

Most of the Amazon.com patent describes how a Web site can determine the age and birth date of birthday gift recipients. The site is capable of using this information to automatically provide services such as birthday gift reminders. The patent description and filing continues "in order to receive birthday reminders, the customer has to actively provide the date of the birthday to the merchant. Many customers will not take the time to provide such birth dates, and so are deprived of receiving reminders." The patent grants Amazon a monopoly on many data-mining methods applied to identifying when a purchase is a gift, and what type of gift it is. The patent filing explains "If the item being ordered is perfume, and the date is one week before Mother's Day, it may be inferred that the perfume is being purchased as a Mother's Day gift. If a user chooses to send a message with a gift, the system can parse the message for 'key words, such as birthday or anniversary' and infer the type of event associated with the gift."

American Greetings Adds Gift Wrap to Its Product Offerings

2005-03-31T14:30:00.000-08:00

The American Greetings Corporation recently announced that it has acquired a european based manufacturer of high quality gift-wrap products. Located in Cleveland Ohio, American Greetings is one of the largest manufacturers of gift ideas and supplies including greeting cards, party goods, candles, stationery, calendars, educational products, ornaments and online electronic greeting cards. Details and terms of the transaction have not been announced.

The acquisition will be merged with the American Greetings current line of social expressions products. Chief Executive Officer, Zev Weiss, stated, "This acquisition is precisely the type of transaction we have targeted as part of our strategy to expand our presence in product categories where we have a right to succeed. We are already a formidable presence in greeting cards, and now, we hope to enhance our selling proposition by offering high quality gift-wrap." Senior vice president and head of the international business unit, John Charlton, added that, "The prospect of coupling our retail distribution capabilities with a premier gift-wrap product line should help us profitably grow our european business."

Proflowers.com & 1800flowers.com Valentines Day Traffic Increases Over 40%

2005-03-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

An independent gift industry study reports that consumers once again went online to search for and select Valentines gift ideas. The study suggests 31% of consumers used the internet in researching and purchasing their romantic gifts. Specifically, ProFlowers.com surged with an increase in traffic of 418 percent, 1800flowers.com was up 414 percent in traffic, Bluenile.com surged with a 128 percent increase, RedEnvelope.com traffic increased by 122 percent, Diamond.com was up 120 percent and traffic increased by 91 percent at Avon.com. The research report included consumers that shopped online in the flowers, gifts, Valentine's Day and jewelry categories.

Lillian Vernon Personalized Gifts eCatalog Soon Available on Company's Website

2005-03-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

Direct marketing and retailer, Lillian Vernon, reports that it has recently implemented a full-service eCatalog solution on its newly launched e-commerce website. Lillian Vernon is one of the largest specialty gift catalog marketers in the United States, publishing six catalog titles, among which is a personalized gifts catalog showcasing its collection of personalized products available in the U.S. The company also sells personalized gifts in b2b and outlet store sectors.

Jonathan Shapiro, President of Lillian Vernon Corporation, stated "We wanted to provide our customers with an easy, intuitive way to shop our catalogs online. We chose Scene7's full service eCatalog solution for its project management expertise, world class hosting facilities, and unique automated production processes - which ensure that our eCatalogs are delivered on schedule and error free. This powerful combination made Scene7 an excellent choice to deliver our eCatalogs." Scene7 is a rich media platform provider that focuses on increasing revenues and enhancing visual communications via the web, email, displays and print, at the same time automating media production and delivery for its clients.

"We liked the flexibility that Scene7 offered," added Mr. Shapiro. "This gives us the ability to bring our eCatalog publishing in-house." A company spokesman from Lillian Vernon explained that their personalized gifts catalog will soon be added to the system.

MU Association Uses Free Gifts To Entice Potential Club Applicants

2005-03-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

The Missouri University alumni association reports that its program of sending small free gifts, to peak further interest joining the club, is proving popular. In fact, the association explained, membership reached a record high of more than 35,000 in June 2004. “We try to make it more fun so they take notice of our message and we stand out from the clutter,” director of membership and marketing, David Roloff, stated.

The association explained that some of the gifts it has sent by mail include personalized memo pads, MU buttons, address labels and holographic luggage tags. The mailings further include information about the alumni association and an application to become a member. Mr. Roloff explained the free gifts intrigue people enough for them to open the mailing and read whatever the current message the MU association is promoting.

Boyds Teddy Bear Gifts & Collectibles Reports Fourth Quarter 2004 Financial Results

2005-03-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

The Boyds Collection, Ltd., designer and manufacturer of unique, whimsical and "Folksy With Attitude" teddy bear gifts and collectibles, recently released its financial results for the fourth quarter, ended December 31, 2004. In the fourth quarter of 2004, net sales declined $0.1 million to $21.9 million from $22.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2003. Wholesale net sales in the fourth quarter were $16.0 million, a decrease of $1.4 million, or 8%, from $17.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2003.

According to the company, the decline was primarily attributed to lower bookings as Boyds transitioned to its new sales model in late October of 2004. Additionally, net sales in the retail segment increased $1.3 million, or 29%, to $5.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to $4.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2003. This increase of $1.3 million was a reflection of the opening of the company's second Boyds Teddy Bear gifts store location in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, beginning in November 2004.

On a comparable store basis, retail sales declined by $0.4 million, or 9%, versus the same quarter in 2003. The decline was attributed by the company to lower tourist traffic to the Gettysburg area Boyds Teddy Bears gift store during the fourth quarter. Additionally, Boyds reported a net loss of $2.3 million, or a loss of $0.04 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to a net loss of $1.8 million, or a loss of $0.03 per diluted share, in the same period in 2003. The decline in net income for the fourth quarter of 2004 was due primarily to $0.8 million in restructuring charges for the company's sales force and international operations, $0.4 million in a year-end physical inventory charge, a $0.7 million increase in transportation costs due to higher fuel prices, and $0.5 million pre-opening/operating costs associated with the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Boyds Bear Country gift store. These costs were partially offset by a $1.8 million charge in 2003 for the change in the Boyds Bear CEO.

Chief Executive Officer of Boyds, Jan L. Murley, stated, "In the past few years, the retail environment in which Boyds operates has changed dramatically, characterized by a greater shift towards consumers seeking gift related products in national, mass market stores. We are aggressively working to address this shift and better position our company within this marketplace. Among the actions we have taken are accelerating the pace of introduction of new, innovative product lines at gift price points and recruiting senior management with broad experience in the consumer gift retail sector."

Oscar Nominee Gift Baskets Included Memorex DVD-RW Discs

2005-03-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

Memorex announced that a selection of its products were included in an exclusive gift basket for the non-winning "nominees" at the Oscars. Select nominees who were not chosen to receive the coveted golden statue for their respective categories were given an elaborate, $46,000 gift basket that included the Memorex Mini DVD-RW discs.

The Memorex Mini DVD-RW 3-pack was included in the "Palms Casino Resort Presents 'Everybody Wins at the Oscars'" gift basket produced by Distinctive Assets. The basket of gifts also included resort packages, fashion and beauty gifts and high-end personal services.

Survey Finds Men and Women Differed in Valentines Gift Opinions

2005-03-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

A national gift industry survey released recently found that women and men didn't always agree when it came to Valentine's Day gifts and their pricetags this year. Fifty percent of men thought they needed to spend more than $50 on Valentine's Day, while seventy-five percent of women planned to spend less than that amount on gifts. Most women believed the thought behind the Valentine's Day gift, not its cost, is what mattered. Seventy-five percent of females stated they expected their significant other to spend less than $50, and only 5% expected a gift valued at more than $100.

