Bankrate Releases 2008 Gift Card Study

NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new study released by Bankrate, Inc. (NASDAQ: RATE) shows that while Americans are expected to cut approximately 25% in money spent on gift cards, certain types of gift cards may see growth. Bankrate surveyed 24 gift card issuers to determine fees that come from major gift card providers as well as where consumers can get the most value for their money. The full 2008 Gift Card Study can be viewed at: http://www.bankrate.com/giftcardsurvey/.

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"In a difficult economy, the gift industry as a whole is very likely to suffer," said Ellen Cannon, managing editor of Bankrate.com. "However, by getting the right gift card, consumers can give loved ones a present that's substantial while still making economic sense."

Bankrate's study reveals the following data about different types of gift cards:

-- Beware of fees when buying a major credit card-branded gift card. For many of these types of gift cards, fees range from $3.95 to $4.95.

-- There's an inherent risk with a retailer gift card; with more and more retails filing for bankruptcy or bankruptcy protection, consumers may find themselves with a piece of worthless plastic.

-- When buying a retailer gift card, make sure that the card you're buying can also be used online. While most retailers do allow online purchasing, major retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, Home Depot, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx did not allow their gift cards to be used online.

-- A perception of impersonality has caused a decline in the availability of electronic gift cards. Of the gift card issuers surveyed, only 13 still offered electronic gift cards.

-- For most gift card issues, expiration dates are a thing of the past. However, adding to the potential fees of a major credit card-branded gift card issuer, some charge maintenance fees after the initial 12 months pass.

-- Most signs are pointing to a rise in sales of major credit-card branded gift cards. The ability to use these cards anywhere, particularly in a difficult economy, make them an appealing gift for most consumers.

About Bankrate, Inc.

The Bankrate network of companies includes Bankrate.com, Interest.com, Mortgage-calc.com, Nationwide Card Services, Savingforcollege.com, Fee Disclosure, InsureMe, CreditCardGuide.com and Bankaholic.com. Each of these businesses helps consumers make informed decisions about their personal finance matters. The company's flagship brand, Bankrate.com is a destination site of personal finance channels, including banking, investing, taxes, debt management and college finance. Bankrate.com is the leading aggregator of rates and other information on more than 300 financial products, including mortgages, credit cards, new and used auto loans, money market accounts and CDs, checking and ATM fees, home equity loans and online banking fees. Bankrate.com reviews more than 4,800 financial institutions in 575 markets in 50 states. In 2007, Bankrate.com had nearly 60 million unique visitors. Bankrate.com provides financial applications and information to a network of more than 75 partners, including Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) , America Online (NYSE: TWX) , The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) . Bankrate.com's information is also distributed through more than 500 newspapers.

    For more information contact:
    Chris Spagnuolo
    Public Relations Manager
    cspagnuolo@bankrate.com
    (917) 368-8671

NOTE TO EDITORS: The information contained in this release is available for print or broadcast with attribution to Bankrate.com.