Ask Mike: The Gift Card
Hey Guys,
I believe that human beings are, for the most part, logical. But if I wanted to take the opposite point of view and needed compelling evidence to support my case, I would point to the popularity of the gift card.
Now, think about the gift card for a minute. It’s an incredibly popular gift that is completely inconvenient. You could give cash to someone to spend on anything they like. Instead, you give them a card that limits their choices to one store. It’s crazy, I tells ya!
I searched around for who to credit (or blame?) for the gift card, but was stymied by a lack of information. However, I did find some interesting stats on the popular present that I thought I’d share.
Ever wonder why companies push so hard to sell gift cards? Well, for one, many people who are given the cards never redeem them. That means the retailer makes a huge profit and keeps its merchandise. In fact, according to Consumer Affairs, a whopping $8 billion worth of gift cards went unredeemed in 2006.
So, why then are they so popular? I can think of a few reasons. One, they’re perfect for lazy people. Say you got suckered into some Secret Santa thing at work and you don’t want to spend any effort looking for the perfect $10 gift for Bill from accounting — just get him a gift card and you’re done with it. Another reason, there’s just something unseemly about giving somebody cash. For whatever reason, it’s more polite to give a gift card. Logical? Absolutely not.
What do you guys think about gift cards? Like ‘em? Hate ‘em? Couldn’t care less either way? Oh, and in honor of the holidays, one more question — what’s the worst gift you ever received? Leave a comment below and I’ll see you in 2010.
Thanks for reading,
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Hi Mike.
I really agree with you.
The worst thing about the Gift Card is some of
them can expire and on the other hand some never expire. My husband emptied his wallet of Gift cards that he and I had received in the last two years.
We have been doing a lot of eating out.
A $50.00 American Express was spent at Red Lobster. Two $25.00 ones at the Cracker Barrell was used up last Sat. A $25.00 at Walker Brother Pancake House
in Glenview, Il. We still have a $25.00 and $8.50 left on another Visa. OH and four theather tickets, two AMC and two Loews tickets….and that should clear use up.I hope our kids think of some other way to keep us plump.
Thanks Mike, have a wonderful New Year,
Allie
I actually like gift cards because I get to spend the money on what I want (I have yet to receive a gift card I didn’t want/use), but I can see where you’re coming from. It seems very impersonal and thoughtless to get someone a gift card, but at the same time, it’s nice because at least you know they’ll enjoy it (if they use it, that is), rather than if you bought them something they didn’t even want or need. I guess it seems more polite because those shiny little pieces of plastic are prettier than bills? Maybe it’s the idea that if you did actually get them something, it would be from that store. Or it’s that you actually went to the trouble of going out and buying the gift card? Hmm…
As for those gift cards you never use and go unredeemed, why not re-gift? I have a few iTunes gift cards laying around that I’m saving to re-gift because I never use iTunes.
Well the thing about gift cards is you need to know they will stay valid and know that whoever is getting them will actually use it. for me if it is for walmart or the pet store, they will be used within the week, anything else will be used but maybe in a month. I enjoy it but you need to read the fine print very carefully. last year a bunch of people got gift cards from a store locally owned and they announced they were going out of business the 28, so all gift cards were invalid. So I would rather just have the cash than the gift card but it is true it seems more of a gift when it is an item, so I usually just get a bunch of five dollar bills, put them in a box and wrap it so it is a gist
I like gift cards, if they are for a place that I will visit.
In our city, there is a program that has created a city wide “cash card” (to get away from the bad name of gift card). Currently this cash card has about 50 different businesses that accept it, but I have heard that they are expanding by over 300 additional businesses in the next year! I like this idea for a couple of reasons, if one of these businesses close (like Circuit City last year), then the card is still going to be good at all the other businesses. The company does not take away money from your card the way VISA/AMEX and all of them do. So the $20 I had on it a year ago is still good today, at the same value…
Sorry, I disagree. It happens that my relatives know my favorite stores, and since they live several states away from me but are aware that the stores in question exist in my large city, I’ve been delighted to receive gift cards for those stores from them. In recent months, I have redeemed gift cards from J Crew and Williams-Sonoma. I also received — last March — a Visa gift card that I could use anywhere, and I redeemed that just the other day, spending it on several bottles of lovely French body lotion. The card information had made it clear that it would never expire.
In other words, if you’re going to give a gift card, make sure that it’s for a store or other venue you know for a fact the recipient loves, or that it can be used anywhere. Don’t buy a card to a store just for the hell of it.
My hsuband just received a $100 Amazon gift card. Since he loves to read, and so do I, we’ll make good use of this one.
Gift cards are second best to cash. Giving a gift card is not being lazy at all…..in this day and age everyone is too picky and fussy about what they want.
You never know what to get someone, and if they will like it or dump it, or ask you to exchange it.
Years ago, you were greatful to receive anything. Now people are spoiled and selfish and want to pick out what they like.
You are right about the big bucks these companies make because people don’t redeem their gift certificates. They are stupid people. I can’t give money to people who have more than they need. They don’t want money.
So just buy a fancy wine glass and put a few gift certificates in it and your good.
I never fill out the card that comes with them, so the receipient can re-gift it.
They are certainly not inconvenient if you find out in advance the person’s favorite restaurant, or store. You don’t just go out and buy one blind.
Other than Christmas, most people give money for all other occasions they attend.
So, it’s usually only once a year that you might get one.
I tells ya Mike, by the way you dress, would you rather a gift certificate or a red tie?
The worst gift I ever received was a roll of toilet paper.
Merry Christmas.
I remember when giftcards came out where I worked at a hardware store. They said it was the biggest money making gimmick they had ever seen. If someone wants to buy something there, they either don’t use the full amount (so we get a tip) or they go over (so we get more money.) Either way, we benefit. And it’s great when someone forgets about it, they expire, or whatever. Free money for the store!
The only reason for a gift card in my opinion is when it’s someone who you think would misuse the cash. Like, if you know someone will take the money you want to give them for groceries and buy drugs with it, a gift card can limit them to groceries. Or your kid away at school wants to buy gas, you can get a giftcard only good at the pump. Or if you know that if you gave a couple $30 to go out to eat one would pocket it and never tell the other. Or if you know the new parents would take the money you gave them and use it for alcohol or movies or something instead of on the baby. Then limiting it makes sense.
But if this is a friend, give cash. Just think! No expiration date, accepted anywhere and everywhere, no fees, and if they don’t use it all they get the change back! It makes perfect sense to me. If you want it to look ‘cleaner’ then go to a bank and get a nice crisp bill, or a money museum and get an uncirculated. Believe me, I am always happier with cash than card.
Well, I quite disagree with your first sentence, nevertheless, I also agree about the gift card thing.
If a store gave a discount, like I think they used to, so that you could buy a $25 gift card for $20 or something, then it might make sense.
Otherwise, if you don’t know someone well enough, such as a relative you don’t talk to much, either just send a greetings card or send a card and cash along with suggestions of fun or interesting things to do with the money and request that the person use it for something fun or whatever and then send a note back about how it went. It’s not particularly unreasonable as a way to involve oneself in someone else’s life when it has otherwise been difficult to do.
Still, I kind of think, just say hi instead of sending unneeded gifts. This whole gift giving thing is a bit over-done if you ask me. Don’t ever call me for months and months and then send me a gift? That’s not a relationship. I guess the fact is that $25 or $50 is cheaper than actually trying to form a relationship with someone.
Not quite. I gave a couple of people Discover gift cards this Christmas. I didn’t know what gift was appropriate for them, I know they need money, I don’t like to mail money, and the Discover gift card can be used just about anywhere. Perfect!
On the other hand somebody once gave me a gift card for a store that was not located anywhere remotely near me, and the card couldn’t be used for on-line purchases. So it was virtually useless and I never redeemed it.
I completely disagree with you.
For one thing, drop the “better than you attitude” because you don’t like gift cards.
Gift cards work are great for people that love a certain store. If you know someone loves Macy’s, get them a card from there.
They also work if you know what a person is into. If they are into electronics, get them a gift card from Best Buy. Or in a similiar situation, if someone just purchased something new, like a blu ray player, but you don’t know what movies they already have or want, this allows them to pick out something they want. This also ensures that you don’t buy them something they don’t want or something they already have.
If you don’t want to limit their choices by purchasing a gift card at a store, then get them a pre-paid Visa card. This allows them to go anywhere Visa is accepted.
Even if your gift card says it is expired or that it had a fee deducted–try to use it at the store anyway. (so long as it is a closed-loop card-retailer card-not like a Vanilla Visa) Most of the stores have customer service policies in place so that your card will still be accepted. You may have to go to customer service for an updated card but they should give it to you. I had a 4 year old Border’s that expired 2 years ago that worked seamlessly at the register. I had a 4 year old Dillard’s card that I had to go to customer service but they gave me a new one for the full value. Good Luck!
Gift cards are great! Human beings view the act of giving a gift as an intimate act. That means that giving someone cash is just tacky. The only people who are allowed to give cash at Christmas time are grandparents.
The problem with buying someone a gift is that they probably (not possibly) won’t like it. They won’t wear it, won’t read it, won’t listen to it, and won’t watch it.
We think that we know what other people will like. But we are usually wrong.
Now a gift card retains the intimacy in the act of giving by communicating a message equivalent to: “I know that you like (clothes, books, toys, movies, music, etc.) so here is a gift card that will allow you to spend some money on it”. But the gift card also avoids what for centuries was “the Christmas problem”: a bunch of gifts after Christmas that had to be returned, thrown away, or stored somewhere out of the way.
I really dislike gift cards. To me, it ultimate says: “I couldn’t be bothered finding you a gift you’d like, so here, just take my money instead”. First of all, all giftcards should be offered at discount prices, since you are doing the store a favor by buying one. Secondly, if you don’t spend the full amount, the store should give you REAL money in change, not another darn gift card! And finally, expiration dates on giftcards are utter nonsense – since when does money expire?!
I disagree. First of all, you are incorrect in saying that retailers make a huge profit off of unredeemed gift cards. Every state has “escheat laws” that say that unredeemed GCs are essentially unclaimed property and thus owned by the state. The retailer never sees the money from a GC purchase until it is redeemed, it just goes into a state fund. If it goes unredeemed for a certain amount of time the retailer can attempt to contact the purchaser. Of course there are caveats and complications as with any law. See the following link:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/SB107219160756934900.htm
Also, buying someone a random gift card might be thoughtless, but buying them a gift card for a particular store or purpose is different. For instance, my friend and I go hiking a lot and I know he needed some certain gear, but I don’t know what EXACTLY he would prefer, so why not let him pick it out himself? I also bought my parents a gift card to a restaurant they like to go out to eat together, that is not thoughtless, just practical.
I agree to a point. I’d rather give gifts, but some people are too hard to buy for. Isn’t it better to give a card they will use than give them something they will return? Particularly teenagers, who knows what they want.
The interesting thing about gift cards is that when a store sells one, it doesn’t count as a “sale”, it is a liability (they took your money and owe you a product). So it doesn’t show up as income until it is spent.
I like gift cards, I don’t agree with them having to expire though. I think that’s unfair. It does also suck if someone just buys you a gift card and you can tell they put no thought into it, for example, a store that you are not likely to go into at all or the same gift card for the same amount, year after year. Some gift cards come with a place to write a message, if that place is empty I tend to start thinking that the gift-giver just threw me the card without putting any thought into it too. But overall, I do like them, I just make sure to find out what stores the recipient likes to shop at and if they do like to shop in the first place.
I think that giving cash to someone is way more different than giving gift cards. A good exapmle of mine would be, I always wanted to have hair treatment at a salon but is expensive. Neither will I do it, nor will my mom would let me. If someone gives me cash as a gift I’d think of saving it or spend on something useful than spending it on expensive beauty treatments. But I still want to do those things without spending my own cash, by my own will.
So whenever I pass by a salon and crave for those expensive products and things, I wish if someone would ever give me a gift card for the salon. In that way, I’d happily spend it and my mom would have no choice either.
Actually, I love getting gift cards. I’m kind of picky, so that way I get to pick out stuff I really want instead of getting stuck with a bunch of weird stuff that I feel guilty for not liking.
I also like gift cards better than cash because I would feel obligated to use the cash on bills or groceries or something practical. With a gift card, I can spoil myself without feeling guilty.
Merry Christmas!
Meagan
I like gift cards. They are so pretty. I am very uptight about my money and don’t like to spend it. A gift card is something that allows me to spend money at a certain store so I don’t have to worry about my OCD over my stingentcy. And they are soooo pretty.
