Majid Al Futtaim Finance "Just for You" Visa Gift Cards Arrive in UAE

Combating the disappointment of receiving'unwanted' gifts and the practice of 'regifting' them to unsuspecting family andfriends, Majid Al Futtaim Finance has launched "Just for you" Visa gift cards,which allow you to gift from AED 100 - AED 3,500 to celebrate all manner ofholidays and occasions, complete with a beautiful free greeting card, andallowing the receiver freedom of choice.  The cards, which are acceptedworldwide and can also be used for online purchases, cost AED 15 and can bepurchased at over 100 ENOC / EPPCO / Zoom convenience stores and Geant acrossthe UAE.  The cards will also be available at Carrefour and Al Ghurair Exchangeoutlets.
Research from the US, where almost 70% of participants of a recent surveyplanned to purchase gift cards for the holiday season, found that more than $18billion is spent on gift cards in that market, with forecasts for gift cardsales reaching $47 billion in the next four years.  Average consumers in Americapurchase at least three to four gift cards in the holiday season, according tomarket research firm Packaged Facts.
 "The diversity of the UAE's population and the practice of gift-giving for allmajor holidays as well as birthdays, anniversaries, the arrival of new babies,graduations and other celebratory occasions means that this market is awash in'unwanted' gifts that then may be passed along inappropriately in the practiceof 'regifting' - this issue of wasted money is addressed quickly and easilythrough the giving of a Visa "Just for you" gift card from Majid Al FuttaimFinance," said Rasool Hujair, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Finance.
"A Visa "Just for you" gift card takes all of the guess work out of gift-giving- it's always the right size, always appropriate because it enables therecipient to choose whatever he or she likes, and can be used anywhere in theworld that Visa is accepted.  If users register their gift cards, they are saferthan cash gifts because they can also be replaced if lost or stolen, and theiracceptance online means that consumer can shop via the Internet without the fearof giving a credit card number," he added.
The popularity of gift cards in markets such as the US - where they are thesecond most given gift annually, with more than 50% of consumers saying theywould like to receive, according to research from Packaged Facts - bodes wellfor the launch of the concept in the UAE, where credit card usage and thepractice of frequent gift-giving are both high.
Majid Al Futtaim Finance has timed the launch of its Visa "Just for you" giftcards to correspond with the company's second anniversary as a member of theUAE's credit card sector.  To make gift-giving even easier, the company has pre-packaged each one of the four varieties of gift card available - marking abirthday, seasonal greetings, hearty congratulations or a special gift -- with aquality greeting card and envelope so that the message can be personalized andthe consumer does not need to buy a separate greeting card.
Prior to launching the card, Majid Al Futtaim Finance's team of analysts foundthat:-    According to research conducted by ICM on behalf of eBay in the last fiveyears, an estimated 4 billion pounds sterling of unwanted gifts are given eachholiday season - the equivalent of almost 100 pounds per person in the UK.
-    65% percent of people surveyed about gifts in Australia within the lastfive years admitted to receiving unwanted gifts that they had no intention ofusing or keeping, with more than one-third (37%) confessing that they recycle or'regift' things that are unwanted, even dedicating a special closet in theirhome to these recycled items.
"There is tremendous potential in how gift cards can be used and who can enjoythe benefits - students going off to university, people wanting to shop moresafely online within a certain price limit, and even younger consumers learningto spend money responsibly - to mark our second anniversary in the UAE, the Visa"Just for you" gift card is actually our way of celebrating with consumershere," concluded Hujair.