How Much Should You Spend on a Client Gift?

There is good news for gift givers: on the whole, recipients of business gifts don’t have high expectations on the cost of the gift itself. The survey showed that recipients don’t expect to receive gifts that cost over $150.

There are a few differences across demographic groups and regions of the U.S. that may be exceptions to this rule. C-Suite executives and people in the Northeast have a higher expectation of gift spend, while women, Midwesterners, and Baby Boomers generally have lower expectations. Still, the research provides a handy rule of thumb around spending ranges for gifts based on the occasion as well as the business seniority of the recipient.

For an important business milestone, for C-suite clients, or for your most valuable clients, consider spending between $140 and $160 on your gift. Only 10-12% of recipients surveyed suggested that partners or vendors should spend more than $200. In that case, if your gift is going to a senior executive in New York or Boston, you might consider spending a bit more.

To celebrate a promotion, or to give gifts to mid-level managers, or to thank loyal clients, research suggests spending in the $75 to $100 range. And for junior level clients, for holidays, or work anniversaries, the expectation is a spend between $50 and $65.