Anyways, when I give someone a gift card, I feel lazy but it’s just soooo hard to give someone what they want sometimes…but i like receiving them. I see them more as discounts.
For example, if I get a $25 dollar Macys gift card, I see that as getting $25 off of something more expensive that I would never buy with my own money or with money others gave me. I like the exclusiveness of gift cards because you have to spend it at the certain store.
Anyways, this is really confusing but whatever.
The worst gift I ever got was … ugly socks
I think gift cards are great, if they apply to a store the receiver frequents. I find that cash can be spent on useless items (or things you wouldn’t consider fit to be a gift). Gift Cards still allow the receiver to choose what they want. Gift Cards still have their downfalls (expirations, etc.), but they are still fine in my opinion.
Hmmm I’d say it depends. If they come from lazy people who KNOW you quite well, they generally get you gift cards to stores you LIKE. In this case, it’s not too bad. What sucks is when they get you cards to stores you barely visit. Not only are you pressed to get something from there, very rarely do you finish using the full amount.
I agree, Mike, gift cards are, for the most part, less useful than giving cash. I would personally much rather receive cash than a gift card, so I could spend it however I want at wherever I want, rather than being locked into whatever establishment chosen for me… I think I currently have two gift cards which I haven’t used, simply because I haven’t had the time to visit those locations.
On the other hand, there are certain instances where gift cards can be useful, and at least seen as somewhat less impersonal than cash (though I would never be offended at receiving cash as a gift), because after all, in order to get a gift card, the purchaser had to have spent some time in a checkout line for it…
And the choice of gift card may limit the recipient to more “useful” things, such as the daily necessities of food or clothing, as opposed to “useless” things like toys. Or perhaps one could accumulate enough gift cards for the item he/she truly wants, rather than separate gifts of things of lesser value, which might not be liked.. (Although one could usually return gifts for store credit, which would end up being similar to a gift card.)
Since my personal preference is for cash over gift cards, I will never give a gift card as a gift.
Couldn’t agree more! Cannot say they are worthless but gift cards make me think that the whoever gave it to me didn’t care really about me. People who give gift cards to others to me simply don’t want to think much about the gift and giving a gift card is the simpliest and fastest way. I think, If you love the person and care about them, gift cards then is a no no. Because they don’t have any meaning to the one you give it to. Gift cards are great for some relatives but not for people we love, because the ones we love deserve a thoughtful gift, from our soul, from the bottom of the heart.
Apologize for my English and hope I made myself clear.
hey, mike!
i’m sara. i’m new to yahoo, so i don’t have a really good idea of who you are. so anyway, about giftcards. i like them! i think it isn’t lazy to get a gift card, especially for someone you really don’t know that well. i got all my teachers in the past gift cards. it saves them money and is a nice thing to do. and also, it’s not like a sweater or something that you might not use, the gift receiver can get whatever they want so you know they will like it. now visa makes a gift card to anywhere so it can not just be used at like hot topic or something. overall, i like gift cards.
I personally like gift cards because, as a young woman, I love to shop. Many people who give me gifts don’t know the kind of clothes and things I like so it’s easier this way. Also, as opposed to cash, it forces me to spend money on myself as my own gift. When someone gives me cash I just spend it on things like bills and groceries, which is more practical, but a lot less fun.
The gift card is basically best for someone that doesn’t know what they want and you don’t want to spend time guessing what to give them only to have them dislike it.
I would not give one unless someone is like that or requests a card for a specific place. I feel for the most part that cash would be easier and better to give then, as that doesn’t get returned, regifted or penalyzed with not using it for a time to have a portion deducted then, or to get it invalid if it’s misplaced or not used soon.lol
Um, yeah, gift cards are actually pretty logical. It’s the idiots who don’t redeem them that are illogical. I would much rather get a gift card than some dust-collecting junk or random perfume I don’t like – stuff that lies around and you never use. At least an unused gift card doesn’t contribute to the clutter in your house. But, really, how do you “forget” to redeem fricking free money, even if only for a particular store? Some people (like myself, e.g., those living paycheck-to-paycheck) don’t have the luxury of the stupidity required to just “forget” about a gift card.
Almost forgot, weirdest (not actually worst so to not be in a mean spirit mood this time of year..lol) was a pair of bath /shower gloves. I need to wear gloves in the water?
I mean they are scratchy and odd to wear I feel, I didn’t use them but regifted to someone else later on I believe.
I guess bad gifts or unwanted ones can be regifted as long as you avoid doing that to the person who gave it.lol
Face it, giving cash or a gift card, in most cases, sends a message: I needed to get you a gift but don’t care enough to figure out what you like or need. But in some cases, like when a person has a favorite restaurant, favorite hair salon or the like, a gift card can be a thoughtful present.
Gift cards with up-front purchase surcharges, monthly fees or expiration dates should have big orange stickers with a warning in bold black type. It’s no coincidence that the same banks responsible for the financial crisis came up with this product to further fleece the public.
I believe American Express first came out with the gift card. Visa, Mastercard and Discover followed suit. Gift cards were heavily marketed to retailers as a replacement for their paper gift certificates. The selling points are exactly the reasons why you shouldn’t get them unless you are sure the person receiving the card will use it immediately. Most gift cards are administered by a third-party company that takes 1.5-3% service charges off the top. Many cards are lost, expired or discarded before the entire, or even any of the balance is spent.
Gift cards contribute to the philosophy of using plastic instead of cash. Remember, every time you use a credit card or a gift card the retailer has to pay transaction fees. So in order to maintain profitability, retailers have to price their products with consideration of these fees. This inflates the price of everything from a gallon of gasoline to your new big-screen TV
Completely agree, gift cards are a horrible scam: from a store’s perspective it’s like it’s free money. Even if every dollar from every gift card gets spent, it won’t get spent right away: it’s money in the bank today that the store can use to help them operate. That’s why places are willing to sell gift cards at a discount, which sounds like it’s a deal too good to be true. (Honestly, I should buy those discount gift cards for myself. Actually, we did do that with Costco iTunes gift cards once.)
But they’re also a good gift, which is sort of paradoxical. They’re great for the givers, because they are simple, easy to send long distances, and don’t require much imagination. And while everyone would find cash more useful, the purpose of gift cards isn’t to defray ordinary expenses, it’s to treat someone to something you think they’ll enjoy that they normally wouldn’t get for themselves.
And I echo: if you have an expired card, try to use it, go talk to the customer service people if you have to. I managed to use one once that was so long out of date, even the manager hadn’t even seen one like mine before. (I think it was about 15 years old.)
“actually like gift cards because I get to spend the money on what I want **(I have yet to receive a gift card I didn’t want/use)**, but I can see where you’re coming from. It seems very impersonal and thoughtless to get someone a gift card, but at the same time, it’s nice because at least you know they’ll enjoy it (if they use it, that is), rather than if you bought them something they didn’t even want or need. I guess it seems more polite because those shiny little pieces of plastic are prettier than bills? Maybe it’s the idea that if you did actually get them something, it would be from that store. Or it’s that you actually went to the trouble of going out and buying the gift card? Hmm…
As for those gift cards you never use and go unredeemed, why not re-gift?**I have a few iTunes gift cards laying around that I’m saving to re-gift because I never use iTunes.**”
Liar.
The gift card: Thank you for putting restrictions on my money.
Personally, I’ve never had a problem with giftcards. Normally my aunt gives me some for Barnes & Nobles and I love reading, so I always buy some books. To be honest, I don’t know that many people who give them out anyways. I actually think that giftcards are easier because you can pick whatever you want from that store.
My worst christmas present was a barbie doll when I was 14 years old. That was a horrible year!
Wow, if anyone has any gift cards they’re not using, feel free to send them my way! lol.
I do agree, they are perfect for lazy people… but they’re also perfect for potentially awkward situations. For example, you have to get a present for your sister’s new fiance that you don’t care much for and don’t really want to get to know, nor do you feel like going for something sentimental and run the risk of getting a hug from said awkward person, it’s definitely the PERFECT gift in situations like that.
I actually do think they’re pretty convenient to have, but I always do feel a little ripped off when I get one. I got a $25 gift card to a restaurant I don’t eat at often. It made me wonder if I could just redeem the card for $25 in cash, but it seemed much too shady a thing to try to do. Personally, I see nothing wrong with giving someone cash, provided it’s in a classy or thoughtful or creative way.
Good ways to give cash would be to put it in a Christmas card. Or make it into something creative like a money tree or something. I’d like a money tree for Christmas, even if it were only $25.
Bad ways to give cash would be any way that made a person feel like a hooker… i.e. just handing it to the person, no envelope or anything… another bad way would to just give them an envelope of money lol.
I could go on about this topic forever but will quit here because I fear I’ve already typed way too much!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
XoXo- Kell
My husband doesn’t think gift cards are personal enough. However, I love them and so do my kids!
In fact, on my holiday wish list is an Amazon gift card so I can buy the books I want! It’s great for last minute shopping as I can print out an Amazon gift card immediately!
Amazon gift card center: http://tinyurl.com/yzqzhpy
I would agree that it seems more practical just to give the person cash because then they can spend it wherever they like. But, if you think about it, someone is going to throw $20 in their wallet and just spend it on gas. I would. I wouldn’t put it away and buy something special with it, would you? If you buy them a gift card however, then they at least have to buy themselves something maybe they can keep. I like to get my parents gift cards to bookstores. They like to read, but they would never read a book I picked out for them.
I dont agree with the gift card thing. since 2006 they have changed the way you can redeem the cards. you can buy visa gift cards that dont expire. and it has gotten harder to buy gifts for people. we all think we know someone online. and we spend less time with loved ones because of it. if you spend more time with people face to face you might get a good gift idea. but we dont we THINK w know what people want but really just buy them a plant. lol
Before you criticize gift cards, compare them to regular gifts. About one out of any four non-card holiday gifts ends up being tossed out because the recipient just doesn’t like it. That probably compares to the amount of money wasted on gift cards and also sends a similar “I had no idea what to get you, so I’m handing you useless crud that’s not to your taste” message.
Overall, I’d say that the trick with gift cards is to get them from an establishment that the recipient is known to frequent.
I like gift cards. I have an sister who loves Lucky Brand jeans, but I can’t at present afford to get her a whole pair there–and I can’t bring her butt with me to try them on. I can spend money on a gift card for Lucky’s and this way I know she’ll get something that she likes and is to her precise size and tastes.
When I receive a gift card, I wait to redeem it at my convenience, and THEN I write the thank-you note saying, “Wow! How did you know I wanted tickets to see Get Smart II?” or “I love the sweater you got me; it’s just my size.”
But yes, expiration dates on gift certificates need to be clearly marked so that people know they’re there. Otherwise, the store is taking advantage of the idea that the user will assume it’s a non-expiring card, like a milk snake masquerading as a coral.
I actually ask the person where they would like their gift card from. That way I know for sure they like that store and will use it.
I think the reason we find gift cards more acceptable than cash is the fact that somebody actually went out and got something. If you give somebody cash, it’s just like you ripped money out of your pocket and handed it to them, not really giving a s***. A gift card at least shows you went out to a store and bought something.
Anyways, gift cards have a bit of a love/hate relationship with me. Sometimes, when I get a card to a store I know I’ll NEVER use, I get a little disappointed and shove it back in my purse, into the vast abyss of unused plastic. Other times, if it’s a gift card to a store I know I’ll use it on, I’ll like it. It just depends on where the gift card is going to be used, and whether or not I’m going to use it.
I love receiving gift cards. I only buy them for people I don’t know at all, but was invited to their party or whatever and didn’t want to come empty handed. There are city and regional corps that put out general gift cards which can be used everywhere that you can run a debit card as credit. We got all types of gift cards for our wedding and put them all to use, minus two which we’re saving for post holiday sales.
Also, I’ve never had a gift card that was set to expire in less than 3 years. Do you really walk around with the same clump of bills in your wallet for more than 3 years?
2006 was a funky year, but there has been a lot of improvement. Gift cards were still fairly new and a lot of people ran into friction when they tried using them at the stores. Corps may not want the cards to be used, but store managers do.
Of course, there are times that adhere for a more thoughtful and tangible gift… I would never give a gift card to my wife or immediate family.
I totally agree, apart from if it were an iTunes gift card, because the only way I can get credit on it is by one.
It’s especially annoying if you tried really hard to get them a gift you know they like, not necessarily an expensive one.
