• by Tanya Gazdik , December 7, 2007

For holiday shoppers who subscribe to the "something for them, something for me" philosophy, American Express has your back.

The company is running an online promotion enabling shoppers to receive a free Gadget Lover's Card worth $25 from American Express Incentive Services when they purchase five American Express Gift Cards in one order through Dec. 31.

"We're always looking to bring added value to our consumers," said Susan Lauinger, vice president of gift card marketing for American Express North America. "We had done a back-to-school rebate promotion at retail stores in the third quarter, and we thought it would be a great program to extend online. And at this time of year, gadget lovers just seemed to make so much sense. So many people have all sorts of high-tech gadgets and toys on their list, this is a great way for American Express to say thank you to everybody for being consumers and to wish them happy holidays."

The Gadget Lover's Card can be redeemed for three months after the date of issue at U.S. locations of participating electronic retailers, including f.y.e., Sam Goody, The Sharper Image, and Suncoast.

The cards can either be given as gifts or kept by the consumer. "It's kind of a nice thing that you can do for yourself when you're busy buying for everybody else this season," Lauinger said.

The Apple iPhone, Sony's PlayStation 3, Samsung's 46-inch flat-screen television, the Creative Zen MP3 player (16 GB version), and the Apple iPod Touch top the list of most-wanted gadgets, according to CNET.com. About 37% of Americans say they will shop for consumer electronics this year, according to a new American Express Gift Card Survey. Among shoppers 18 to 24 years old, the number of gadget givers jumps to 60%.

Shoppers can take advantage of this online promotion by visiting the American Express Web site, www.americanexpress.com/gift, purchasing any five American Express Gift Cards, completing a rebate form found on the Web site and mailing it to the address noted on the rebate form. All forms must be received by Jan. 21, 2008, with a limit of one Gadget Lover's Card per household.

The American Express Gift Card can be redeemed at U.S. retailers and restaurants that accept American Express Cards, and lets the recipient choose from millions of things and experiences. The Gift Card is available in denominations ranging from $25 to $500, and can be refunded if lost or stolen.

More gift card promotions are in the works for next year, Lauinger says. "We always want to make it easy for consumers to choose American Express gift cards," she said.