據澳大利亞國家零售商協(xié)會最近的一項調查顯示，曾經被視為缺少心意的代金券正卷土重來，成為圣誕樹下最熱門的禮物。該協(xié)會的執(zhí)行官表示，原來送代金券，人們都會覺得太沒情調，不夠浪漫；但是現在卻成了很受歡迎的禮物，因為人們可以拿它去買他們真正需要的東西。在熱門禮物中，排在代金券后面的是電器和玩具。該協(xié)會預計，12月份的零售額有望達到210億美元，而節(jié)后的1月份則可能會有147億美元的進帳。雖然圣誕節(jié)后的消費可能會更加高漲，但是零售商協(xié)會成員提醒人們要負責任地消費，量力而為。
　　Once considered thoughtless gifts, vouchers have made a comeback and are topping the list of presents under the Christmas tree.
　　A recent survey by the group representing a number of leading retailers including David Jones, Coles and Harvey Norman, showed gift cards were the number one Christmas purchase this year.
　　“The number one present ... is in fact gift cards and vouchers,” the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) chief executive Margy Osmond told ABC Television today.
　　“They used to be considered terribly unromantic but are now considered a great gift because people can go and get exactly what they want from the post-Christmas sales.”　　
　　Vouchers were followed by electronics and toys, which many people put on lay-by during the June-July sales, she said.
　　“People are spending but they’re very cautious about what they’re spending and they want to make sure that they’re getting maximum bang for their buck.”
　　The association, whose members represent 40 per cent of retail sector employees, say Christmas sales will be ‘‘solid but not spectacular’’.
　　It expects to see $21 billion worth of sales pass through registers in December and a further $14.7 billion in the January sales.
　　“There will be some slight growth on spending from last Christmas,” Ms Osmond said.
　　Retailers are also waiting for the latest three interest rate hikes to flow through the system.
　　“We will see a lag in that and that’s likely to start showing in the first quarter of 2010.”
　　The nation’s peak retailing body, with more than 5,000 members, also expects to see stronger sales in the post-Christmas period.
　　The Australian Retailers Association says $6.77 billion is expected to be spent on goods.
　　Their figure excludes grocery sales, which are included in the ANRA figures.
　　ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman says it’s a jump of four per cent on last year.
　　He also urged consumers to spend responsibly.
　　“It’s easy for shoppers to be excited and overwhelmed during post-Christmas sales but we are advising consumers to keep their cool when bargain hunting and to spend responsibly and within their limits,” he said in a statement.