Rise in ecards this Christmas as more shoppers turn to online

A recent survey from Bankrate.com found in the past year, more retailers offered electronic gift cards to cater to the growing population of online shoppers around the world. The survey found 51 percent of gift cards can now be claimed electronically, compared to 41 percent in 2010.

In addition, the survey noted that many major retailers and financial institutions such as American Express have introduced ecards in the past year, while other companies such as Starbucks are offering mobile-specific gift cards, or cards that can be redeemed via Facebook.

The data showed only 8 percent of gift cards have expiration dates, and 14 percent still charge purchase fees. In the event of theft, 65 percent of retailers will replace an ecard, and 92 percent of cards are free of dormancy or maintenance fees. In addition, 73 percent of retail gift cards now offer free shipping or delivery.

Another way shoppers are finding deals through online shopping is through deal sites. Savoo recently launched the first personalised deal aggregator in the U.K. to help online consumers filter daily deals to select the best discounts for gifts or their lifestyles. The program is free for members, and emails users a list of daily deals that meet their predetermined criteria or interests.