I’d prefer money, to be honest, because it’s much more practical. It gives you choice and never expires.
you forgot to mention that it is like giving cash that disappears if you don’t use it. I think it is one of the dumbest things ever invented. However the logic behind it’s popularity is that if you give cash it goes into their wallet and they can’t tell it from the money they already have and they may just spend it on a hamberger or something without thinking about it. with the gift card they have to spend it in that store and they may think about you while they have to pull the card out.
Now I want you to think about pet rocks, cabbage patch dolls and tickle me elmos for megsbucks. As you think about those things please reread you first line
I wish that people would give me gift cards. My Mother never remembers that she gave me a pair of gloves last year, and the year before that, and the year before that… She once went through a blue shirt phase. I still have enough “business casual compliant” blue oxfords to last me through retirement. I appreciate the thought.
NO WAY, I love getting gift cards. As long as they are from stores I use. Same goes with giving them, I always make sure that they are for stores the recipient frequents often (Like my Starbucks addict best friend or book lover mom who gets Amazon cards). They are also great for teens since they can go shopping with their friends, and do something they like. Or sometimes they are a good incentive to spoil oneself, when they might otherwise not (like giving my sister and brother-in-law restaurant or movie theatre gift cards).
What you’re saying makes perfect sense, gift cards not being logical. I’m not overjoyed when I get a gift card to somewhere unless it is to a book store. But say someone is tight for money during the holidays and they cannot afford anything expensive. They feel that giving cash would be, as others have said, “tacky.” A gift card is a good solution to their problem. Although it may not be the ideal present, a gift card is all some people can afford.
I also disagree…I love gift cards for the reason that I have family all around the country and I have no idea anymore as to their sizes, personal taste in music or even format of music ….
I gifted my son with an Amazon gift card. He is so very picky about everything and the good thing about Amazon is that there are lots of options.
With that said, with local relatives especially kids – I do think it’s more fun for them to open a present. I try to find things that I know they’re interested in or collect. Sometimes that means asking their mother – one grand niece now collects ANYTHING with a peace sign on it. She’s pretty easy.
I think gift cards just give us more flexibility and it’s an option for some and better than the alternative of not receiving a gift at all…
Just last week I read your comment that gift cards are a very nice gift to give. I bought some for friends and now wonder if I have given them the wrong impression, that I didn’t care enough to shop for a gift for them. I love Yahoo and couldn’t live without it. Just a comment. Thank you
I like getting gift cards because i know that i HAVE to use the cards for something I want. If I were given cash I would have to be mature and use it on unpaid bills and baby formula! So thanks to gift-cards, I can get what I want without feeling guilty by buying myself things.
I remember when i was a kid my parents took toys off our bedroom floor and regifted them back to us. That was probably the worst present, though looking back I understand that they were short on money!
I don’t mind getting gift cards. I either use them, or re-gift them to someone else. I guess that the reason I see for giving them is to ensure that the recipient actually uses the money for a gift from that store. If cash is given, I will most likely use it on bills, which is not supposed to be the idea of a gift. I would rather have a gift card, or cash than an actual gift. The reason being that any gift I get is pretty much junk I don’t need or will never use.
I think gift cards are okay but only if the other person likes spending money on this particular place. For example, if this person loves reading books, I think that a gift card to Barnes and Noble or Borders and etc would be a nice gift. I agree that it’s lazy but I just think it’s more thoughtful than just money. And if the person is really picky, I’d give them a gift card for something that they like.
I disagree. Case in point: my sister’s boyfriend. She’s been living with him almost 2 years but I still hardly know him. When I asked my sis what to get him for Christmas, she couldn’t come up with anything. Knowing he’s into disc golf, but not really having any sporting goods stores around here to buy him anything (I probably wouldn’t buy him the right stuff anyway), I just had her pick up a gift card from a sports shop in their town (she lives several hours away from me). Now he can buy more stuff for disc golf, but what he wants. I didn’t have to go through the trouble of having to buy him something he wouldn’t use.
I agree. I don’t like giving or receiving gift cards. I’d rather have cash or a check. I’m all about freedom to go and do as I wish and not being limited to one store and on someone else’s expiration schedule.
Gift cards were not invented for the people’s benefit and convenience. They were invented for the corporation’s profit. Its a highly manipulative gadget which I prefer to leave like a bad bet at a poker table.
Giving gift cards and giving perfume or cologne for gifts are things you can really only give if you know the person will actually use it. If you are giving gift cards from one certain store it can be used at, make sure that person goes to that store and shops. If you are giving perfume or cologne, make sure that person really likes that fragrance.
i mostly agree except i think they are ok for stores like borders or victorias secret. they are like giving someone a book or sexy undies, without the awkwardness of picking out something they don’t like.
i likes them my self as i only shop at walmart for stuff as they has most everything i need so a walmart gift card is great for me still loves cash tho or the visa gift cards as it lets me get what i want say a game i tell someone beginning of december i want x game well i get x game from my dad say now person i told gets me x game now i has 2 xgame sand has to try and return one and as anyone thats tryed to return a computer game knows its almost impossable to do and say they get say its my aunt the close place to her is best buy so she goes and gets it there my dad gets it off line that way it cant be returned just of the point of this well best buy is 100 miles from me so i have to drvie 100 miles try to return the game or sell it online not relly good choices
You’re worst than Huckabee (however you spell it) fron foxnews. You’re actually wrong. A gift card is very convienent since the reciver doesn’t have to go through returning a gift. That’s so illogical, huh? Just because you put facts in an argument doesn’t mean you’re proving anything. For example, Kim likes camals, some camals are blue, therefore kim likes blue. The argument is wrong (regardless if kim likes blue)…as are you.
I am a fan of the gift card. It is the easiest gift to give. I spent all of five minutes shopping for Christmas. Yes it is lazy, but I don’t care. It is money well spent because it won’t be lost, thrown out, or re-gifted.
The worst gift I have every recieved is anytime I get clothes or some piece of crap like a dart board. I don’t play darts. Why would I need a dart board?
One star for this blog.
I love gift cards.
Give me cash or check and it will get swallowed up paying one bill or the other. A gift ensures I’ll at least get some enjoyment from my gift.
Plus, when I have gift card I can buy things I normally would feel guilty about spending my hard earned money on, like video games.
I take it a step further. I buy gift cards for myself. Crazy?
Perhaps.
But, I do so because around Christmas time many of my favorite restaurants, which I dine at frequently, over up to 20% bonus. The way I see it, I’m going to go there anyway, this is a way to get 20% off.
I can’t agree with you on this considering I’ve personally had many thanks for gift cards, but I would never purchase one for less than 100 dollars. Anything less than that is deemed worthless in my eyes.
Take my grandmother for example. I don’t necessarily know what type of perfume, make-up or skin care products that she prefers so I purchased a gift card last Christmas for her to a store that has a wide range of the products I listed. She was quite happy with it since then she could get exactly what she wanted.
Also, a friend of mine mentioned earlier in the year she always wanted to go to a spa so I decided to purchase a gift card for her to a very nice spa. I had no clue as to if she wanted a facial, pedicure, massage, colonic, etc, but yet I wanted to surprise her. The gift card came in very handy.
However, I hardly give out gift cards anyway. Just one or two here and there so I’ve not had a lot of experience with them, just that the ones I’ve had were good.
Personally, the worst gift ever given to me for Christmas had to have been a remote control helicopter my father gave me when I was 19 years old. I’m not a girly girl and I was happy that he enjoyed playing with it until he broke it, but I couldn’t comprehend why he would buy that for me.
Whether gift cards were created with the intent to be convenient or the intent to profit from potentially unredeemed revenue, they have certainly generated the benefits of both. Topics like this are good to bring up with loved ones, family members and other potential gift recipients so you can know who might benefit from a gift card. However, if you know someone who is typically forgetful, they might forget to use the gift card. You have to be careful when choosing who to give one to. The only thing worse than getting a gift card and not using it, is buying one and essentially throwing your money to the wind.
Glenn, you wrote
“Since my personal preference is for cash over gift cards, I will never give a gift card as a gift.”
I think I understand the sentiment: Don’t give someone else what you wouldn’t want for yourself.
However, the whole idea of a gift is that you focus on the other person, *not* yourself. Within reason (and budget), the person you are thinking of may very well like gift cards, and may very well like them from a certain store. If you know this, honor them with a gift card *they* would like. Cash is indeed impersonal, and truly says “I didn’t have the time or inclination, so here ya go” – unless they are in dire straits and really need it. (Or, if they are grandparents, as someone else posted.) Getting someone a gift card from an establishment that they like gives them freedom, but still says “I thought of you and specifically purchased this gift card with your interests in mind.”
Just my $0.02
I think gift cards are nice because it makes the person spend the money on themselves, instead of something like bills. Money for bills is nice, but a present is supposed to go the extra mile and actually make you happy. Gift cards, to the right place, are better than cash in my opinion.
I agree with your notion: the gift card is about as logical as a car with square wheels. It limits choices, is a waste of plastic, and is completely pointless from a consumer standpoint. Here are two additional points you didn’t cover:
1) In addition to many gift cards not being redeemed, a gift card is a garuntee that (unless the card isn’t redeemed) the card holder WILL shop at the store the card pertains to. That could lead to additional sales beyond the value of the card- it’s a sneaky advertising method where the card buyer pays the company to advertise for it to the card receiver.
2) If a particular store or company declairs bankruptcy, it is likely that the gift cards you purchased from that store will be devalued, or renderd completely worthless. It’s happened before. You buy a $20 gift card, the company declairs bankruptcy before the card can be redeemed, and the bankruptcy court orders the company not to honor the card. You are stuck with a completely useless plastic card that you payed $20 for.
I would like to say one thing, however, in defense of the gift card: it can be a tool to help discourage the recipiant from “wasting” the money in some way. Explaination: If I give someone money as a gift, I may want a way to ensure it will be used to buy something giftlike. I may know that my brother has been wanting a new video game (but not knowing which game), and I also know that if I give him cash, he will use it for something else as opposed to a real gift (such as paying bills, buying groceries, or some other mundane thing that he would deem a more important thing to spend money on). So I buy him a gift-card from a video-game store to ensure that he uses it to buy a video game.
In my mind, however, I don’t see any other use for a giftcard beyond this example.
I hate getting gift cards! The people who get me them always put awkward amounts of money on them, so I can never spend it all.
The worst gift I ever recieved were some pink socks. There isn’t a colour I loathe more than pink.
There good for teenagers i do agree that cash would be better but i dont mind the Amex gift cards because there good basically everywhere
Another point about gift cards: If you don’t use the whole amount oon the gift card, and have, say, $5 left on the card, most don’t want to waste that $5. So you go buy something else, which probably costs more than $5. The retailer then makes more money because most feel obligated to not waste the money on the gift card and buy something else.
Sometimes I LOVE a *thoughtful* gift card. For me, a gift card to Barnes and Noble or any other given bookstore would make me feel like a kid on Christmas morning.
However, when someone gets you a gift card that doesn’t suit your lifestyle at all – like a place you never shop or a restaurant you never eat at, that is worse than a bad gift.
In my country, we have the Sodexho gift checks which claims to be honored by more than 4,000 retail merchants and food chains. Although receiving these limit your choice of purchases or food, the sheer number of places that accepts them practically makes them just like receiving cash.
An added bonus is that if your employer gave your Christmas bonus in cash, it is taxable since it is part of your total annual income; on the other hand, a gift check like Sodexho is tax-free since it is treated as “de minimus non curat lex” or too trivial to tax.
The only downside of the gift check is the denomination. I once received P20,000 worth of gift checks in P1,000, P500 and P100 denominations. With cash, the store will give you back your change for a purchase of P990 if you use cash but not so if you paid with these checks.
Gift cards are the lamest thing ever. I agree with everything you said. I think another reason they’re given is to show that the person knows what their general interests are (i.e. giving a gamer a GameStop gift card). Still shoddy though… not as shoddy as giving cash, but shoddy all the same.
I agree with your first sentence that for the most part human beings are logical. But I disagree with the rest of your article against gift cards.
Gifts cards for certain stores are awesome because they have a cash value that you can redeem for something you choose and like (as apposed to getting a gift you would never use or would give away), so by receiving a gift card you end up wining because you choose it.
Generally speaking, a gift card is a fantastic gift (if it’s actually redeemed and for a store the person likes).
Personally, I like shopping for people that I know because I already know what they like. But if I don’t know what they like, then I would definitely get a gift card.
