'Tis the Season for Massage Gift Certificates
posted: 11-14-07

A new survey from a national massage association parses the reasons why consumers purchase massage gift certificates as holiday gifts.

The Associated Massage & Bodywork Professionals (ABMP) released a statement about the survey, and overall national gift-certificate trends, on Nov. 14.

ABMP members said in a November survey the most common reason clients buy massage gift certificates for the holidays is because they believe the recipient needs a massage for stress or pain relief (83 percent). The second-most-common reason is the desire of the consumer to introduce the recipient to the massage experience (51 percent).

"Multiple consumer studies released in recent weeks are showing gift certificates and gift cards to be the top choice for holiday shoppers this year, and further, that they are highly popular with gift recipients," the ABMP's statement noted. "Deloitte's annual holiday survey released this month found these items, for the fourth straight year, will be the top choice for 69 percent of American shoppers. Thirty-nine percent of consumers said they would prefer receiving gift certificates and cards over merchandise."

Gift certificates have been growing in popularity (www.massagemag.com/News/2006/January/GiftCerts.php) for the past few years.