Go ahead and be perky already...

More consumers are buying gift cards online instead of purchasing them in person, according to the Pre-Holiday Online Shopper Gift Card Survey, sponsored by CashStar. And an overwhelming 88% of online shoppers indicated that they would be more likely to purchase a gift card that has an incentive attached, such as sending a $50 gift card and receiving a $10 gift card in return for the shopper itself.

It looks like restaurant chain Houlihan's is paying attention. This promotion landed in my inbox, and I like the way it sounds.

It’s perfect timing too -- it's no secret that gift cards are a top seller in the last 15 days leading up to Christmas, so they should be promoted throughout retail sites by now. Gift cards should also be highlighted in the obvious spots -- such as the home page and product pages -- but don’t overlook less obvious areas either, such as the key shopping cart section, according to Ken Burke, founder and chairman of Petaluma, Calif.-based MarketLive, an e-commerce software and solutions provider.

“The shopping cart page allows shoppers to think about the purchases they want to make before heading to checkout,” Burke recently told me. “Pair the promotion with the catchy verbiage, such as ‘Forget someone on your shopping list? A gift card is an easy solution!’"

Since a gift card is the cheapest thing a company can send, Burke said ship it to shoppers for free. “These perks can be very effective,” Burke added.

So start showing off your best incentives ...