But getting someone a giftcard to a place that isn’t even near them is just stupid. And not redeeming it is dumb too. You should just re-gift it or sell it, because what the article says about the company’s profit on unredeemed cards is probably right.
i agree totally. cash is way more conveinent. but i do like those gift card credit cards. they are basically a gift card for any stores. the worst gift i have ever gottn was a life size barbie when i was six. it didnt come with close and i had a naked barbie in my room all the time. akward! lol
On one hand, I don’t like gift cards, they are very impersonal. All you have to do is guess something that someone likes:itunes, applebees, barnes and nobles, blockbuster, etc. and I would much rather have cash. But on the other hand, sometimes I like limiting my choices because instead of spending that money on gas or bills or fast food, I have to spend it on a movie I wanted or music. So I guess gift cards, I love ‘em and I hate ‘em, at the same time.
Well if people don’t want to buy a gift card to a specific place and don’t want to give cash, there’s always the Visa Gift Card that one can spend wherever they please. My mom says “Cash is just so…crass.” So I guess that’s why some people prefer to give gift cards. Personally I enjoy receiving cash, or gift cards. Think about it, if you get cash and/or Visa gift cards for Christmas, that replaces some of the money spent on others that you didn’t have in the first place. It’s pretty clever, actually. My only prob with buying Visa gift cards for people is 1. Some gift cards require you to call the # on the back to activate them, which is an extra hassle of a step, and 2. There is a fee charged to buy gift cards (at least at US Bank where I bought mine, it was 3.95 per card).
i was given gift cards before, and the reasoning was that if i was given cash i could spend it on drugs and alcohol….. theres one reason to give gift cards
i get them for my younger cousins and little bro because it gives them a chance to go to the store, which every little kid likes doing. who cares if its convenient or not for the parents?
I think gift cards are very practicial, but like real material gifts, they should be well researched by the person who is giving them.
If you are planning on giving a gift card, you should first make sure that:
a) The reciever actually shops at the place on a regular basis.
b) The reciever lives near the actual store.
and c) That the amount of $ the gift card is worth is suitable in relation to the place it’s for. For example, what would someone do with a 20$ giftcard to an electronics store, when everything in the store is expensive?
Personally, I think gift cards are great as long as they are well-researched. This year, I received a gift card to JayJays (a popular teen clothing shop) that I was really happy with because i go there a lot.
Gift cards are also good because they limit the receiver as to where they can spend the money.
For example, if you want to give your 10 year old cousin a cash gift, but know that his druggo parents will more than likely take it from and spend it on hash, then a gift card is perfect.
….i forgot to mention, my father told me a few years ago the only present he ever wants for the rest of his life (christmas or birthday) are bass pro gift cards. he’d be disappointed if i got him anything else
eh, i think it depends on what kind of gift card it is.. i got a gift card for my birthday [today] and it is for the louisiana boardwalk. so i can use the card at any restaurant, the movie theater, clothing stores, etc.. so i have tons of options. i prefer to get gift cards from food places or gift cards like the one i got. with restaurant cards, you can take a friend or try a new place that might be too expensive ordinarily. i think everyone would prefer cash, me included, but i guess then it wouldn’t feel like a gift.
I love gift cards. If i get cash, let’s say, I will always feel like i could have spent it on something else somewhere else. When i get a gift card, I don’t feel bad, b/c its not like i really wasted it
I could go both ways with gift cards. I have received them myself, and have given them out once or twice. The trick to giving a gift card to someone that would actually use it is to give them one they would actually use. For example, you wouldn’t buy your grandmother a gift card to Hot Topic or Spencer’s, unless you knew for a fact she shopped there frequently. You’d give her a gift card to her favorite store, or at least to a store that has a little bit of everything, like Wal-Mart, Target, or K-Mart. I’ve had a co-worker give me a gift card to Chick-Fil-A, a restaurant based in Georgia that is well-known for their chicken sandwiches and other chicken-based products. Were I a vegetarian, the card would be worthless. But since I eat there almost daily for breakfast, it’s highly useful. Last year I had an online friend send me a gift card code to a very popular online store. She told me she was going to get me something, but instead opted for the code because she figured I’d be happier getting something I wanted, and she knew I shopped that online store frequently. In fact, I just came here from there this morning, after ordering a few things, and redeeming more of my gift card balance.
As a last-minute gift, they’re as tacky as the matching pen-and-pencil set or 11-games-in-one set you find at Walgreen’s or CVS. When you give someone a gift card, it may seem like you put no thought into it, but it depends on how well the store the gift card is from matches the recipient’s preferences. If you know the person well enough, you’d get them a card that they could actually use, like to their favorite restaurant, box store, or online store.
My parents always believed in giving cash. When I was a child they gave me regular presents; but as a teenager, it was cash all the way. It’s the right color, right size, matches everything, and is accepted everywhere.
I say gift cards are sometimes convienient if you go to one store and one store only. But if you go to a variety of stores… I say cash is better either way
I am going to defend the gift card by pointing out that it is much better than a specific surprise gift. Most of us in America already have everything we want that costs under $200 or so. We all have that much money so if we need something at that price, we don’t waste much time in buying it. That fact makes a specific surprise gift almost certain to be under-appreciated because it wasn’t on the shopping list up to now for a reason.
A gift card does two positive things. For one, it gives a much greater selection than a specific gift because a typical store with gift cards has a wide selection. Choose a credit card gift card and your selection becomes really wide.
For another, it gives more flexibility in terms of time. The receiver of the gift may not need anything right now, but maybe he/she will in a month or two. In that case, the gift card could really come in handy.
I agree that cash is the ulitimate in flexibility, but the gift card comes close because most of us end up going to all the major stores anyway at some point during the year. Also, actual green cash, unless it’s straight from the printing press, has billions of germs on it. Who wants to get a gift and then have to go wash their hands right away!? Yucch!
The point about unused gift cards is a good one, but frankly that says more about the person receiving it than about the gift card itself. If a person can’t be bothered to redeem a gift card, then they probably wouldn’t truly appreciate any gift at all.
I would prefer cash. I never buy gift cards. I do give cash as a gift. However I would never let a gift card go to waste if I received one. However I can see that people who are somewhat wealthy might do that. It would be rude to give someone a gift card if the store were not conveniently located to the receiver. I would use the gift card quickly. But why not just give cash? Especially seeing how stores can go out of business or the card possibly expire.
Gift cards can be good in some cases, like I bought my coworker a gift card for a day spa. This is something personable because she has very limited options. So it shows I had an idea of what she might like. On the other hand, a gift card to Wal-Mart is stupid and completely impersonal. Yeah sometimes gift cards to places such as Wal-Mart can be nice because we can surely use it but you might as well give me cash. The only reason that someone may want to give a person a gift card to a place like this is if the person is one of those who feels guilty spending money on themselves and to keep them from just putting the money into savings. Now another problem with gift cards is when you have a few dollars left most people will just chunk it or leave it in their wallet for eternity. This is like free money to the business. Also with many gifts the recipient may decide to return the items for cash although this is possible at some stores, no store will allow you to return a gift card for cash so you either have to spend it at the store or not at all.
I don’t like getting gift certificates to strange little stores, but from somewhere fun like iTunes or a clothing store I like they’re great! If I got cash it would just go in my wallet and be used on groceries or fast food and but it’s fun to go shopping for fun stuff on someone else’s dime.
People should DEFINITELY be careful before buying a gift certificate, though! My mom got a $50 GC to our local shopping mall from her friend and when she went to spend it 10 months later found out they charged $2.50 per month for the card so the value had been cut in half and was only worth $25!!! That makes for a really horrible gift when something like that happens. My mom didn’t even have the heart to tell her about it b/c she knew she’d feel terrible and frustrated.
SUMMARY: Only give them to a store you KNOW the person will like (stay on the conservative side) and check for any fees before buying them.
P.S. My worst gift was a $20 GC to a really weird home decorating store with eccentric art and stuff that isn’t really my style. There’s only 1 location so it had no value for being sold on eBay and everything in the store was WAY more expensive than $20. I wasn’t willing to add any of my own money to get that crap so I never used it. That’s just frustrating to know $20 is being completely wasted.
ive not had a bad gift card in the last two years ive had gift cards for shopping centers and ive bought the same things with them a new jacket from the superdry store and the other one for another shopping center me and bro got gta for the ps3 but this year i got my first ever i tunes card i have no idea what to get with it though
hope everyone had a nice xmas and all the best for 2010
oh and the worst xmas gift was a broken pocket pc that my bro gave me
I don’t like giving them but would rather receive them from some. One year I recieved a deviled egg tray (?), the next an oil bottle that was not scented with diffusion stixs and next candles….all from the same person. This year I recieved a gift card from her and will actually use it.
I disagree, completely… the people who add up to the $8 billion must be the exception who don’t go out; but how much total worth of gift cards is being redeemed?
My friends gave me gift cards to Target and Best Buy for my birthday; I was very thankful and rebuilt my CD collection of CD’s I lost or were in a case that was stolen. I was too cheap to do it prior to that.
We all want things, and we must balance our budgets and can’t spend as much as we want. Gift cards give you the chance to pamper yourself just a smudge more than you would. What’s wrong with that?
Getting cash I don’t like, it feels impersonal, and the message I get is – I didn’t want to take the time to find you what you want, even though I know you can return it.
Most gifts I receive I do use, and my friends know what I want if they give gift cards. I disagree with your story.
I love gift cards. My family gives me gift cards to stores that I “like”. I don’t think that they are lazy gifts. I rather have a gift card to stores that I go to than a gift that I don’t like or that is useless to me.
I say yaaaa for girt cards.
Gift cards are my favorite thing to receive. They’re more appealing than cash. Cash somehow seems impersonal and can easily be spent on something else by mistake. When I use a gift card to buy something, I am more likely to purchase a gift for myself.
I have been regularly receiving gift cards for several years because my family knows how much I love gift cards. To me, it is the gift of shopping. When I first began receiving gift cards for Christmas, I was so broke that I didn’t go to shopping malls because I knew I couldn’t afford anything there. The clothes I wore mostly came from thrift stores, discount stores, and other people’s hand-me-downs. A gift card to a nice department store was a chance to splurge on myself and pick out something that I wanted and needed. They will always be very special to me.
I think you should be grateful that someone thought enough of you to send you anything at all. I have many young nieces and nephews that are very happy with the gift cards I send them for birthdays and holidays because it allows them to shop for what they want instead of what I think they want. I do try to give American Express or Visa giftcards and not individual store cards because it increases their flexibility in choosing where and what to shop for and they tell me that by sending a card instead of cash they are more prone to buy something they’ve been saving for and not simply fritter it away.
I love shopping for presents, but most of the time I end up never knowing what to get
Personally, I like getting them. Starbucks, iTunes? Okay, cool, I’ll use them =]
I always get gift cards for stores or shopping centres that I never go to. It’s really annoying. The thing is everyone knows my interests or what I would actually like for a present but they never go to the effort of finding it… it’s just easier to go to a counter and pick up a bloody card.
And so because I get gift cards for places I never go to, I end up spending my gift card on those who gave it to me… for birthdays or whatever.
That’s all I have to say on that.
I always try to avoid buying gift cards at all costs, and I never give cash gifts, because they are so impersonal. When I can’t find a good gift for somebody, I do choose gift cards over cash because that way I can at least indicate that I had thought about it and offer something that personally suits the recipient. For those who like to shop online, prepaid credit cards are great, too! But from my experience, I find that most people actually appreciate thought-out gifts over the idea of getting whatever you want. Of course, that doesn’t apply to everyone: this year I found a perfect gift for a hard to buy for friend and then discovered that they actually preferred gift cards! (they did like my gift though)
The thing is- gift cards just sit in the wallet and get used as a passing convenience. When somebody uses their gift card, it’s no different from any other form of shopping. Whereas a well-chosen gift will always be a reminder of the occasion. I have many items in my home that remind me of those close to me: I also have many used-up gift cards in my garbage.
Hmmm…future garbage, or long-term treasure? Not hard.
You can’t be serious. I appreciate any gift I get, including a gift card. I think people are just too spoiled these days and don’t appreciate things very much. If someone thinks enough of me to give me a gift card, I am always pleased. Think about it, and stop your way of thinking before you turn into someone who is not very nice.
I never get gift cards, but I do give them. I go to a bank close to my work and get one of their Gift Visa’s. I mainly give them to my daughter. If I give her cash, her dad makes her put most of it in savings. While I know putting money aside in savings is good, I want her to be able to use my gift the way she wants. As for myself, as long as someone’s gift didn’t require me to go to the mall, I’d be happy
Wish my parents would catch onto this instead of sending me a check that makes me have to go to the bank, which is miles out of my way.