"This year, it's the smaller, more personalized Valentine's Day gifts that were hot, and you didn't have to spend a lot of money to say 'I love you,'" celebrity shopper and founder of the Los Angeles boutique Intuition Jaye Hersh stated. Romantic gift ideas like personalized his and hers robes, pajamas, pomegranate candles and monogrammed clothing were among the less expensive Valentine's gifts she purchased for her major Hollywood clients.

Romantic italian food and a home-cooked meal were heavily favored for both men and women when planning a romantic dining experience. 32% of those surveyed considered Italian food to be the most romantic meal for Valentine's Day, and 20% thought cooking dinner at home was the ideal date. 11% preferred a steakhouse, 8% chose French food and 7% considered seafood as the most romantic selection.

Men were much more likely to send flowers, with 30% sending flowers as compared to 4% of women that did so. Over 50% of women preferred to receive flowers at home on Valentine's Day, 24% wanted them delivered to their office or workplace, and 20% would receive them in either location equally.

The Ultimate Luxury Wedding Gift Presented to Trump by Shaq

2005-03-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

The entainment industry recently reported that, as a luxury wedding gift from Shaquille O’Neal to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss, O'Neal surprised them with a white Rolls-Royce, dubbed the “Phantom Rolls-Royce” by O'Neal. The massive luxury car is valued at around $325,000. “It’ll be parked at my house when he wants to use it,” O’Neal stated.

He and and his wife Shaunie were among the estimated 400 guests that attended the Trump wedding, the third for the real estate mogul and reality television star. Other guests included Billy Joel, Matt Lauer, Barbara Walters, Rudolph Giuliani and Regis Philbin. Shaquille O'Neal presented the luxury gift at the wedding reception.

Adult Gifts Store Owner Sues Wisconsin County & Town

2005-03-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

The owner of an adult gift store in Hazlehurst, Wisconsin is currently suing the town and Oneida County. Owner Mark Syring stated that his constitutional rights were violated when the county and town revoked his operating permit. Mr. Syring added that the county and town shut down the adult gifts store because he sells "sexually expressive" merchandise.

Mr. Syring established "Darling Gifts" in August of 2004. Town board members stated that Mr. Syring explained to them that he planned to sell toy gifts, clothing, books and movies, however he did not mention that these items were adult themed in nature.

Spa Gift Basket Promotional Program Announced by Elements Home Spa, Inc.

2005-03-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

Elements Home Spa, Inc., a national marketer and distributor of hand-made bath and body products, at-home spa treatments, and soy candles, recently announced a program that offers promotional gift baskets. Christy Kopp, President of Elements Home Spa, stated “We have taken some of our most popular products and added two custom items to create a unique gift basket that features romantic scents of chocolate and vanilla.”

Elements Home Spa and the promotional gift basket program were featured recently on Colorado & Company, a daily magazine show on the Denver NBC affiliate that focuses on Colorado’s best businesses, the products they offer, and the people behind them. All enclosed in a hand-made basket, the gift basket features Oatmeal Honey Body Soap on a wooden soap dish, Vanilla Massage Oil, Chocolate Indulgence Lotion Bar, Vanilla Dead Sea Mineral Bath and Coconut Lip Balm.

“We know that most of our customers do not visit their favorite day spa or destination spa as frequently as they would like, so we have developed a line of spa-quality, natural based products that bring the spa experience home,” continued Kopp. “Our customers enjoy the spa experience in the privacy and comfort of their own home between their spa visits through the use of our luxurious products. There’s no better time to pamper yourself and the one you love."

Elements Home Spa, Inc., based in Englewood, Colorado, distributes and markets hand-made bath and body products, spa treatments and soy candles through its national network of independent sales consultants.

Romantic Gift Basket Supplier Announces Added Selection of Choices

2005-03-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

Nationwide supplier of romantic gift baskets, Gift Basket Village, announced recently it has increased its selection of offerings. President of Gift Basket Village, Susan Flowers, stated “I like to think that our gift baskets will melt your sweetheart’s heart. I design and create each one, paying close attention to every detail, so that they will truly ‘Wow’ your loved one, from the first sight to the last indulgent bite.”

According to Flowers, several of the most popular romantic gift baskets offered are: I Treasure You - Set in a keepsake treasure box basket, a gift basket featuring Karla Kay, a 12-inch plush bear, a variety of relaxing designer bath products, and an ensemble of gourmet treats, from milk chocolate Lindor truffles to a large collectors tin filled with Danish butter cookies. Red Hot Lover: Includes all the essentials for a romantic evening, from a "You Light My Fire” love letter to two red taper candles and chocolate body frosting. Also includes animal print plush "Love Cuffs", a devilish teddy and selection of gourmet goodies, all packaged in a basket decorated with silk ribbons and flowers. Royal Treatment: Features English Rose fizzing mineral bath, bath gel, bubble bath, hand cream and body lotions, as well as exfoliating gloves, loofah cleansing mitt, terry bath pillow, a rose shaped candle, wooden hair brush and slippers. Puppy Love: A gift basket filled with a 19-inch plush puppy surrounded by a box of creamy Lindor truffles, assorted Italian cookies, chocolate caramel peanut clusters, a romantic candle set and chocolate covered cherries.

Established in 2000 and located in Ortonville, Michigan, Gift Basket Village supplies its gourmet gift baskets for holidays and occasions including anniversary, birthday, graduation, wedding, housewarming and and the Christmas holiday.

Gift Basket Company Awarded Exclusive Commercial Contract

2005-03-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

Ballston Spa, New York gift basket company, Expressions of Gratitude, has recently been awarded an exclusive two-year contract supplying M&T Bank with customized gift baskets to augment the bank's business relationships. The gift backet company is expected to service all 662 M&T Bank locations in Maryland, Delaware, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC and West Virginia.

MasterCard to Offer Travel Gifts Worth Over $50,000 at Travel Fair

2005-02-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

MasterCard International announced that it will be awarding over $50,000 in travel gifts of merchandise and prizes to its card members who use their MasterCard branded cards at the Malaysia Airline Travel Fair. This year the convention is to be held at the Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur. In 2004, more than 120,000 visitors attended the travel fair.

“As travel becomes increasingly part of our cardholders’ lifestyle, MasterCard’s continued participation within the travel sphere underscores our commitment in offering our cardholders the best in their holiday and travel experience,” Brunei Jim Cheah, vice president and senior country manager for MasterCard in Malaysia said in a statement.

The Mastercard gift give-away is structured on several spending levels, with the first level travel gift being a travel organiser. Larger Mastercard purchases will earn chances to win gifts including MAS Golden Holidays three-day/two-night free and easy package for two to Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Langkawi, Kuching, Penang or Terengganu and spending money. Cash gifts will also be awarded. Travel fairs are also scheduled to occur in Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Survey of Best Baby Gifts Released

2005-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

A survey of the most popular baby gifts has recently been released. The list of baby gift items ranged from the very practical disposable diapers to a grinder for turning steamed vegetables into homemade baby food. Topping the list of most appreciated new baby gifts were diapers, wipes, burp cloths, blankets, terrycloth covers for changing-table pads, crib sheets, waterproof mattress pad for the crib, practical clothing in larger sizes, onesies, baby bathtub, diaper bag, front carrier or sling, vibrating bouncy seat, exersaucer, digital-camera and supplies, book or journal for recording baby milestones, board books such as "Goodnight Moon," "Guess How Much I Love You," Dr. Seuss, parenting magazine subscription, home-cooked meals, gift certificate for a housecleaning service, gifts for an older sibling who may be feeling left out by all the new-baby talk anything handmade such as quilts.

