New Life Celebration Gifts: "Amazon Gift Certificates" Preferred Over "Physical Gifts Chosen by the Recipient" - Survey on Digital Gifts

Neo Marketing Inc. (Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) conducted an internet survey on the theme of "Digital Gifts" from Friday, March 13, 2026, to Monday, March 16, 2026, targeting men and women aged 20 and over nationwide.

Background of the Survey: From March to April, it is a season when demand for congratulatory gifts increases due to the start of new lives such as graduations, admissions, employment, and moving. While cash and physical items have traditionally been the standard for such gift-giving occasions, digital gifts have recently been gaining prominence as an option due to their ease of sending without knowing the recipient's address and the flexibility for the recipient to use them in a way that suits them best.

However, for the giver, there remain concerns such as "Is it impolite?" and "Does it look cold or uninspired?" Additionally, there are situations where acceptance varies depending on the recipient's age and digital literacy, making it difficult to decide whether cash, physical items, or digital gifts are most appropriate.

Therefore, this survey, themed "Digital Gifts," broadly inquired about the actual practices of giving and receiving gifts for new life celebrations, what gifts are appreciated, concerns and worries, and future usage intentions. It aimed to understand for whom and in what situations digital gifts are accepted, and what hurdles exist.

Please utilize this as a reference for your future marketing activities.

Survey Overview: Method of Survey: Web survey conducted using the survey system operated by Neo Marketing Inc. Target of Survey: Men and women aged 20 and over nationwide Number of Valid Responses: 1,000 people Survey Dates: Friday, March 13, 2026 - Monday, March 16, 2026

◆ Main Questions and Answers from the "Survey on Digital Gifts"

◆ Challenges in Choosing Gifts: "Not knowing the recipient's preferences" 38.6%, "Not knowing what gift would be well-received" 33.2%. While there are differences in strength by age group, "not knowing the recipient's preferences" and "not knowing what gift would be well-received" ranked high across all age groups. This suggests that new life celebrations often involve giving gifts not only to close friends and family whose preferences are well-known, but also to individuals whose specific tastes are not fully understood.

◆ Most Appreciated New Life Celebration Gift: "Amazon Gift Certificates" Surpass "Physical Gifts Chosen by the Recipient." Overall, "cash" at 48.1% was overwhelmingly popular. However, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 11.1% surpassed "physical gifts chosen by the recipient" at 10.0%. Particularly among 20-24 year olds, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 17.0% and "QUO Card Pay/PayPay Gift and similar electronic money" at 10.0% showed significant support. Among 25-29 year olds, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 14.0% also indicated a solid level of support for digital gifts.

We asked about gifts "given" as "new life celebrations" within the last three years, including graduations, admissions, employment, and moving.

Gifts "Given" as "New Life Celebrations" within the Last 3 Years (n=1,000)

Overall, "Never given" was the most common response at 63.2%. Among those who actually gave gifts, "cash" at 22.5% was the top choice. "Gift certificates/vouchers (paper/card)" at 11.0%, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 8.8%, "LINE Gifts" at 5.8%, "QUO Card Pay/PayPay Gift and similar electronic money" at 5.6%, and "meal/experience gifts" at 3.5% collectively show that non-"item" gifts have a significant presence.

Looking at age demographics, among 20-24 year olds, digital gifts such as "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" (19.0%), "LINE Gifts" (12.0%), and "QUO Card Pay/PayPay Gift and similar electronic money" (14.0%) were the most common by age group, all exceeding cash (10.0%). In contrast, among 65-69 year olds, cash was overwhelmingly popular at 45.0%. There is a trend where the older the age group, the more they lean towards cash, and the younger the age group, the more they lean towards digital gifts.

It appears that for "new life celebrations," especially among younger demographics, there is a shift towards gifts that can be sent instantly without knowing personal information like addresses and that the recipient can use freely.

We asked individuals who selected options other than "Never given" in the question "Gifts "Given" as "New Life Celebrations" within the Last 3 Years" (i.e., those who have given some form of gift for a new life celebration in the past three years) about their challenges in choosing gifts.

Challenges in Choosing Gifts (n=368)

Overall, the biggest challenge in gift selection was "not knowing the recipient's preferences" at 38.6%, followed by "not knowing what gift would be well-received" at 33.2%. Many people stumble on "how to choose a gift that won't be a miss" before considering price or delivery. The difficulty of new life celebrations lies more in the lack of understanding of the recipient rather than budget.

