giftcardshop.ie can make everyone's Christmas special as it launches a new gift card and voucher website  www.giftcardshop.ie  today.  Your Christmas gift shopping is made easier and more thoughtful as it offers retailer branded gift cards and vouchers from a range of large retailers like Brown Thomas, Easons, Debenhams, B&Q, HMV and Waterstones; online retailers like cdwow and Spa Finder and leisure destinations including Fitzgerald Hotels, a number of Radisson SAS hotels, The Midleton Park and Kingsley Hotels in Cork.

According to the recently published Christmas Retail Survey by Deloitte, gift cards and vouchers are the second highest hoped for present leading up to Christmas 2008 (69% of consumers surveyed want one!). In addition, it is the most wanted gift by women with 73% putting gift cards or vouchers on top of their wish list!  A Voucher Association YouGov survey also shows that the perception of gift cards and vouchers has also undergone a major turnaround, with over 90% of consumers now believing gift cards are an acceptable gift and 30% directly preferring them to a present.

A recent survey carried out by Card Commerce, parent company of giftcardshop.ie and a leading provider of closed loop gift card programmes in Ireland and the UK, substantiates this by showing that Irish consumers are increasingly using gift cards.  The study of 100 people in Dublin, revealed that 45% of Irish consumers have purchased one to three gift cards in the past 12 months and 29% had purchased three or more.

With a few clicks on giftcardshop.ie it takes just minutes to register, purchase, gift wrap and arrange delivery on this highly secure website.  The gift card is delivered by registered post either to the purchaser or directly to the recipient in 2-3 days. This site makes gift card giving more personalised and thoughtful as it allows you to purchase the retailers own branded gift cards as if you had purchased directly from the store.

We know from research that in our present economic climate, purchasing gift cards is a winning option for everyone.  With tighter purse strings, people don't want to run the risk of giving the wrong gift  they want to put thought into where the person might like to shop or take a break, and then let them choose how they use the gift amount, comments Scott McInnes, Commercial Director at giftcardshop.ie. For the shopper, purchasing online takes the stress out of Christmas, giving people more time to spend with their friends and family in the run up to the Christmas season.  For those conscious of their carbon footprint, it also saves plenty of energy on transport!

By logging onto giftcardshop.ie, you can beat the winter chill, store queues and traffic jams and ponder over your Christmas gift list from the comfort of your home or your desk.  The site makes it easy to browse by Recipient including Him, Her or Kids & Teens; by Category including Entertainment, Fashion, Health & Beauty or Hotel & Spa; or by location, ensuring the recipient of the gift card has easy access to the store close by to choose their own preferred gift.

According to the Amarach Life Online Survey 2008, eight people in ten in Ireland make online purchases today versus just one in ten just ten years ago.  Purchasing gifts online is in greater demand and giftcardshop.ie provides an easy and convenient way to meet that demand this Christmas.