Gifts Retailer Lauches New Site for Valentine's Day

2005-02-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

Giftnet2india recently announced that it successfully launched a new gift shopping b2b portal that offers custom designed gifts for all occasions and holidays. Giftnet2india explained that it has focused on designing inexpensive gift packages, including kids gifts, birthday gifts, wedding gifts, Valentine’s gift baskets, Christmas gift baskets and Father’s Day-Mother's Day gift ideas.

Specifically the types of products offered include flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, desserts, electronics, perfume gift packages, watches and jewelry. The online gift retailer also reports it offers a wide selection of free electronic greeting cards for all occasions. Giftnet2india.com is managed by Krishna Agencies.

Mall Operator Westcor Releases Top Valentines Day Gift Purchases

2005-02-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

Spokesmen from mall operators, Westcor, recently reported the most sought after men's and women's gift ideas for Valentines Day. The list of top gifts for women included Godiva's Taste of Temptation boxed set, Things Remembered selection of personalized gifts (silver heart-shaped jewelry boxes), "Sleepless in Seattle," "Serendipity," "Chocolat" and "When Harry Met Sally" films, Victoria's Secret floor-length red silk robe, Coach wristlets, pouches that hold money, credit cards, keys and cell phone. At the top of the list for mens Valentine's Day gifts was L'Occitane men's shaving cream, aftershave balm and shower gel. The most popular childens gift idea was Build-a-Bear Workshop, teddy bears for Valentine's Day, with special magnetic paws to blow kisses.

Acer Computers Reports Valentines Day Incentive Program

2005-02-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Acer Computers recently announced they used the Valentine's Day holiday as an incentive program for its partners. Viewed as a novel approach in incentive based sales programs, the offer stated that partners would be eligible to earn points on three levels of scoring. Firstly, sales channel partners could earn backend points on notebooks as per the points program in the Acer current program. Secondly, they could earn Backend Enhancer points in the newly developed "TravelMate Centrino and Celeron Valentines Offer". And thirdly, they could receive "Booster" points-specific to the other newly launched program, TravelMate 2304NLC.

An Acer official stated, "This Valentine's Day we have introduced this unique offer for our channel partners to ensure that we can aggressively increase penetration in the notebook market. This scheme has been designed to motivate our existing channel partners and also encourage new entrants to help us grow our business significantly."

Modern Valentines Day Gifts More Popular Than Ever With Men

2005-02-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

A recent gift industry survey of Yahoo! Shopping and Hallmark Gift Cards suggests men are more interested in receiving electronic gift gadgets such as iPods and digital cameras as gifts for Valentine's Day than traditional presents such as chocolates, flowers or cologne. Surprisingly, as spokesman Matt Heist of Yahoo! Shopping stated, nearly half of the men surveyed also indicated that they would like an "experience gift" such as a weekend getaway or dinner out.

Meanwhile, 25% of women surveyed suggested they were still interested in traditional Valentine's gifts such as flowers, jewelry or chocolate. A Hallmark spokeswoman for the survey specified that consumers should consider combining several romantic things together in both of the modern and traditional categories. For instance, instead of waiting until the evening on the holiday to celebrate, put a music CD, card and chocolates in your sweetheart's briefcase in the morning to start the day.

Wine Gains Momentum as a Valentine's Day Gift Idea

2005-02-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

WINE MARKET COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE
According to the Wine Market Council and Merrill Research, 95% of wine drinkers surveyed thought that wine makes a perfect Valentine's day gift. "Valentine's Day is a wonderful time to surprise your sweetheart with the gift of wine," stated Andrea Immer Robinson, author of Everyday Dining with Wine and Great Wine Made Simple and host of "Simply Wine with Andrea Immer," on the Fine Living Network. "What could be more romantic than sharing a favorite wine or, better yet, experiencing a new wine together?"

To make it easy to find that perfect wine that says, "I love you," Immer Robinson suggests some Valentines Day gift ideas advice in selecting wine:

BEAUTIFUL BURGUNDIES: Wine aficionados consider French Burgundy to be one of the most seductive wines available. The reds are made from Pinot Noir grapes, the whites from the Chardonnay grape, and the vineyard names are also often the world's most romantic. They are expensive, but many would say worth the search. Look for alluring names like Meursault "Bouches Cheres" or Charmes, Chambolle-Musigny "Les Amoureuses" or Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts.

SEDUCTIVE SPARKLERS: Bubbly is, of course, the ultimate romantic bottle to present as a special Valentine gift - but not just any bubbly. A beautiful rose brings both the taste and the color of romance to a sweetheart's glass.

PASSIONATE PAIRINGS: Make a Valentines gift a romantic duo of wine and a flavorful food partner from the same region. For Francophiles, give some Brin d'Amour cheese and a red Saint Amour wine from the Beaujolais region. From Italy, olive oil infused with white truffles and a bottle of red Dolcetto wine. And from Spain, select a Fino sherry with Marcona almonds.

SWEET ENDINGS: Instead of a box of Valentine's Day chocolates, give a selection of sweet wines in half-bottles. Late harvest Riesling from Washington State, liqueur Muscat dessert wines from Australia, cream sherry from Spain or Muscat Beaumes de Venise from France are all excellent selections.

BOTTLES IN BLOOM: Instead of a bouquet of Valentine flowers consider floral-scented grapes such as Viognier, Gewurztraminer and Muscat.

Valentine's Day Gift Flowers Freshness Guarantee Launched by ProFlowers

2005-02-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

With one of its most important holiday seasons almost here, ProFlowers is forecasting that its business model will prove profitable this Valentine's Day and account for a considerable portion of the $19 billion annual U.S. flower industry. Flowers, traditionally one of the most popular Valentine's Day gift ideas for many consumers, are predicted to once again rank among the Valentine gift leaders this year.

ProFlowers revealed that its model of delivery differs from most of its flower delivery competitors. "When considering a Valentine's Day gift, consumers should be aware that national wire services and local florists use an outdated business model that often results in the delivery of flowers that are less fresh, more expensive and unpredictable," President and COO of ProFlowers, Abe Wynperle stated. "ProFlowers connects consumers directly with flower growers and eliminating middlemen, extended stays in refrigerators and any potential surprises, so what you order is what gets delivered. If the farm doesn't have it, ProFlowers doesn't sell it."

As an extra incentive to entice consumers to choose ProFlowers as the Valentine's gift flower delivery service of choice, the company also announced a seven day freshness guarantee, a move it is capitalizing on due to a claim that its flowers are 5-9 days fresher than those available at a traditional local florist or through national wire services.

The official company statement, launched and marketed in time to reach consumers searching for Valentines Day gift flowers reads, "By connecting customers directly with the world's top growers, ProFlowers is able to deliver fresh, innovative arrangements usually within three days of the flowers being cut from the fields. Best of all, each gift is backed by a 7-day freshness money-back guarantee, so customers can be sure their gift will show how they really feel."