Let’s put this in a green perspective. Unwanted gift: gas to get to store, box and wrapping paper, tissue paper, card and envelope. Maybe even gas to get it to post office and trucking to get it to your house. You can’t use the gift: landfill if you don’t regift (no guarantee the receiver will like it any more than you do). Gift card: buy online, mail with minimal packaging or hand it to the person. They can regift it or use it. Either way there is a sharply reduced expenditure of resources. I have been given gift cards I am sure just because I gave someone a gift first. I keep it in perspective with the totality of my experience with that person. I don’t call them names.
Btw… if you have a gift card you don’t want (or if you want to buy one for less than face), you can go to http://www.plasticjungle.com. They sell from a variety of retailers. It’s my understanding they buy it from you, then they re-sell it. Seems like a neat deal.
I agree and disagree with your gift card comments… and i only agree because i hate gift cards AND cash gifts… they’re both so impersonal and lazy. However, there are a few ways gift cards can be usefull…
1) If you get a Secret Santa that you don’t really know then where can you go wrong with a giftcard to Tim Horton’s (that’s right… i’m Canadian
)
2) If you know someone that has a habit you don’t want to support. For example, my brother does drugs. i would sooner give him a gift card to buy some groceries or clothes then money that we both know where he’s going to spend it… i want to give him a gift not support his habit that i don’t agree with to begin with.
3) If you know someone that is TOO generous. I have a friend that never buys herself anything but would make herself broke for other people. I would get her a gift card and tell her to spend it on herself, her parents can pay their own bills.
To sum up, cash can be spent on ANYTHING. Including drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, gas, bills, another person’s lunch… do you really want so say ‘Merry Christmas, i just paid half your cell phone bill.’?
Ironically… my worst present was a $50 gift card to bootlegger from my brother… it was very generous of him… but i don’t shop at bootlegger… i spent it all on socks and a pair of PJ pants…
In direct conflict with what I took from reading your take on the gift card, I think that gift cards are still somewhat personalized. Although money would be a much more effective gift, I think gift cards still hold some value. The gift-giver did have to think of a specific store from which to get the gift card. This means that it must be in some way personalized, however minuscule, to the gift-receiver. I also think that gift cards, being somewhat personalized, are a great gift for those situations similar to Office Secret Santa where the participants may not be so familiar with all co-workers. Saying all this, I think that although gift cards may not be as effective as cash, they are still a logical way to get a somewhat personalized gift.
As far as the bad gifts go, I received an obviously re-gifted nose hair trimmer…I’m a freshman in college hahah
I’d like to share from a female perspective. Most of my guy friends are terrified of giving gift cards to the women in their lives. They are worried that they will appear to not have put a lot of “thought” into it and their gift will be reluctantly accepted as an afterthought and not a heartfelt present.
But, I would much rather have a giftcard, than something else which is way off the mark as far a a gift. Let’s face it, no woman wants you to gift her clothes too small or too big, funktastic perfume, or god forbid, cooking utensils.
If you’re going to gift the card for a significant other or relative, do it at someplace she LOVES to shop. But give to to stores she would never shop at and don’t do food. That’s borderline “I got you a a giftcard to Olive Garden soooooo when are we going to dinner?”
Food GC’s are okay for couples though, but again, don’t go with someplace they’ve never heard of. Most local restaurants offer giftcards as well, so you can always check on it from that end if there’s somewhere they like to eat.
And finally, don’t be a cheapskate. Seriously. $20 minimum on a gift card. Becasue something we want is probably going to cost more than that, but we’ll gladly put up the difference.
The bottom line is not to be afraid, just make sure you pick the right place to get the giftcard from.
i think you are compleatly right…dont mind my spelling…anyway its not fare that we can only get at one store i mean some stores dont have wht you whant like oter stors….my worst present i got was a 10 doller gift card to a plant store…wow…
I have mixed feelings about gift cards. Yes, by their very nature, they’re inconvenient and restrictive. If there for the “wrong” store for you, they can make you buy things you necessarily wouldn’t if you didn’t have the card.
But, on the positive side, they could also make you buy something that you want that you ordinarily wouldn’t for yourself. If you were just given cash, it might just go unused. Cash gifts can be impersonal as well. A gift card, while, yes, it can be a lazy gift given by some, it’s also a way for the giver to say, Treat yourself to something different.
I received a movie theater giftcard, and it’s saying, you like movies (which I do), go check some out. I haven’t been to the movies in a long time now because I’m trying to save money and now this is a way for me to get away a little bit.
If a gift card is given to store I like to go to anyway, it’s a good gift.
But, yes, if it’s to a store I don’t go to, ever, it’s a waste.
This question is a hard one to answer.
I guess it really just depends all on the person.
If you know the person, then don’t bother with the gift cards. You know what they want or would like so get it for them.
On the other hand.
If you don’t know them that well but are still close enough to them that you need to get a gift to him or her then be safe and go with the gift card.
But there is always another option.
Instead of giving the person that you don’t know very well but still need to give them a gift, you could always just ask them or ask someone close to them. Really why would you need to surprise someone?
And then the controversy over cash or gift card.
I think if you can give a gift card then do it because cash is like saying “I didn’t know what to get you so go get it yourself.”
Then there is always that Visa Gift Card.
You can shop any where with it that accepts Visa Credit Cards. I am not sure if they expire but i’m sure you can google it.
Thank You
I used to like gift cards when I was younger because I used to have favorite stores that I always wanted to go to. Now that I’m older things have changed and I don’t really have a favorite store.
One reason I hate gift cards are that some do expire. I had a gift card that when I got it I didn’t want anything but finally when I did it had expired.
Another reason is because I like to shop at different places and some of the places that I get giftcards to I don’t like at all. Maybe because they are too pricey and the products aren’t of a good quality.
I just rather get money although i feel bad bad for asking for that.
I totally agree. I usually don’t have time or energy to get to the stores i get gift cards to, so i end up having to use most of the money on it for shipping to buy some crap i don’t even want off their internet site. I even hate the Amex/Visa style gift/debit cards. I went to use one the other day at the grocery store and because my groceries cost more than what was on the card, i had to deal with the embarrassment of having the stupid card declined. Just give cash…we all love cash!!! Or what happened to checks? My godmother still gives me a check for Christmas…not tacky at all!
I actually really like receiving gift cards because I never buy anything for myself. If anyone gives me money for my birthday or any holidays, I always end up putting it in savings or spending it on gas. When ever I receive cash I just feel like I’m being told “here, go put this in the bank.” A gift card gives me an excuse to get out of the house and buy something for myself. I especially enjoy the card if it is a store I like! Even so, I always ALWAYS try to get the bang for my buck (or the giver’s buck that is) when spending the gift card. If I don’t use every single cent on the card, and say there was $2 left on it, well, I’d pass it to the person behind me in line to use up the rest of the money. They get to save a cent and I know that my friend’s money was well spent.
Therefor, Gift Cards are a perfectly logical gift.
My only memory of getting a gift card was the one I got from a teacher last year, because I assisted him with parent-teacher interview night (it was a last minute thing – he didn’t have anyone to do it for him and I was on the school committee that signed up to help out that night). Anyway, it was a $20 gift card for book stores – like Coles, Indigo, etc. It was actually quite useful – I enjoy books, A LOT. So, I think that in my case, the gift card was well-bought (and spent! hehe). However, I know what exactly you mean by ‘impersonal’ and ‘lazy’; I think that if you have a good friend that you’re well-acquainted with, you should refrain from buying them a simple gift card cuz it does show that you’re rather lazy and uncreative. But, on the other hand, if you have a good impression of what store(s) someone might like AND you’re not too familiar with this person AND it’s at the right occasion – like in my case with my teacher – then as long as you give them a generous gift card it should be fine.
When gift cards first came out I thought they were very lazy. I was taught to think about the person the gift was for; what would they like, what do they need? Then shop. Shopping was a lot of fun then.
Somewhere in the middle of challenging adulthood I coudln’t find the time after work to do that shopping. Then the people I needed to shop for started making more money than I did, so they could afford to buy for themselves even more than I could. That left me with a very challenging gift list.
l’m an artist, so I could paint to do a craft for them. But fairly soon after that I learned most of my gifts ended up in a yard sale. Hundreds of hours of work traded for 50 cents. It was depressing and is distressing each year when I try to figure out what to give. At this point, gift cards are starting to look pretty good. I can figure out which one to give, and if it’s too small an amount, they’ll just have to add to it with their own money.
Usually I do like them, but if you’re not careful, then gosh, things can go wrong. I’ve always been satisfied with the gift cards I’ve received in the past, but just this Christmas, I got a gift card from my aunt and uncle for FIFTY DOLLARS to The Body Shop. I’m allergic to some ingredient (I don’t know what) in some body shop things, so I’ll have to be really careful if I buy anything there. And besides, even if I wasn’t, I’m not the kind of person who exactly LIKES smearing smelly creams all over myself just to make my hands a little bit softer or whatever. Ah, well. It was a nice gesture–but that’s quite a lot of money for just a gesture. Anyway, I’m just a little disappointed because my brother got fifty bucks from them to spend ANYWHERE lol. Why can’t they have done the same for me? *sigh*
You can get gift cards that are for an entire mall, which will work in pretty much all the stores (except for the few that opt out) and even the food court. All of the major malls here sell them, and they’re awesome.
Also, I don’t mind gift cards for stores that offer a lot of variety, like a large department store. The ones for specific stores are only good if the person gets you one for some place that you like; for instance, I got my dad a gift card for the hardware store because he loves doing carpentry projects. I don’t think that’s lazy. It wasn’t the only thing I got him, though.
I like gift cards because they force me to spend the money at that store. Which might be a bad thing for some people, but not for me because (assuming I get a card to a store I like) I will actually spend the money on things I want, rather than buying textbooks or something with it. And while I do enjoy being able to buy textbooks so I don’t fail my classes, sometimes it’s nice just to get permission to go shopping.
if you say that then you could say the whole consept of giving presents is flawed.But if you look a gift cards from another view they actuly have more versitilaty tha a ordinary presant
I wish that people would give me gift cards
I think the reason gift cards are so popular, besides fuel perks (which are a total rip off by the way) are because people like to think “it’s the thought that counts”, and giving money is slightly less thoughtful than buying a gift card to a store you think ther person will shop at.
However, if it really is the thought that counts, is the 5 minutes you took picking up a gift card really worth anything? In my opinion, no. My dad gave me movie gift cards, gas gift cards, and a barns and nobel gift card for christmas. Now, he spent 150 on me, but the 30 or so I spent on him took a lot more time and effort on my part. Plus I thought about him the whole time I was wraping, which you also don’t have to do with gift cards.
I like gift cards and don’t understand the problem.
If people receive money there is a good chance they will feel guilted into buying something functional that they need.
A gift card= guilt free shopping. People reason, ‘well, I have to buy something in this shop that I love, so I can’t feel like I should spend the money somewhere else’
See where I’m coming from?
I personally like gift cards; if you don’t that’s your own oppinion, and that’s okay.
Just don’t let it stop you from buying one for somebody else.
And also, about it being a lazy present; Yes it is. Everyone knows it.
But I’d much prefer a gift card than a present which I really won’t use.
And I don’t remember ever having gotten a bad present. I’m always just happy that someone went to the bother and expense of buying me one.
*
Wow, I must say that the select few who have whined about gift cards “limiting the way they can spend their money” are incredibly self-centered. After all, it’s a “gift”. It’s not something that’s owed to you.
Yes, I like gift cards. Yes, they’re easy … and yes, they require less effort. It doesn’t mean that I care less about the person to whom I’m giving one. My younger brother needed hockey equipment. I don’t know what needs, don’t know the sizing and I live 8 hours away. So I call up his wife to find out which sporting goods store he likes, and I get him a gift card. He’ll pick out what he wants, and as other cynical posters have pointed out, he’ll undoubtedly spend more than the gift card. So what? He’ll end up with what he wants.
Certainly it makes sense to match the establishment with the particular individual (no sense in getting my brother a gift card to Macy’s). If you can do that, I think they make great gifts.
i was wondering if i have a gift card can i just show up to the place and get the money back from the gift card? can i have the money? see i have a gift card with alot of money to a place and i hate this place aeropostale so can i just get the money bak?
I HATE gift cards! Why be limited to one shop?!
O and the worst present i ever got was a Staples gift card!!!
