Graduation Gift Trends 2009

Family and friends of graduates this year are choosing to be a little more practical with their gift giving, opting for the versatility of cash instead of gift cards.  Highlights from NRF’s 2009 Graduation Consumer Intentions and Actions survey include:

• 58.9% of Americans who will buy for graduates will fill envelopes with cash, up from 56.8% last year.

• Just 29.4% will give gift cards, down from 32.2% last year.

• Americans will spend an average of $88.01 on gifts for an average of two students, down from $99.79 last year.

• Total spending on graduation gifts is expected to reach $3.9 billion.*

• Other popular graduation gifts to include greeting cards (37.0%), electronics (9.0%) and apparel (9.9%).

Find out how 2009 graduation spending compares to 2008 Graduation and other recent holidays.  View consumer spending data for Mother's Day, Easter, and St. Patrick's Day or watch the most recent Consumer Intentions and Actions Video Briefing.

* Total extrapolation of US population 18+

About the Survey: NRF’s 2009 Graduation Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted for NRF by BIGresearch, was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to graduation. The poll of 8,447 consumers was conducted from May 5-12, 2009.