Pet Valentine's Day Gifts More Popular than Ever According to Study by APPMA

2005-02-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the nation's leading not-for-profit trade organization serving the interests of the pet product industry and educating the public on the many joys and health benefits associated with pet ownership, announced that more pet owners are now choosing to include their pets as recipients of Valentine's Day Gifts. The APPMA forecasts that millions of pets will be receiving specialty cookies, heart-shaped beds, and even pink rhinestone sunglasses this Valentines Day.

According to a survey by the APPMA, more than nine million pets will receive a Valentine's gift from their owners. "With more people considering pets a member of the family, manufacturers are responding with products that resemble those for humans," public relations administrator for APPMA, Jennifer Bilbao said. "That means all the boxes of Valentine chocolates, cards and flowers that have traditionally lined store shelves this time of year are now sharing space with similar Valentine gifts for pets."

The APPMA has released a list of several leading pet gifts available for Valentine's Day. They include Canine Sweet Hearts and Canine Gourmet Cookies by Claudia's Canine Cuisine, Matching Human/Pet Sunglasses by Doggles, Fetch-It Pets' Valentine's Day Heart charms, the Achy-Breaky Heart, a large, heart-shaped Combat squeaker toy made by Bamboo, Fleece Bone and Fleece Buddy w/Squeaker by Planet Dog, heart-shaped dog beds and Paws of Endearment by Remember Me Products, which is a keepsake plaque with a place for a pet's photo and a bronze-like casting of his or her paw print.

Most Popular Valentine's Day Gifts List Released by CafePress.com

2005-02-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Leading online retailer CafePress.com, a website that hosts a network of nearly two million different theme based e-stores run by individuals, has issued a report summarizing the types of products its vendors are anticipating will be popular Valentine's Day gift ideas. It reports that people are moving away from traditional cards, flowers and chocolates and toward more unique options. "We've seen a shift in trends; now consumers are choosing Valentine's Day gifts that are personal and unpredictable," CafePress.com spokesperson Maheesh Jain said.

CafePress.com cited some of this year's most popular offerings. Among them are millions of customized products, ranging from t-shirts, mugs, teddy bears and stuffed animals to books and music. More specifically, its retailers are offering Valentine's Day gift ideas from romance-bashing sweatshirts to his-and-hers personalized boxer shorts and thongs. Sweatshirts and coffee mugs depicting phrases like "Vegetarians Make Better Lovers" and "I Love You Like a Fat Kid Loves Cake" are available. Valentines gifts for soldiers and military personel include a "Half of My Heart is in Iraq" teddy bear or a "Love By Email" mouse pad. CafePress.com even lists Valentine gifts for those spurned during the holiday with catchy slogans on t-shirts and teddy bears such as "Men R Pigs" or "Love Bites" Valentine greeting cards.

Survey Reveals Valentines Day Gift Lists for Both Men & Women

2005-02-03T13:20:00.000-08:00

A recent national Valentines Day survey reveals greeting cards as the leader of both Valentine's Day gift giving lists and wish lists for men and women. Candy and flowers also rank just after Valentine's day cards as the top anticipated holiday gift purchases.

Results of the survey, in order of popularity, show that the top five Valentine's gifts men plan to give are Valentine cards, flowers, candy, jewelry and lingerie. Conversely, women ranked as their most anticipated Valentines gifts, ordered by most wished for, Valentine's Day cards, flowers, jewelry, candy and spa-personal care products.

The survey reports that women are planning to give cards, candy, flowers, cologne and watches or jewelry, ranked in order of popularity. Men, on the other hand, wish most for Valentine's Day cards, followed by candy, watches or jewelry, cologne and boxer shorts-underwear.

Survey Reveals Valentine Gift Spending Expected to Increase

2005-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

A recent Shopping in America survey suggests that Valentines Gift giving is gaining significant momentum, continuing it's trend as a major holiday worldwide. A majority of those surveyed indicated that they will be spending more on Valentine's Gifts than last year.

The survey reveals that cunsumers plan to spend an average of $178.39 on related Valentine's Day gift purchases. This figure includes an average of $100.63 on Valentine gifts for 2.3 recipients, and an additional $77.76 on events such as movies, theater and dinner. 84.4% of those surveyed plan to spend the same or more money than they did in 2003.

The report states that men are planning to spend 33% more than women for Valentine's Day ($218.17 vs. $146.26, respectively). Broken down by age, those between 45 and 54 years old will spend the most on overall purchases ($198.77) and the youngest age group of consumers surveyed (12 - 17 years old) will spend the least amount on Valentine presents ($95.20).

Valentines Day Gift Teddy Bear Angers Mental Health Advocates

2005-01-31T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. stated recently that it will be continuing to sell its strait-jacketed "Crazy for You Bear" as a Valentine's Day Gift offering, despite repeated protests from mental health advocates. "We recognize that this is a sensitive, human issue and sincerely apologize if we have offended anyone," the Valentines Day gift company released in a prepared statement. "That was certainly not our intent. This bear was created in the spirit of Valentine's Day, and as with all of our teddy bears, it was designed to be a light-hearted depiction of the sentiment of love."

The teddy bear, which was specifically designed and marketed as a Valentine's Day Gift, comes packaged with commitment papers and is meant to communicate out-of-control love of the gift giver to the recipient. Mental health advocates argue the teddy bear is "a tasteless use of marketing that stigmatizes persons with mental illness," Jerry Goessel, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, expressed to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. He added that "A strait jacket is not a symbol that we want to associate with sales of a teddy bear for loved ones as a Valentine's Day gift. And the use of commitment papers, legal documents committing an individual to involuntary treatment, is not something to be taken casually."

Mr. Goessel has requested the $70 teddy bear be removed as one of the company's Valentines Gift ideas for customers to choose from. Other mental health advocates are reported to also be supporting the removal of the teddy bear. The Vermont Teddy Bear Company stated that it will be discontinuing the bear, but not before Valentines Day on February 14th. "This teddy bear was developed specifically as a Valentine's Day gift and is not a permanent addition to our product line," the company statement read. "This bear will remain an offering for Valentine's Day."

Lawsuits Filed Against Issuers of Holiday Gift Cards

2005-01-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

Holiday gift cards have become the center of lawsuits filed after consumers discovered fees and expiration dates that rendered them worthless over time. Two Atlanta residents and three state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against a mall owner whose Christmas gift cards depreciate in value and expire. As a result of the litigation, New York Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer has sponsored the Fair Gift Card Act intended to establish guidelines for fees and expiration dates.

The nation's largest shopping mall owner, Simon Property Group, Inc, sells cards that allegedly violate state laws in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Georgia, according to the lawsuits against it. A $2.50 monthly fee is assessed if the card isn't used within seven months, and it may expire after a year. "A Simon gift card with a $25 face value is worth only $12.50 after the 11th month," Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly stated. Sen. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat who supports Reilly's legal actions against Simon Property, remarked that gift cards that lose value make a "pretty cheesy" present.

Some states have already passed laws making it illegal to impose the inactivity fees and expiration dates on gift cards, expected to be an $89 billion industry in 2007. Sen. Schumer's legislation would make gift cards valid for at least five years and would prohibit an inactivity fee unless the card's value is less than $5 or it hasn't been used for 24 months and the fee is $1 or less. It would simultaneously allow each state to strengthen its laws for gift cards. Consumers Union is lobbying for passage of the act to protect the givers and recipients of gift cards.