I disagree – one reason I give Gift Cards (especially to my nephews) is that I know they are not going to “blow” it on something and I do mean “blow”. At least with a gift card – I know that they are going to have to use it for something they need whether it’s gas or groceries –
And most of us women would rather have a gift card than something that we have to exchange or refund (which is a hassel) – Cash is nice too, but you either are good – the right size, color and style.
I disagree – one reason I give Gift Cards (especially to my nephews) is that I know they are not going to “blow” it on something and I do mean “blow”. At least with a gift card – I know that they are going to have to use it for something they need whether it’s gas or groceries –
And most of us women would rather have a gift card than something that we have to exchange or refund (which is a hassel) – Cash is nice too, but either are good – the right size, color and style.
All it is a genius marketing ploy. The return rate on gift card is about 70%, making for a huge profit for the stores. I NEVER give gift cards as I am afraid they will never get used and be a huge waste of money.
I can only think of 2 arguments in favor of gift cards vs. cash
1. Cash is more impersonal. If you hand someone a $20 bill, it says “I felt obligated to give you something, but I don’t know anything about you, nor do I care enough to ask” If you give them a gift card to their favorite store, it says “I know you like this store, so here! Take it and get whatever you like!”
2. If your 23 year old nephew likes to “party” a little bit too much, you can give him a Best Buy gift card and maybe sleep a little easier knowing he’s going to use it to buy rap CDs or the latest GTA video game rather than a bottle of whiskey and a quarter bag… Granted, he can buy the video games, sell them on eBay and then buy the drugs and alcohol anyway, but at least you tried, right?
Personally, I don’t give them. I don’t know what stores they like, and besides, I try to make my gifts personal. I pay attention to what they like during the shopping months, you know, if someone says “I like this show” or if they mention something they like. Then I remember that and go from there.
As for recieving them? I don’t mind. In fact, I like that they give me them. For example, I got a Border’s gift card. That forces me to buy a book and read. Good thing too, I started reading again. Well, the Harry Potter series.
Oh, and people who buy the gift cards are NOT lazy. Some people are just harder to shop for. Others LIKE the gift cards, especially if it’s to a store they go to often. Like me, for example, I also got an iTunes one. I go there a lot, so a gift card was a good choice.
Well, that’s all I have to say to this.
Damm. I got 4 Gift Cards for Xmas thiss year..
I really don’t care. But it’s good for not risking a realationship! But of course, it’s boring.
For the worst gift, I don’t know. Clothes maybe? I don’t remember taking ANYTHING back!
Hey! It’s my B day!
I really don’t care. But it’s good for not risking a realationship! But of course, it’s boring.
For the worst gift, I don’t know. Clothes maybe? I don’t remember taking ANYTHING back!
Hey! It’s my B day!
~ Nathan
I believe that gifts should be personal. You know and care about the person, and carefully choose a gift you know they will enjoy, and sometimes it is connected directly to an experience you shared with them such as a trip together or a common interest.
But with the holidays etc, people feel obligated to get a person a gift when they are not moved to do so and thus the gift card.
An advantage of the gift card to the recipient is the guilt factor. if cash was given, you may feel obligated to pay a bill or buy neccesities, with a gift card, well the power company wont accept the gift card so you feel free to spend it on yourself without guilt even thought you are four months behind on your bills.
I actually like gift cards. It’s more personal than cash, especially if it’s for a store I really like but normally wouldn’t choose to spend money in (like a clothing store that was too expensive. Then I feel like they first of all remembered that I liked that store, knew that I wouldn’t use my own money to shop there, and gave me the ‘permission’ to buy something there). They actually went to the trouble to go into the store and get the gift card, rather than just reaching in their pocket for some $20′s to stick in a card. And if I hate the store, I can regift it to anyone, without worrying whether it’s gender-appropriate. lol.
I like gift cards. I got one for Christmas that works like a credit card. It’s good anywhere (except gas stations) and it won’t expire. The only thing is that if I don’t use it in 24 months, they take off 2 dollars every so often.
I actually like gift cards. People know that I love to read, so they are always giving me gift cards to Barnes and Nobles. Also being a poor college student, I love getting gift cards to Wal-Mart.
The reason cash seems tacky is because it appears that no time was spent even giving consideration for what to give. Also, I hesitate giving cash to some in my family as I know that it will be spent on either someone else whom I didn’t intend, or may be spent on alcohol for the problem drinker or illegal drugs.
Gifts cards are illogical when you could just give a person money, yes… but think about it. It’s convenient for lazy people (which was aforementioned in your article) who don’t know how to shop for others, it’s more thoughtful (in that you’re giving the person credit a PARTICULAR store), and it’s less condescending than handing someone a 10 dollar bill and saying, “Here, poor person… knock yourself out.” So I love the gift card. It’s the perfect gift. Limited yes? Thoughtful? Most certainly.
Let’s not limit this to gift cards. How about rebates? Stores like to give rebate cards…. “They’re just like cash.” I got one from Verizon and there is still $4.95 left on it. When I had a choice of card or check I chose check because I knew I would deposit into the bank and get the total amount.
Maybe because I am still young, but I prefer giftcards. When given cash, I usually end up spending it on little things, like food or gum, and all of the sudden, it’s gone. With giftcards, I know that I have to think about exactly what I want from that store, and it usually ends up being a better purchase.
I like gift cards from extended family, but I prefer real gifts from immediate family and friends. Naturally, I do the same in return.
The worst gift I have ever gotten? A Princess Barbie book. Complete with pictures, huge font, and few actual words. When I was 13. Thanks, Grandma-I-see-twice-a-year.
Gift Cards are terrible.
Just this Christmas I got an iTunes Gift Card, which expires within two years of the last time I used my iTunes account (which is about 18 months ago) and will not work anyway, because my laptop -with all my music on it- does not like internet, and therefore will neither go onto the iTunes store to buy songs, or allow me to authorize my account so that I can play the ones I’ve already brought.
But the worst present ever was when I was reading a trillogy, and had already brought all the books in advance, and I finished the second book on Christmas morning, rushed to find the third book, and realized that my father had wrapped it up and put it under the tree. GROAN. He wouldn’t even let me open it until we’d had our ritual Christmas Lunch.
You only get what you deserve, like the song says.
or is it you only get what you give. I heard, don’t
look a gift hourse in the mouth. Too many people complain. Also Mike is wrong the card is not
completly inconvenient, many people use them happly.
or give them to other people.
Sorry, I love them. I’ve read through and a lot of people have already made the points I would’ve made. Gift Cards are a way to “force” the recipient to treat themselves. Cash is easily spent on bills, gas, etc. Gift cards, with the exception of those to places like walmart and supermarkets, HAVE to be spent on something fun. Walmart cards I get usually get spent on groceries or toilet paper, but when i get one to a fun specialized store I love it. Most of the people who get me giftcards know my favorite clothing store, my favorite craft store, and that i frequent best buy as well so its usually to a useful place. This year I was thrilled to get a $70 giftcard to my favorite fabric store (because really my MIL can’t pick out fabric for me without knowing the intended project or how much I’d need…) and only 2 pair of useless socks rather than a dozen useless pair and a shirt that doesn’t fit. I also love ITunes giftcards since they can be redeemed in such small amounts whenever the music strikes you….
As for the “lazy” comment, yes some people who buy them are lazy, but most of us are being practical. I don’t often get a giftcard for someone two years in a row, and i definitely don’t get it to the same place. I used to get my grandparents restaurant cards because when they had them they ate better when they were out at the doctors, etc (rather than eating mcdonalds, etc)…but switched it up-one year red lobster, next year outback, year after applebees, etc. till I’d gotten them one from pretty much everywhere they liked. My hubby has 2 cousin’s we usually get giftcards for because they get everything on their lists (they ask for little and are close in age so they share too…) and this way they can get something they want in a month or two without having their mom make them “save” the money. Last year it was for gamestop, this year Itunes.
To me, it IS more personal than just handing out money because it shows that you know the person and their tastes well enough to know where they’d like to shop. We did a secret santa with my hubby’s step-siblings and the name he drew wrote down “cash”. Ok, so really, why even enter your name? If you’re spending $50 shopping for someone and just want to get your $50 back then why bother?? We made it fun anyway though, she got a box of 10 $1 bills-folded origami style lol, a box of $10 in quarters, one in dimes, one in nickels, a couple dollars of pennies and a couple chapsticks, etc. BTW, she took it well.
Giving cash to me is so impersonal though. Its like I’ll give you a $20 and you’ll give me a $20 so what was the point? And what do you do when you give them $20 but they give you $30-then not only are you (both) impersonal, but you are cheap too. Which is why i still prefer to shop if at all possible, then you can spend less and get more. But giftcards have their place in the gift giving world because its not as easy as it used to be. Many people in this day and age just buy themselves what they want or need as they want/need/can afford it. (Really, MIL, when i need socks I’ll buy my own-I don’t like knee highs in that shade and that brand doesn’t fit my small feet very well!)
When somebody gives me a gift card my first thought is “Gee thanks for giving me an errand for Christmas.” They are awful. I once got a $10.00 gift card for Blockbuster and we use Netflix. I couldn’t stand to not use the card but most of the Blockbusters around here have gone out of business, so I had to drive 20 minutes and we ended up buying candy and pop with it because all the movies for sale were way more than $10.00, and I didn’t want to be bothered with joining to rent movies when I knew we would never go back. What a pain. I’ve never appreciated a gift card as a present and I don’t give them either.
Nice rip from Mitch.
I am DONE with gift cards! This Christmas I was GOING to get my 16-year-old nephew a $50 gift card (along with a few other things I bought him), and I decided to say the heck with it — I bought a little tin that is designed to hold a gift card, BUT INSTEAD I put a $50 bill in it. He was thrilled with the 50 bucks. I’m CERTAIN he liked the cash better than the gift card. I really think that most people are to the point where they would prefer the cash, but gift cards have gotten to be so huge, that most people will just go on giving them. Don’t get me wrong — I think most people would prefer GIFT CARDS over just about anything else, BUT I still believe people would generally prefer CASH OVER GIFT CARDS. AND, if you do like I did, buy a little gift card holder (there are so many cute ones these days) and instead put CASH in it, people go nuts for it.
Cash is vulgar. Filthy lucre! That is the only reason for gift cards. In traditional, WASP culture, it is considered somewhat trashy to give people cash. I have found this is NOT the case with Italians, Jews, blacks and other ethnicities, by the way. And it is a custom (not giving cash) that is thankfully, gradually disappearing. It is becomeing more acceptable to give people cash in an envelope.
just think… if you know the store people like..get them a giftcard so you know that they will spen d it on something they will like and not just groceries or something and ever think of people wanting to order things online and not having enough money in the bank or not like putting their info online therefore giftcard are great, so drop the im too good for giftcard atitude please. ohh and ever think of you dont want them spending it on something bad, aka drugs or alcohol so you know its on something needed.
The other reason retailers push gift cards so hard, along with the fact that many go unredeemed, is that those folks who actually do redeem them also end up spending some of their own money as well. Say someone is given a $20 gift card and decides to buy something that surpasses that amount. They have to pay that extra little bit with their own money. Even if they come in under $20, they’ll still have the remnant credit on the card to use on something else, which, unless it comes in at the exact amount on the card–and that almost never happens–will still cost them some of their own dough. Retailers are nearly 100% guaranteed to make a sale greater than the gift card amount.
Gift cards are great if they’re the RIGHT gift card. When my cousin bought his first house, it was a fixer-upper, so I bought him a gift card to Lowe’s, and he loved it, because that’s what he wanted was things for his house, and that way he could pick for himself. My brother loves music so a gift card to FYE is perfect for him (or me!). Even a Wal-Mart gift works, because if you don’t find something you want, you can at least spend it on grocery items, and use the money you WOULD have spent on groceries elsewhere.
I love gift cards. As a mom, whenever I receive cash as a gift I end up spending it on the kids or on groceries or something. If the gift card is to a store I like to shop at, I know I will end up buying something for myself. When our family had a tragedy, many friends gave us gift cards to grocery stores, which helped provide food for us while we were struggling. It was better than them giving us food which my family may or may not like. (Also, my husband is on a regulated diet for health reasons and my son is allergic to some foods). So, for my family-Long live the gift card!
Actually they could serve a better purpose that cash. If you’re a kid or someone without a credit card and wanted to buy something from Best Buy, or whatever, that they only carried online, a gift card would do the trick.
But I don’t like them for all the reasons that you describe. Plus the fact that although most of them never expire, they start taking a service charge of the card every month until its dry if you don’t use it in a specified period of time. Which is usually $3.00 a month or something.