Furthermore, although there are variations by age, the commonality across all age groups is that "not knowing the recipient's preferences" and "not knowing what gift would be well-received" tend to rank high. This suggests that new life celebrations often involve giving gifts not only to close friends and family whose preferences are well-known but also to individuals whose specific tastes are not fully understood.

In the previously mentioned question "Gifts "Given" as "New Life Celebrations" within the Last 3 Years," digital gifts showed a certain presence, particularly among younger demographics. The background to this is likely the need to avoid "giving a gift that misses the mark." In situations where the recipient's preferences are unknown, digital gifts, which allow recipients to choose their usage or product, are a fitting choice for a new life celebration that is less prone to failure.

We asked about concerns and worries regarding giving digital gifts (LINE Gifts, Amazon Gift Certificates, etc.) as new life celebrations.

Concerns and Worries about Giving Digital Gifts as New Life Celebrations (n=1,000)

The highest response was "difficult for older people to use" at 51.3%, followed by "the recipient might not be digitally savvy" at 47.9%, and "the recipient might not know how to receive it" at 38.8%.

On the other hand, responses such as "might be seen as impolite" at 11.7% and "might give an impression of being half-hearted or too easy" at 19.4% were relatively low. This indicates that resistance to digital gifts is focused more on "whether the recipient can receive it without issues" rather than "whether the sentiment is conveyed." Additionally, "lack of special feeling or warmth" was only 29.6%, suggesting that manners or emotional aspects are not necessarily the biggest hurdles.

In other words, at present, the barrier to widespread adoption is more about "whether it can be properly received" according to the recipient's age and literacy, rather than psychological rejection itself. If the ease of receiving and support systems are improved, usage is likely to expand further.

We asked about gifts "received" as "new life celebrations" within the last three years, including graduations, admissions, employment, and moving.

Gifts "Received" as "New Life Celebrations" within the Last 3 Years (n=1,000)

Overall, "cash" at 13.8% was the top gift received for "new life celebrations." However, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 9.4%, "physical goods/gifts" at 9.3%, and "gift certificates/vouchers (paper/card)" at 9.2% were at similar levels. This shows considerable diversification in the forms of gifts received.

Particularly among 20-24 year olds, while "cash" at 26.0% was the most common, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 19.0%, "QUO Card Pay/PayPay Gift and similar electronic money" at 15.0%, "physical goods/gifts" at 14.0%, "gift certificates/vouchers" at 13.0%, "LINE Gifts" at 13.0%, and "meal/experience gifts" at 12.0% were all broadly represented, without a strong bias towards any single form.

Among younger demographics who are more likely to have new life celebrations, receiving methods are diversifying beyond cash to include digital, physical, and experiential gifts, suggesting that the range of choices for "what to give" has expanded.

We asked about the appropriateness of giving digital gifts as new life celebrations, categorized by the age of the recipient.

Appropriateness of Digital Gifts for New Life Celebrations by Recipient Age Group (n=1,000)

When giving new life celebration gifts, we asked about the gifts that recipients themselves would find most appreciated.

Most Appreciated New Life Celebration Gift (n=1,000)

Overall, "cash" at 48.1% was overwhelmingly popular, indicating that gifts offering high flexibility in usage are strongly supported for new life celebrations. This trend is particularly strong in older age groups, with 65.0% among 60-64 year olds and 61.0% among 65-69 year olds, reflecting an emphasis on "ensuring the recipient can use it."

On the other hand, younger demographics have a slightly different reception. Among 20-24 year olds, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 17.0% and "QUO Card Pay/PayPay Gift and similar electronic money" at 10.0% showed support. Among 25-29 year olds, "Amazon Gift Certificates (Digital)" at 14.0% also gained a certain level of support. Furthermore, "experiencing choosing together/having a meal" reached 21.0% for 20-24 year olds and 31.0% for 25-29 year olds, both surpassing "physical gifts chosen by the recipient."

From these results, it can be inferred that for younger generations nearing the start of their careers, not only the sentiment but also the flexibility to "choose for themselves" and "use in a way that suits them" are significant factors influencing their happiness. While givers may worry that "digital gifts are too impersonal," for recipients, gifts offering high flexibility are often more welcomed than fixed items.