Gift card sales from 2000 to 2009:

• $19 billion in 1999
• $32 billion in 2001 — 68% increase from 1999
• $38 billion in 2002 — 19% increase from 2001
• $45 billion in 2003 — 18% increase from 2002
• $55 billion in 2004 – 22% increase from 2003
• $83 billion in 2006 — 66% increase from 2004
• $97 billion in 2007 — 17% increase from 2006
• $91 billion in 2008 – 6% decrease from 2007
• $87 billion in 2009, however 6 percent of this huge figure – nearly $5 billion – was wasted due to gift cards that went unused — 4% decrease from 2008

Expectations for gift card sales in 2010:

• $86.2 billion — 1% decrease from 2009

Sources: Bain & Company, First Data, National Retail Federation, Tower Group, Venture Beat