I wouldn’t mind getting one, but I would never give one.
i think they are useless i would rather have cash its like oh here give us money so you can give someone the same amount they must spend here it would make sense if they were priced differently like $20 for a $25 card i man it would be worth the discount to th company to insure the money would be spent there
I agree I get so many gift cards for chirstmas and my birthday because my parents just tell people where i like to shop so they go out and buy a gift card rather than just getting me something. I hate buying things because I can’t make decisions easily and I’d rather people just buy me something from a store I shop at and I will likely love it if not, i can just return it. I also sometimes forget my gift cards so I spend cash instead.
If the gift card is for a store I go to, then I have no issues with getting a gift card. I actally like them. They give me a designated amount to spend, that’s not out of my pocket.
If a well chosen gift card is an alternative to the crap we got from my boyfriend’s siblings, I’d take it any day. At least you can find someone usually to regift the GC to, unlike the crap we got.
Gift cards are just the natural evolution of gift certificates. At least in some cases it shows the person went somewhere and bought you something.
I think the most ridiculous thing about gift cards is you have to pay an extra $1 to $2.5 for some. So you are spending $22.50 so someone can get $20 worth of stuff.
If memory serves, Kmart was the first retailer to offer a gift card, as opposed to a gift certificate.
Hey mike, I think that you prove a valid point. As much as I like gift cards (and the convenience of being able to at least PICK your gift from a particular store) I hate how when you get a gift card there always is like 2 dollars and 30 cents left over on it that can’t be spent on anything at the store. Its just annoying
I see where you’re coming from, but I LOVE gift cards.
My Grandmother was always so kind as to get me clothes from my favourite store for Christmas and birthday presents. However, in recent years, she has been too sick to be able to pick out the clothes herself (shame, she has GREAT taste) so, instead, she gets me a gift card to which clothes stores she knows are my favourite
Of course, cash is just as good, but theres something about a shiny little gift card that I just love
Not all gift cards are thoughtless, my grandmother always thinks of me and gifts to me with love, all it is is that she’s too sick to walk around stores picking things out
I’m sure its the same with others. Too sick/too busy.. sometimes just clueless to what their loved one wants, or what their tastes are!
I think gift cards defeat the point of giving a gift. My family always gives gifts that at least require thought, if not effort. There’s the old saying with gift giving that “it’s the thought that counts” and I believe that giving a gift is a way to tell someone you really thought about them. Gift cards don’t really do this. Giving a gift card just says “I felt like I was required to give you something but didn’t want to put the effort into finding out what you’d like.”
I like gift cards, usually. Unless they are for some ridiculous amount that wouldn’t buy me anything at the store either. I mean, if you give a gift card with a low amount to a very expensive store, it’s exactly like giving a coupon– which is not a good gift.
The worst gift i’ve ever recieved was from my aunt when i was in elementary school. She gave me and my brother towells, sun screen, and other weird things that don’t belong in the hands of elementary level children.
I would rather get cash, but I often spend the money on gas or some other necessity. Gift cards that force you to shop at Bath and Body Works mean that you cannot pay your Visa bill with the money instead of getting yourself something you want. That being said, I rarely give them if I can avoid it.
The worst gift I got this year was a Vicks Vapor Rub humidifier. I threw one away over a year ago, but Mom insists that I get colds because of the dry air in my house…..
Or, you could just do what my wife’s family has done all along and not do gifts at Christmas except for the kids/grandkids. Honestly, who needs another tire pressure monitor? If they needed one, don’t you think they would have gotten one already? It was wierd at first getting used to not shopping for everybody, but this year was SOOOOO easy when we spent $20 on each niece/nephew and that was it. No wondering, no shopping, wrapping, or worrying. AND best of all, since you didn’t buy anything for anybody, you don’t have to worry about returning what they got you!
It’s nice. Odd, but nice.
If I were given cash I might spend it on something that I need. A gift card to, say, Best Buy would force me to buy something that is enjoyable instead. Feel free to send me any unwanted gift cards, thanks.
I think gift cards are a great present!
Because: If you ever get a gift card, you have to spend it. If you get money, you’ll hesitate to spend it, and you’ll think about saving it up.
Face it, it’s easier to spend money from a gift card, rather than cold hard cash.
I read in December that American Express announced that their gift cards won’t lose value, so the gift you give is the gift that the receiver gets. I like those better than store cards, because if I change my mind about what I want, I can get something someplace else.
Here’s why gift cards are my favorite gift…
(1) Most people I know SUCK at gift-giving. I get loads of crap I can never use, wear, or get rid of because they expect to see said crap in my home (ugly picture frames, “art,” ceramic cherub statue, etc). I’ve receive clothes that don’t remotely resemble my taste and are 3 sizes too big. I’ve received candles that have already been used. Please, I implore you, give me a gift card.
(2) I feel guilty buying a $4 latte at Starbucks or a new book at Borders or a Ritz Carlton Spa package. But when it’s a gift card, I feel no guilt… I can spend away! My favorite is a Starbucks card. And if I get 3 cards over the holidays, I can combine them into one easily at any Starbucks. And I once got $150 to the Ritz Carlton and was able to get 2 massages there that I never would have been able to splurge on for myself. The person who gave me the Ritz card knows my taste and that I’d love that…and I never would have thought of that for myself.
(3) People don’t give cash. Can you imagine your best friend “Bob” handing you a card with $50 in it for your birthday? It doesn’t happen. Maybe it does from Mom & Dad and your Aunt Sara, but not from the 20 other people that feel compelled to give you a gift throughout the year.
If the people know you well enough, they give you gift cards to places you like. They don’t take up space in your home or closet and gift cards are consumable. So for me, gift cards ROCK! And I”ll happily take yours for you if you despise them so much. Happy New Year.
I disagree on some of this, but for the most part I completely agree.
I think the best gift card you could get is one from iTunes. EVERYONE loves music and movies. So even if it was just $10 it would get spent.
ok, so who’s totalling those for and against gift cards?
When my bestfriend in Missouri loves Barnes and Nobles and I’m here in good ol’ Texas, a giftcard with a good amount of cash on it is an amazing gift. She reads day and night so she loved it a bunch. Her reading preference is so wide and vast, I rather her pick out a book that she will definately enjoy. So I think gift cards are perfect in a lot of situations but others… not so much. Along with the gift card though, I sent a more meaningful and treasured gift as well. Happy Birthday, girlie!!
Oh, and by the way- I LOVE giftcards! Especially when they’re to stores I actually shop at. That’s the catch, getting a giftcard where they actually love to shop, and I’m not talking Walmart or Target here. =]
I don’t like specific gift cards. I do, however, like the use of universal gift cards. I once received an American Express gift card worth $50 and I used it anywhere I wanted.
I do feel that it’s a bit lazy to just give gift cards.
But, I would rather get a gift card than a present that I can’t stand or can’t use. (since I’m so sensitive to bath sets and some materials)
The worst gift card I ever received was to Dicks Sporting Goods. I couldn’t find anything in there. My dad got it for me because he wanted me to be more athletic! -_-
I agree. The fun of gives is taking time to think about someone, to find something meaningful, to see them open it & to laugh if you were way off.
Presents are returnable now a days. So there is excuse for claiming “but I don’t know what they want.” Turn off the TV, look them in the eyes — and ask. Then use it to think of something really special & different than that anyway.
I can not image what gift giving is like when it’s an exchange of cash in plastic form. How boring.
How would have family jokes about the 3 years running my sister bought me a blanket for my car “because it’s old & if you got stuck I want you to be warm”, but kept forgetting she’d already bought that one. Or the keychain picture viewer I got my mom who didn’t even know such a thing existed. She was beaming ear to ear. Or the wonderful picture frame from my nieces that says “my aunt is so much fun.” I certainly wouldn’t have bought it for myself.
Everything was under $20, often under $10. Yet it feels good in a way, a bit of cash to spend on one’s self is disconnected from.
I think gift cards are best for people like me who don’t have a lot of money to begin with. For instance, my grandparents gave me cash for christmas this year. Both amounts have been put towards paying off my credit card and paying the electric bill. However, my sister gave me an amazon.com giftcard, basically forcing me to buy something I want instead of just paying bills. In that context, gift cards are good.
On the other hand, we just had secret santa at work and everyone by my secret santa bought actual gifts. I got a gift card…felt a bit underwhelmed when my tiny box was handed to me!
Well as a gift for myself I would prefer cash at it is universal. I have asked myself and other’s this same question. I understand that cash is considered impersonal as it requires no thought, and my even be taken offensively especially if it is a significant other that believes you gave them cash because you know absolutely nothing about their likes or dislikes in which to get them an actual gift, despite the time spent together. On the other hand gift cards may be of use. Some people you know wont spend the money on something for themselves, or may just get something that is practical and boring so you may purchase a gift card for a resturant forcing them to enjoy a delicious dinner.
A lot of people I know ask for gift cards. I think for the most part they are better than cash. Unless you are giving them a wal mart gift card, or a visa or american express gift card, at least a card says that you know something about that person. Like if you know someone likes books, get one to a book store. If they like sports, get one for a sporting goods store. If Vikki S is someone’s favorite store, get them that. It is a bit more lazy than buying a gift, but at least it says that you put some type of thought into it.
Thanks for the great stats! I’m neutral on this one. I got a gift card to get a massage (AWESOME). I gave my brother the same gift for his birthday, mentioned I buy better gifts than I get to my mom who was with me when I got my brothers gift. She in turn gave me the same gift this year for Christmas. I loved it! When on the other hand I got a gift card for $50 to BEST BUY and just bought a house and I’m registered at Target. So, I gift card there would have been more ideal.
I work at TV station and we did a story on gift cards, we found that if you go to this website http://www.swapagift.com/findpartners.aspx, you can trade or sell your gift card.
I agree with you. Gift cards don’t show any originality, and if there was a $20 dollar limit for the crew of people giving gifts, then what’s an easier gift than a $20 gift card?
However, not all intent of gift cards are completely shallow. I ended up getting a $50 gift card for Christmas from my sister. She wanted to get me a Wii game for Christmas but she didn’t know which one to get. My brother told her “the Mario one,” but of course, there’s a heck of a lot of Mario games out there.
As you probably know, most Wii games sell for exactly $50 (well, $49.99 but close enough). She AT LEAST noticed that much and decided to “give” me a “game” in the form of a $50 gift card.
For that reason, I very much liked her gift, and it was probably better for me to get a game that I liked than some random game that I might not end up liking. It took a trip to the store to get it, sure, but in the end, she just wanted me to be happy.
That’s what the whole gift-giving thing is about right?
Hey, Gift cards are MUCH better than home made sweaters!
I agree that gift cards are impersonal– however if I give lots of cash to kids in my family (teens) they will blow it on eating out or who knows what instead of getting something they can actually make use of for awhile.. I do give some cash too though – for fun stuff …everyone needs som fun money to blow too:]
I don’t really mind them too much. Recently I just used the ones I got last year and combined them with the ones I received this year. At first I didn’t really like the thought of them and as most other people they collected dust all year as I had for the most part forgotten about them . But when I received the same ones this year,Oh and I was given two each year and both for the same two stores. But when I realized they were for the same stores as the ones last year, I then thought that I could now purchase those higher ticket items that I wouldn’t normally purchase for my self but combining the cards allowed for those more appealing items I wanted. So for this reason it was nice, the only down part to it was not too many people want to wait two years or more collecting gift cards to get what they want.And that’s only if they don’t have expiry dates on them. But I also recently was given a gift card that is usable for any store within the mall I live near which I think is a very good alternative to the usual gift cards that limit your choice to one store. It just so happens to be a very large mall with theatre’s also included in the mall which I can also use the card at . I think this is a great gift that any teenager would appreciate, as they seem to enjoy hanging at the malls with their friends .
The reason these cards have become popular is that they have been aggressively marketed by retailers and banks, who are major beneficiaries. You touch on non-use benefiting the sponsoring merchants. Actually, the bigger benefit is to the issuing bank, which typically begins feeing the balance if it remains unused for a period of time. The bank also gets interchange fees and transaction fees from the merchant…anywhere from 2.5 to 5% of the balance…at zero risk, since the cash is deposited up front. Imagine making that rate on SOMEONE ELSE’S MONEY.
The general category of pre-paid transaction services is lightly regulated at the federal level and largely unregulated at the state level. Depending on what state you live in and the specific terms of the card, there may be no protection for fraudulent transations, nor may there be an obligation on the part of bank or merchant to deal with lost cards. If the holder of the card dies, the beneficiary is ambiguous: it may go to the estate, it may escheat to the state, or it may simply become a windfall to the banks and merchants.