Christmas Gift Ideas Changing as Plastic Surgery Presents Surge

2005-01-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

Gift industry analysts are contininuing to report Christmas gift sales for 2004. Overall world sales are reported to have been mixed. At the same time, popular Christmas holiday gifts have changed in nature. Australia Christmas gift sales are reporting to have been very good, while in the US and Britain the news is "good, but not great". Surprisingly, one of the most popular new Christmas gift ideas in the US for 2004 was plastic surgery.

Specifically, US holiday gift sales rose between 2 and 4.5% from the previous year, with online sales seeing the largest growth. Australian holiday sales were $11.5 billion, up 7% from 2003. Strong post-Christmas sales were also reported across the country, with retailers forecasting such sales to be up between 5 and 8% over last year. The only noticable negative change was in Australian retailer attitudes over the fact that they were not allowed to open on Boxing Day.

Consumer electronics have measured to be very popular Christmas gift ideas this year, especially ultra-slim DVD players, game consoles and music players; most notibly the iPod. Perfumes and fragrances also topped the list, with Britney Spears' Curious brand of perfume the leader. Plastic surgeons in the US reported that make-overs were a very popular Christmas present.

The Associated Press reported that breasts, tummies and faces all received significant attention, as husbands and boyfriends splashed out on something special for their partners. Liposuction and breast augmentation were the most popular procedures. Some, however, just wanted a pre-Christmas touch-up, surgeons said, such as Botox injections, collagen treatments and laser hair removal.

Bank Gift Cards Enable Financial Institutions to Compete with Retailers' Programs

2005-01-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Bank-branded gift cards are emerging as both popular presents for gift givers and satisfied customers for banks. Large banks such as Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank launched prepaid cards in 2003. This year, smaller banks have gotten in on the action, as well. The surge in gift cards' popularity provides banks with a reason to compete with more traditional retailer gift cards, gift industry analysts are reporting.

Deluxe Financial Services introduced its Visa gift card program in the fall of 2004, by offering banks, credit unions and larger financial institutions with the gift-card service so those institutions don't have to pay for the costly infrastructure necessary to launch their own program.

Even though gift cards only generate a small monetary benefit for banks per card, customer loyalty and customer service appear to be compelling reasons to carry the new product. Also larger financial institutions turn a significant profit on the cards, mostly because of the sheer number sold. Charges average around $4.95 per card, and the card's remaining balance is subject to a service or inactivity fee after six or 12 months.

Samsclub.com - KidSational Gift Pack Collaborate in Online Marketing Campaign

2005-01-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

KIDSATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
KidSational, Inc., a creator and distributor of cutting edge safety and educational programming for children, announces that Samsclub.com has created a promotional Gift Pack composed of three of the Company's products; the Car-Pack Backpack, the Guardian Safety Board Game and a TGK CD. The KidSational Gift Pack, available at Samsclub.com, was chosen and promoted as a "Hot" product in recent e-marketing campaigns launched by the retail giant.

The campaigns targeted over eight million of Samsclub.com's members, promoting the KidSational Gift Pack and other innovative gift ideas. KidSational expects they will experience impressive sales growth through the offering of the Company's premier items into one unique gift idea. With the combination of the promotional packaging and exposure, initial sales for the Gift Pack have been very encouraging.

Steve Ruff, President of KidSational, commented, "Samsclub.com has been a tremendous distribution partner for us thus far. We expect to experience much greater product sales through this fantastic gift package. This success is a very positive start to a long-term distribution relationship with Samsclub.com."

The Guardian Safety Game is an interactive board game for children that teaches the best safety procedures and to help them make the right life saving decisions about subjects such as drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, peer pressure, strangers and other issues that affect children. In addition the game is a great chance for parents to learn what their children know about safety and the type of decisions their children may make in various life situations.

Popularity of Christmas Gift Cards Spurs Swap & Exchange Web Sites

2005-01-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

The popularity of holiday gift cards has created a secondary market allowing consumers to buy, sell, and trade them. The Web sites act as brokers for gift-card transactions and report that many consumers have far more cards than they can use or cards from a store they don't intend to purchase anything from.

The websites' solutions are to turn the holiday gift cards into some cash or swap them for a card issued by another store. Industry analysts are reporting that gift cards were the most-popular purchase over the Christmas holiday season and that sales of retailer gift cards are expected to grow to $58 billion in 2007 from $48 billion this year.

EBay currently lists Christmas gift cards on its auction site. Target gift cards and Macy's gift cards were among the many offered. SwapAGift.com and Cardavenue.com allow customers to trade cards as well as buy and sell them. For example, Cardavenue customers want to trade their Circuit City, Best Buy, and Blockbuster gift cards. Likewise, SwapAGift users are looking to sell a Tiffany gift card or swap it for an Olive Garden card of equal value.

Christmas Gift Card Restrictions An Unpleasant Surprise for Some

2005-01-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

The office of Maryland's attorney general, Joseph Curran, recently issued a warning to people who received Christmas gift cards over the holiday season. The Attorney General stated that consumers should check each store's policy before using the Christmas gift cards. Many retail stores have reported that most recipients fail to realize that gift cards have an expiration date and certain other restrictions.

"To avoid unpleasant surprises with gift cards, shop around," the Attorney General stated. "Many retailers' gift cards never expire and never impose service fees that will reduce the face value of the card." He also advised consumers to check for hidden fees, since some retailers deduct $2 per month from the balance of an unused Christmas gift card after 12 months. In some cases, Curran warned, if customers buy merchandise that costs less than the amount on the card, the remaining balance isn't refunded as cash. Terms and conditions of holiday gift cards are most often found on the reverse side of the card and sometimes on the packaging.

Charitable Gift Giving from Celebrities, Politicians and Media Continues for Tsunami Relief Efforts

2005-01-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

Celebrities, such as Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio, and politicians, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, are making large charitable gifts, donations and appeals to the masses to also contribute to south asia tsunami relief agencies. NBC has also planned a celebrity-filled TV benefit.

Former presidents Clinton and Bush appealed to Americans to contribute charitable gifts to the massive aid effort as well. The American Red Cross said it received a $1 million donation from Bullock for tsunami relief in South Asia and East Africa. Leonardo DiCaprio gave a "sizable" charitable gift to UNICEF, targeted for aid to devastated areas of Thailand.

NBC plans to simulcast a benefit special tomorrow, January 15th, that will feature celebrities and musical performances. The program is scheduled to air live on the U.S. East Coast with a tape delay to the West Coast. Phone lines for viewer gift donations will be provided at the same time. The NBC telecast will be similar to the two-hour telethon that all four major U.S. TV networks aired 10 days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks which raised more than $150 million in gift pledges.

News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch has also made a $1 million contribution to tsunami relief and reconstruction. The conglomerate has also pledged to match employee donations dollar for dollar.

$1Million Gift from Sandra Bullock to American Red Cross Tsunami Relief Efforts

2005-01-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Sandra Bullock pledged a $1million gift towards the tsunami relief effort. The actress made the gift donation to the American Red Cross to boost the campaign it launched following the tragedy. Organisers said Bullock's money gift would help provide relief supplies, financial support and technical assistance.

