According to Forrester Research, online retail sales are expected to reach $44.7 billion during the months of November and December 2009, an 8% increase over 2008. This means that consumers are continuing to shift to the web for their holiday shopping.

Consumers are avoiding lines and crowds this year more than ever before and will look online for last-minute giving.

• Online Instant Gift Certificates don’t require inventory management.
• The more gift certificates purchased now will translate into 2010 spa appointments and rebooking opportunities.
• Many spa customers will be new, a referral of sorts from existing clients who want to share the amazing spa experiences they have at your spa.
• An online spa gift giver may never walk into your spa but can become a very important customer.
• Instant Gift Certificates from your spa website eliminate all the hassle associated with holiday shopping.
• The United postal service has declare December 21st as the very last date consumers, sending packages using the hyper-expensive express mail service, can expect their gifts to arrive on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, research shows that online instant spa gift purchases are still revving up to satisfy all the last-minute gift needs.

The best gifts in life become treasured memories. It is the spa gift we receive that has unexpected benefit to our lives right now, for a moment, an hour or a day. The gift of spa lingers and stays with us long after it has been used and often motivates us to change our lives for the better.