Date
| Factor affecting choice | Cash | Gift card | Actual product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty of purchase | N/A | can be easily purchased at the issuer's store or at supermarkets or service stations | the product may only be available at some retailers and may require some search |
| Product characteristics | simple product that is well understood by the community | complex product that requires some consideration as to the terms and conditions that apply | can be highly complex in terms of product features that need to be considered to ensure it is an appropriate gift choice |
| Effort required to choose between alternatives | N/A | some effort required to select gift card from appropriate issuer | high effort required to ensure that the gift choice is appropriate to the receiver's needs |
| Benefit to the receiver | of high benefit as the receiver can choose a gift of their choice | likely to be of high benefit as the receiver can choose a gift of their choice, but terms and conditions apply | the benefit to the receiver is dependent on the gift choice being appropriate to their needs |
| Benefit to the giver | requires minimal effort, but may not be appropriate to all gift giving situations | requires some effort, and may be appropriate to some gift giving situations | may require a lot of effort, however, a well-chosen gift is likely to be well received |