The American Red Cross stated that Bullock contacted the Red Cross to make this, her second $1million gift, to the American Red Cross. Marsha Evans, president of the American Red Cross, stated that "Sandra continues to enable our life-saving work. I am grateful to Sandra for once again demonstrating her belief in our global humanitarian mission." Ms. Bullock also contributed $1million to the American Red Cross after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Record Online Charity Gifts for Tsunami Relief Efforts

2005-01-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

Several major relief organizations have reported that they are receiving a record amount of money from online donors hoping to provide a gift donation that will help the nonprofits in getting emergency supplies to victims of the South Asia tsunami disaster.

Over $20 million have been donated online to five distaster relief organizations involved in aiding survivors in the 11 countries affected by the tsunami. The groups include Doctors Without Borders, Catholic Relief Services, American Red Cross-Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and World Vision. All of the organizations have reported a 50 percent increase in charitable gifts donated through their web sites. In addition, the average gift amount has increased 66 percent.

Director of interactive donor communications at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Tim Ledwith, stated the amount of donations it has received has been increasing steadily since the disaster struck. "It's unprecedented," Ledwith added. "We have never seen this much of an outpouring. The generosity is overwhelming. This is a response that we really couldn't have foreseen."

The organizations are expected to raise a record amount of money online, as well as set records for the most money raised in a single day and for the average gift amount.

Most online donors use credit cards, although payment services such as PayPal or online banking accounts are also popular methods of making a charitable gift donation. Because the funds are sent electronically, UNICEF said it has access to the money within 72 hours, as opposed to several weeks when the money comes through more traditional channels such as direct mail. "Once funds are available, they can be transferred to UNICEF for programs in the field," Ledwith stated. "It's a very quick process. It can only increase the amount of assistance that will be available for emergency supplies and the speed at which they can be transported."

Once the emergency relief efforts have subsided, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF said it plans to again solicit more money from online donors for rebuilding programs.

E-Commerce Holiday Shopping Gift Purchases Surge 25% Over 2003 Christmas Period

2005-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

The latest figures released confirm that online shopping for Christmas gifts in 2004 soared to US$23.2 billion, a 25 percent increase from the $18.5 billion spent online during the same period in 2003. Consumers reported clothing as the category they spent the most money on, totaling $3.8billion or 16 percent of total online revenue.

Purchases of toys/video game Christmas gifts was second with $2.5 billion, or 11 percent of online revenue, and the consumer electronics division was third with $2.3 billion, or 10 percent of total online revenue.

The e-commerce gift categories reported to have produced the highest year-over-year growth in holiday spending went to jewelry, flowers and computer hardware/peripherals. Jewelry gifts jumped 113 percent to $1.9 billion as compared to $888 million in 2003, Christmas flower retailer sales surged 59 percent online with revenue of $530 million and computer hardware/peripherals increased 30 percent to $2.1 billion.

One retail analyst said "Consumers have become accustomed to purchasing online over the years and look to the internet to find comprehensive product information, competitive prices and easy Christmas gift delivery, allowing them more time to spend on other holiday activities."

Reports also indicated that most online consumers had overall satisfying experiences with online holiday shopping. Factors included a preference to avoid crowds, finding lower prices online and a wide selection of Christmas gift ideas.

December 2004 Christmas Gift Sales Reportedly Surge While Profits Decline for Many Retailers

2005-01-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart has announced that it ended 2004 ahead of its most recent sales forecast after making the decision to cut prices at the end of November after a sluggish Thanksgiving weekend. This sharply contrasts with 2003, which has been characterized as one of Christmas gift sales at full-price.

Gift industry analysts reported that the overall 2004 Christmas gift shopping season will be remembered as the last-minute markdown as U.S. retailers cut prices before and after Dec. 25, choosing target sales gains over higher profit.

Wal-Mart executives did not like what they saw as Chistmas gift sales trends surfaced and decided to mark down 24 of the store's best selling electronic goods and popular toys to increase traffic. As a result, Wal-Mart reported, the 2 percent gain in December sales hit closer to 3 percent. Executives said the increase was the result of higher-than-expected gift sales in the week after Christmas, and many customers used gift cards to make purchases.

Most department stores and specialty retailers also reported marking down merchandise including clothing the week before and after Christmas. Gift industry analysts said the strategy brought a much higher traffic but also concerns that the discounts would hurt profits.

"We saw some of the most excessive markdowns at stores, including Ann Taylor, the Gap and the Limited's Express division," said Mark Friedman, a first VP at Merrill Lynch specializing in retail tracking.

Kmart executives reported that sales at stores open at least a year had declined 2.6 percent in December from the previous 2003 period, though they added it was better than the 12.8 percent decline for the third quarter.

Retail researchers said the surge in traffic just came too late for many merchants this Chistmas gift giving season and that retailers would find it difficult to hit profit expectations.

Advice on Gift Donations to Tsunami Relief Organizations Published

2005-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

The Better Business Bureau recently released their list of advice when considering making charitable gifts to aid in relief of tsunami victims. Art Taylor, the president of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance stated that "It's very easy to be overcome by emotion at this time and not really concentrate on making a gift donation to the right organization that can actually deliver the kind of relief that we want for the victims. It's valuable to take time to research these groups. You should always get written information before you donate, either off of a Web site or by having them send you information in the mail. There is a lot more information about organizations out there than people realize, but you have to ask questions."

Taylor added that "Experienced charities matter in relief efforts. It's very difficult to deliver the support to people in these areas, and so organizations that have a track record will rise above some of the newer organizations that have been just created to do this."

Other advice included asking the right questions. In referring to the types of information the Wise Giving Alliance finds out, Taylor offered that "We want to know if the charities are delivering relief in the way that's appropriate for us. "Some of us may want to give items. Some of us may want to support longer-term needs such as rebuilding of schools and roads. All of these things are going to need help over time, so we have to choose how we want to help and then pick an organization that will give us that type of help."

Taylor does not recommend making charitable gifts of cash. "Normally, scam organizations don't like to have checks given to them. Cash is harder to trace, obviously. So checks can be traced and so you have a much better chance of giving to a legitimate organization if you're giving by check," he added.

Advice also covers telemarketing and online giving. The group says telemarking is the most expensive type of fundraising out there. It states that very little of the money will actually end up going to the organization. If you're called by an organization over the phone, give it to them directly and not through a telemarketer. "Donating online requires extra precautions, Taylor said, "When you click to donate, you should make sure that the URL actually goes somewhere and that the browser names aren't hidden. Many disreputable organizations will take the names of some well-known charities and create Web pages so that the money can go to them, rather than the charities that you think they're going to."

Finally, inquiring whether your company might match your donation is a good idea. "Many companies have employee matching gift programs," Taylor continued. "So you can almost double your charitable gifts in some cases if you check with your company and make sure they're matching gift programs."

The New Year's Gift of Alcohol Not Well Received in Bangkok

2004-12-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

According to a recent published survey alcohol is the least wanted New Year's gift among residents of Bangkok. However, the report also states that it's the one they are most likely to receive.

The Bangkok Poll of 1,164 adults that live in Bangkok found a wide discrepancy in the types of New year's presents that people said they wanted to receive, compared to the New Year's gifts they were planning to be giving to others.

Bankok is well known for its tradition of New Year's gift giving. Alcohol made it high on the list of gifts those surveyed were planning to give to a recipient. Other popular gifts include cakes and cookies, household decorations and fruits. 46.3 percent of those surveyed said that alcohol is the present they would least like to receive.

Gift Wrapping Paper Gets Personal with PicturePaper

2004-12-29T15:13:00.000-08:00

PICTUREPAPER PRESS RELEASE
PicturePaper.com can offer a unique gift before the recipient even opens the present. Users can take wrapping birthday gifts, or presents for any occasion to a new level, with the launch of PicturePaper™, which allows anyone to create unique picture gift wrapping paper with a few clicks of the mouse.

PicturePaper.com allows users to choose from an assortment of wrapping papers for any number of occasions and incorporate a personal image into the gift wrap. The personalized paper roll is then delivered in just a few days. PicturePaper.com is a fully-enabled website that allows users to upload original artwork, a personal photo or business graphic, then choose a design; customize the image to the chosen wrapping paper and then send it to a specialty printer that creates a six- to 35-foot-long roll of high-quality gift wrapping paper.

PicturePaper’s™ personalized wrapping paper system works via a website that is entirely interactive and driven by an advanced, specially-designed application that provides individual sessions of interactivity for each visiting customer. Customers can upload a picture and place it in their chosen wrapping paper style. Next they select the best view and see a representative sample. The entire uploading, fine-tuning and ordering process takes only a few minutes.

The unique gift wrapping paper is individually printed on a high-end, six-color printer that produces wrapping paper of near-photographic quality. The order is then inspected by hand before it is rolled and prepared for shipping.

PicturePaper.com utilizes professional designs under license from Shamrock Corporation, one of the leading retail suppliers of gift wrap. Shamrock Corporation is the owner of Innisbrook Wraps and Shamrock Gift Wrap. And the company is known for its quality wrapping paper and innovative designs that are created by creative and talented graphic design artists.

Most orders are printed within two days and delivered by shippers between one and three days later. Customers can also track the printing and shipping of their gift wrap order through the website.

Christmas Gift Returns to be Monitored for Return Fraud

2004-12-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

In efforts to curb gift return fraud, many retail stores have implemented more restrictive return policies. Cross-referencing databases that track “serial returners” before accepting merchandise for a refund is becoming more and more common.

Retailers, reportedly including KB Toys, Express, Sports Authority and Staples, have started using a computer database by The Return Exchange of Irvine, Calif., in order to track customer returns. The process works by stores swiping shopper driver’s licenses when a return is being made, and if the store-set return limit is exceeded, the customer’s return claim is denied. Most stores are not currently posting the new policy for customers to easily access the information.

"To be a good consumer nowadays you have to understand what the rules are and be willing to play by the rules," Marquette University business professor Dennis Garrett said. Adding that, "those rules allow stores to protect themselves against return fraud."

The National Retail Federation estimated return fraud to cost retailers about $16 billion per year.

Garrett said, "while some consumers may not like the idea of having their returns tracked, in the long run it could actually save them money. We should be encouraging this and saying, 'Sure, track my purchases. I don't mind. I'm doing a good job as a consumer. Keep track of those people who aren't doing a good job and get them out of the system.'"

Most Sought After Christmas Gift, iPod Unavailable in Many Markets

2004-12-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Declared by many gift experts as this year's "must-have" Christmas gift, the Apple iPod has become unavailable to most consumers in several major markets. The popularity of the iPod has proven greater than inventories, and many retailers are reported to be completely sold out and have been for some time many retailers added.

"From New York to San Francisco, there are reports of shoppers entering Apple and other retail stores seeking the iPod and coming away with nothing but sour grapes when they learn they're sold out," reported Baltimore Sun reporter Joe Burriss.

Online holiday gift shoppers are also reported to have had difficulty. Major electronics web retailers such as Target and J&R Electronics and Amazon list the iPods as out of stock.

Gift industry analysts are forecasting the December quarter to be the best iPod quarter to date.

Holiday Gift Package Delivery Surges; UPS Reports Busiest Day of the Year

2004-12-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

United Parcel Service reports Tuesday December 21 as their busiest day of the year. Faced with delivering an estimated 20 million, mostly Christmas gift packages throughout the country for Chrismas, UPS added that workers will be working overtime including more heavy lifting than originally forecasted.

Figures released by UPS included 3,000 packages per minute being sorted through 122 miles of high-speed conveyor belts and 10 million packages were loaded on over 600 airplanes. Additional UPS efforts included seasonal hires unloading packages from trucks and sorting them into air cans and UPS over head scanning technology that helped the automated sorting of packages.

UPS will be delivering through Christmas eve this year.

Retailers to Drop Prices After Disappointing December Holiday Sales

2004-12-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

Anable to wait any longer, many retailers are reported to have drastically reduced prices on Christmas gift items in an effort to offset disappointing holiday sales leading up to Christmas. With the holiday season making up as much as 40 percent of many retailers yearly sales, stores have been slashing prices in hopes of enticing shoppers to buy last minute.

KB Toys is currently offering as much as 75 percent off on hundreds of video games and toys. While Kohl's has gone 50 to 60% off all fine jewelry and 75 percent off Christmas ornaments. And Ann Taylor has even taken 40% off everything cashmere.

''I'm not sure what happened," stated Issie Shait, general manager of the CambridgeSide Galleria. ''The Friday after Thanksgiving was great. The economy is better than a year ago, the unemployment numbers are better. I was hoping for a better season than we're seeing so far."

As the holiday shopping season proves more lackluster than retailers had hoped, retail analysts are now lowering their forecasts for holiday sales. Gift industry analysts reported that total sales were down 7% to $6.7 billion on Saturday, compared with the same time period Saturday last year and only 52 percent of people surveyed shopped for Christmas gifts this weekend compared with 55 percent the previous week.

Record Holiday Gift Package Deliveries Reported by FedEx

2004-12-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

On monday December 20, Fed Ex Shipping reported record setting Christmas gift deliveries totalling 7.7 million packages. A company spokesman stated that in 2003 the busiest shipment day amounted to 7.5 packages. Further Fed Ex expected to send an average of 3.8 packages each day on the week leading up to Christmas day.

This year Fed Ex will be delivering Christmas presents shipped by December 23.

Annual List of Christmas Gifts to Avoid Released by World Wide Fund for Nature

2004-12-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

The World Wide Fund for Nature recently released their annual list of Christmas gifts consumers should avoid for gift giving over this year's holidays. The WWFN states that Christmas gifts to avoid include crocodile skin, coral jewellery and Beluga caviar if they want to enjoy a guilt-free holiday season.

The Swiss-based nature conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature included the three on a list of items it states promote "commercial exploitation that is endangering animal and plant species already threatened with extinction." Other Christmas gift ideas consumers are asked to avoid are purchasing tiger products or tigers for pets, sources stated.

"All international trade of tiger products, whether used in traditional Asian medicine, as souvenirs or for good luck charms, is illegal," the WWF added. "Ivory in any form should also be avoided, along with shahtoosh scarves from the hair of Tibetan antelopes, various cactus species and electrical appliances that consume large amounts of electricity while on standby."

Charity Christmas Gifts Proving to be Popular Last Minute Solution

2004-12-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

Charity Christmas gifts are proving to be a last-minute solution with holiday shoppers searching for something meaningful to give their friends or family. The christmas presents however are not the normal holiday gifts you would expect. Consumers finding themselves stuck at the last-minute for ethical, yet alternative present have been considering such gifts as a pig, an apple tree, chickens, a flock sheep and even a new toilet.

The gifts - part of an initiative by the Christian charity World Vision - are tuning out to be a huge Christmas gift idea hits. The Christian charity says, "people love it because they really value the unique gifts they can buy for their friends and family, while changing the lives of some of the world's poorest children and families." They are also very convenient for the giver because they can also be purchased quickly and easily online, allowing the charity to take care of the rest.

Instead of simply giving more unwanted clutter to friends and family, the Christian aid agency is offering a list which consumers can give to developing communities - on behalf of others. From oxen to an HIV education system, a wheelchair to a bicycle. Buyers can choose a price range and select a gift with the details of the friend on whose behalf the buyer intends to send the present. The charity then sends a special card to the friend or family member, telling them what has been given on their behalf.

Christmas gift ideas are offered for every budget, from a water filter or a fruit tree, through to complete furnishings for a school. The alternative gift selection is part of World Vision's ethical initiatives to help some of the world's poorest communities make their way out of poverty. The holiday gifts arrive in the context of the charities long-term development programs. Community leaders and local committees helped by World Vision staff identify their needs and priorities, including the gifts featured this year. "This," the charity says, "means the gifts that are purchased are really needed- and will be treasured when they arrive."

World Vision is one of the world's leading relief, development and justice agencies. It is also one of the largest- presently helping more than 100 million people in nearly 100 countries in their struggle against poverty, hunger and injustice, irrespective of their religious beliefs.

NYC schools Announce Christmas Gift Spending Rules for the Upcoming Holiday Season

2004-12-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

New York City schools recently announced new spending rules for Christmas gifts during the upcoming holiday season. According to NYC Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, whole imposed the gift giving rule earlier this year, parents who want to buy Christmas gifts for teachers have a new $5 per student spending limit.

The new rule is part of the conflict-of-interest section of the New York City Chancellor's Regulations, with the intention of aiding students who can not afford to make money contributions to class gifts, officials said. The regulations also state that individual gifts from students or parents to school employees should be "principally sentimental in nature and of insignificant financial value."

Reactions to the new Christmas gift spending rule have been mixed. Several teachers and parents have declared the rules are examples of the Department of Education's mismanagement and could potentially send messages to teachers that they are underappreciated.

"I don't quite see the rationale to denying teachers a gift," said Mr. Klein, whose has a son in first grade. "We're not trying to curry favor with the teacher."

Some teachers said a christmas or holiday gift was one of the few perks they could count on. One teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said she wanted students to "give as much as they want to give."

"At lunch, when I was talking to other teachers, some of them were saying things about how nice it is when kids make them something," the teacher said. "I was like, 'Give me the big gift certificate.' "
She said she was worth more than a $5 gift, adding "there's been no raise. I'm broke all the time."

When asked how the New York City schools would go about enforcing the Christmas gifts spending limit, Mr. Klein said: "We should try to do this in a way that's sensible. I think we leave it to the judgment of parents."

Mr. Klein said that if everyone used common sense, the christmas holiday gift-giving tradition would "not become some sort of flow of cash or other gift ideas that could be misconstrued."

Perhaps Lindsay Hershenhorn, a teacher at P.S. 321, summed the situation up most succintly, "Teachers should be paid enough so that parents don't feel they need to give gifts to teachers and teachers don't feel they need to accept them."

Online Gift Cards Surveys Declared Successful by Hallmark Cards

2004-12-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

After three years of conducting online surveys and gaining important information about its consumers and their needs, gift card publisher Hallmark Cards declared the approach a valuable tool. The program, called The Hallmark Idea Exchange, is a private members-only community available to certain consumers. It also serves as a research lab for Hallmark gift cards.

Tom Brailsford, Manager of Advancing Capabilities at Hallmark Cards, explained a very important reason for its success and why anyone in the gift business should consider such a research model. "You can do three traditional focus groups and hear from about 24 consumers and it'll cost you two or three weeks and $10,000. On the other hand, through Hallmark Idea Exchange we can hear regularly from 150 consumers in 36 hours on a particular issue. We have evidence from linguistic analyses that suggests that the content we get from the communities is far richer than what comes from a focus group. We're trying to get faster, better, and cheaper."

1-800-FLOWERS.COM Announces Last Minute Holiday Gift Solutions

2004-12-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

1-800-FLOWERS.COM announced it will be offering its customers a variety of last-minute Christmas holiday gifts, including flowers, plants, gift baskets and other holiday presents. According to a company spokeman the gifts can be ordered as late as 10 p.m. Eastern time on the evening of December 23rd for delivery via overnight carrier on December 24. They will also be accepting floral orders on December 24th for delivery that same day through its network of nationwide select florists.

"Shoppers are always stressed as the holiday season winds down," said Jim McCann, CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. "We can provide that last-minute help, though, because we have the systems in place to deliver those gifts for shoppers who wait until the last possible moment to place their holiday orders."

1-800-FLOWERS.COM also reported that through its E-mmediate Gift notification solution they will be offering gift options Christmas day. Customers can have an e-mail sent to the intended gift recipient. "The E-mmediate Gift e-mail can include a description and photo of the gift being sent, and a personal message can let the recipient know they are not forgotten this holiday season. The personalized e-mail message can also arrive with an image of a wrapped box, to keep the gift to come as a surprise. The recipient should receive the actual product shortly after Christmas, depending on when the order is placed," the company spokesman said.

Gift Registries from Major Retailers Prone to Malfuncions

2004-12-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

Recent testing by Forrester Research has uncovered several issues at three major gift registry providers. According to Forrester, testers encountered issues such as malfunctioning hardware, usability issues, and poor point-of-use design at Crate and Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, and Linens 'n Things.

"In Crate and Barrel's case," reported a researcher from Forrester, "usability was not an issue. The buttons on the screen were attractive, clear, and identified by color. The kiosk overall rated 20 on Forrester's scale. Unfortunately, a tool must rate 72 to pass muster as adequate."

Williams-Sonoma's gift registry kiosk, on the other hand, only rated 2, mainly because of hardware problems. "The printer was jammed when the testers began to use the kiosk, so many functions on the screen were locked as well. Once the employee cleared the jam, testers were able to complete tasks, but were not able to print a registry list -- once again due to a printer jam.", the researcher added.

Forrester researchers continued with Linens 'n Things, stating that, "their gift registry kiosk encountered performance issues in the evaluation process even before testers touched the screen. Unrelated marketing signage cluttered the space. A terse "Please keep this area clean" sign made users feel as if they should not be touching the kiosk. The signage describing how to use the registry was nearly illegible, as were the fonts on the touch-screen itself. That kiosk rated a lowly -10 on Forrester's scale."

Suggestions and recommendations by the Forrester research team included placing a self-service station out of the way of merchandise displays and noisy areas to help gift registry users concentrate.

Wedding Engagement Gifts, Including Diamond Rings Larger & More Valuable in 2004

2004-12-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

According to a Conde Nast survey wedding engagements are lengthening. The average wedding engagement is about 16 months. Up considerably from 11 months in 1990. As a result, wedding engagement gift professionals are reporting that engagement rings are becoming larger and more expensive. And pre-wedding gifts in general are of more value and worth, they added.

Matthew Rosenheim, owner and president of Tiny Jewel Box in Washington, D.C., confirmed that "people are buying larger, finer-quality stones. The store's average engagement ring sold for $7,500, up 20 percent from last year. Additionally, a lot of people want unique rings."

According to the Jewelers Board of Trade Red Book, engagement rings account for approximately 1.6 million sales each year, accounting for close to $3 billion of the $12 billion people spend each year on diamond jewelry gifts.