Cash or check is a much more efficient method of gifting, although there may be some aesthetic or emotional reason why these are unacceptable. Get over it.
Well, I think giving a gift card worth $10 is much better than giving somebody $10 in cash. Just imagine, what they’ll be thinking. “Wow…$10…” If they get a gift card “Cool! Thanks! How much is in it?” “10 bucks” “Oh… thanks..”
I like gift cards to places i enjoy shopping at. I feel like I would sometimes rather get gift cards. I feel like I need some boundaries or else i never know what i want or where to shop. If someone gives my money It takes my a few weeks to figure out what i want to spend it on or i’ll end up just shoving it in my secret cash (in my jewelery box) not really so secret and then i wait until i really want something, but with a gift card i can go to the mall and know exactly where i need to spend my time at to shop and find something i like. idk i like both money and gift cards.
oh yeah, and the worst present i got this year is a really ugly shirt that my cousin got me. I told her i liked it, and i liked the idea of it but not the actual shirt. It reminded me of the puffy shirt from seinfeld. and my brothers who are big fans of seinfeld were reminding my of it all christmas eve. but she got my other gifts that i really liked like zebra slippers.
I actually love gift cards. I have been given cash as a gift and I find I spend it on an immediate need like gas or a bill rather than something to treat myself.
Since most people don’t give cash I would rather get a gift card than a stupid trinket or a gift that it way off base.
If you think about it, giving money could be better than a gift card in that the person recieving could have the option of spending it on whatever they wanted. Although, money has no thought put into it, which could actually hurt someone’s feelings. Gift cards are a good way to spend your money because there could be some thought into what store you are choosing, but if the receiver of the gift does not like that store, then there is another gift that will be regifted to someone else. I think it is always better to think about what gift you will buy them and as a last resort buy them a gift card… i know that most of the time, i enjoy getting gifts rather than gift cards… i mean, who wants a gift card to Walmart anyways?!?
What’s up with all these people posting that they like gift cards?! Okay, okay, it’s okay to like them, but doesn’t just the fact that 8 billion of the consumer’s hard earned dollars went straight to already rich corporations in 2006?! I have to say that unless someone just LOVES to go to a certain place all of the time, that’s the only circumstance that gift cards make sense. There’s nothing worse than being obligated to shop at a place I don’t really care for, and having to foot a couple dollars on top of that just to use up the whole gift card.
I think gift cards are appropriate if all else fails. Sometimes the shipping alone on a gift is enough to prevent other gifts. I can not afford to send my sisters expensive gifts with shipping. I steer away from g/c every chance I get though. Gift cards can be greatly appreciated in many cases. If you know the person well enough, they will accept anything you gift them with.
Well I think theyre good because some people wont buy things for themselves but if you get them a gift card to a store that only carries things made for them, you know that they wont spend it on their kids or something….
I somewhat agree but some people just think giving cash is impersonal.
Giftcards that limit you to spending at one store are useless to me but i rather like debit cards because in most cases that system is better than cash. Completing transactions with a card assures you spend exact change and arent left with coins you’ll end up losing in a seat cushion. Furthermore, the loose change you no longer have doesnt need to be deposited in a jar to later be placed in one of those money grubbing coin star machines. End the end, using debit cards will save you money, perhaps not a lot, but i think it’s worth it.
Wow, a somewhat skeptical, semi-anti-commercial post by Yahoo!
What gives?
The credit card gift cards are the best. spend them where ever the credit card is accepted, And it looks better than cash.
The only two logical uses for gift-cards that I can think of (for the consumer this is) are;
1. iTunes and other online giftcards transfer money as a physical object to an online currency, thus changing it’s currency in a manner of speaking.
2. Gift-cards allow the receiver and excuse to go to a shop, by receiving money he may have simply stored it away and watched it float in his online bank account, whereas a gift cart will get spent, its mentally allowing someone to “splash out” so to speak. Granted this is only assuming we are able to be manipulated by our surroundings and how we are presented with situations.
I have a double opinion on gift cards. I mean they’re okay as presents As long as you are SURE that the person goes to the store a lot. but then again i say cash is way more simpler and that if you don’t really know the person you could easily mess up on the card thing.
My worst gift? A Claire’s gift card it was 50 dollars or something close to that. I Absolutely hate that store and then felt really bad afterwords that they spent so much money trying to get me a gift. I ended up giving them the card back and 50 cash out of guilt.
LOVE gift cards! I am obsessed with not having clutter in my home so I really don’t want more room dandruf. I don’t need any candles, sweaters, socks, bowls, etc. When people ask what I want, (I don’t presume to tell people what to give me unless asked), I tell them a gift card to a certain store where I am looking to get a big ticket item. This year I’m looking to get a new, expensive bathroom vanity so any gift cards that I can get to that store will help defray some of the cost of that big ticket item and I can tell friends and family that they purchased my new cherry wood vanity that I absolutely adore.
Look around the stores during holiday season at all the tacky “gifts” offered for under $20. Do you really need another Totes umbrella, or another pair of cheap earrings? Those horrid gifts you receive from Aunt Ethel, that are a waste of her time and money, that you end up regifting to some other poor schmoe? So, would you rather Aunt Ethel wasted $20 of her limited budget on a piece of crap gift, or would you rather have a $20 gift card that you can combine with other gift cards or cash and buy something more appropriate?
The fact if, gift cards are like all other gifts. You will either hate them and end up regifting, or you’ll love them. At least if you end up regifting, the recipient may actually have a use for it.
For Christmas this year I gave my daughter’s new boyfriend a GameStop gift card. I don’t know the boy, other than the fact he loves to play games and there’s a GameStop very close to his home. He loved having $25 to put towards a new game, and as a matter of fact received a second card for $15 or $20, so he can now purchase anything he wants, without laying out a dime. He was very pleased with the gift, and moreso that I had taken the time to not only figure out a store he’d like, but that I got him something other than a gift box set of Axe or pajamas (both of which he received from others, and neither of them he seemed particularly thrilled with).
The invention of the gift card is ingenious for the seller if you think about it: You have the people who will simply lose them or wait for them to expire (I am aware that some do not expire), and you have that amount that you cannot use. For example, say you have a $75 gift card. You buy $72.67 worth of stuff. Usually, most people don’t use what’s left, and the company just made $2.23 just off one person. Another example is the iTunes gift card. You pay $15 for a $15 gift card, but in reality you are buying $14.99 worth of credit, because (assuming that you do not link a credit card to it for future purposes) for each song downloaded, the company makes that extra cent that is payed for but cannot be used. Assuming that there are 150,000,000 songs downloaded from iTunes using giftcards each year, Apple makes $1,500,000 each year just from that trick. Amazing.
When you say it that, it really doesn’t make sense. But giving money is slightly lazier than giving a gift card, even though it’s more conveniant for the reciever. At least with a gift card you have to go to the store and purchase one and it usually comes in a neat little card, with cash you can just pull some out of your wallet. It’s more tacky. But still, giftcards are pretty lame. I usually only give them when I’ve run out of time or don’t know the person well.
Its a bummer when they do get ones that do expire because you have to spend that money or else its no use to you. Sometimes I like to actually SAVE my money and stipulations are annoying.
I like gift cards because I can spend them on what I want. I mostly get VISA gist cards where I can spend them at just about any store and they don’t expire.
I like to receive gift cards as opposed to a regular gift, and I find money to be even more useful than either (Though with money I always feel guilty like I should save it not spend it. LOL.). But I really don’t care that much, I think it’s nice that someone thought to give me a gift, whatever it is.
I give gift cards all the time, I agree that it’s lazy, but I just feel too busy sometimes! I don’t give cash because it just feels tacky like you’re telling someone they’re poor. But maybe that’s because most people I happen to give gifts to are my age or older.
For kids I give gift cards so that I know where they’re spending the money, so they don’t use it to buy something they shouldn’t!! But that’s just me. I like buying them an actual gift, but sometimes I don’t know what to get especially if they’re older, you don’t know what they already have.
So those are some reasons why I give gift cards…
Yes, cash is unseemly. It’s also dirty. blech. A shiny new gift card from a place the person frequents–or wants to but can’t afford to frequent–makes more sense. It’s wrong to give a gift card for a place that the person will not likely be able to make it to, of course, such as a restaurant that they don’t have in their town. That happened to me and I ended up giving the gift card away. But, for example, if you know they love coffee and can rarely afford a latte on their tight budget, then a gift card would be sweet! I know, I can’t afford take-out coffee, and people have given me cards twice. You can also personalize a gift card by choosing a clever greeting card or container to convey it–the last coffee card I was given was accompanied by a dozen homemade cookies. A gift card is as personal or impersonal as you make it. Get creative!
I would rather get a gift card than money.
If you get money you are pressured to save it and never use it for something you want. only what you need.
With a gift card you HAVE to spend it in the store and you can get the thing you want.
so many comments!!!!
I feel sorry for the people in the middle…no one would all the way to them…
i got 50 bucks 2 bath and body works wtf am i suppost 2 do with 50 dollars worth of lotion ?!
I am eighteen years old and I have given gift cards for presents alot of times. I mix it with presents so it doesn’t seem like I am too lazy to pick something out for them. (Although for a full time student and a full time employee for customer service at a grocery store chain, gift cards can be very conveinient!) If I was to give my parents money or my boyfriend’s parents money, they would of just handed it right back. A gift card is a potential present, a present you just haven’t picked out yet. It does make sense.
And I love getting gift cards! I wish my grandmother would jump on the bandwagon and stop picking me out sweaters.. from stores like CJ Banks… but it’s the thought that counts!
I disagree…CASH is the lazier gift of the 2. And for an office party, well, what SHOULD one buy-at a $10 limit- for one’s soon-to-be Bosses Boss, who lives 3 towns away, is male, married, caucasian, and has at least 1 child at home? (That was all I knew about the man whose name I drew this year). I went to 4 different stores to find a Starbucks card under the limit before someone informed me that they don’t even HAVE Barnes and Noble (bookstore) in his town!! It looks crass and cheap to give someone like that cash. Really, unless it is fora child, anything less than $20 looks cheap, unless it is a card and a small token gift to accompany it (the Barnes and Noble card was supposed to have been wrapped with a nice big candy bar to enjoy while reading).
The Visa giftcard is great but you must remember to redeem it within a few months. I spend my Christmas gift cards within the first couple of months of receiving them.
I only give gift cards if someone has mentioned that’s what they wanted. And so far I have never used a gift card although someone gave me one this holiday for a movie theater–however any way you figure it you’re either going to end up losing a few bucks because the price of tickets doesn’t add up exactly, or you’ll end up paying extra to cover the cost of tickets the card doesn’t. My office for Employee Appreciation week gave everyone gift cards, two years running, and I lost them both (put them “somewhere I can find them when I want them” and now can’t find them). One of my coworkers after this past Christmas was telling me about all the gift cards he’d gotten and we were reading them–many of them had activation fees which he will have to pay just to use them; a few of them also had a fee each month that you don’t use them–they won’t expire but you start paying a monthly fee (minimal but still…) the longer you don’t use it all. And most of his cards won’t give any kind of refund for the unused portion so when the card is worth $25, he pays $2.50 to activate, pays $3.50 per month the longer he doesn’t use it, and if he buys something only worth $18, he loses the leftover $1 (which the store profits on). I think this verges on a scam. Personally, it’d be much better if the gifter just gave him a check or cash. Or contributed to a charity in his name.
gift cards are for lazy procrastinators.
but when you have 20 or 30 ppl to shop for….they’re great. my family buys them all the time. basically, its just trading cash. i buy you a $50 gift (usually something you’ve requested or a $50 gift card for a store you can purchase that item yourself) and you do the same for me. it’s totally illogical to me and drives me insane. but i don’t want to be a grinch so i continue to do it every year. god i love the holidays. 
I thinks that when I recive gift cards, I like it. Target has almost everything, and that’s where I get the majoraty of my gift cards from. But also Visa giftcards rule.
I disagree with you Mike. I love getting and giving gift cards. I would rather get a $20 gift card to Reitman’s than a shirt that doesn’t fit and is butt ugly. Anyone who says “it’s the thought that counts” has never had to pretend to love something a spouse has given them.
As for expiring, last year a law passed in Alberta that made expiring gift cards illegal. Once you paid for them, they were good for as long as the store existed.
I’ve given my little brother a gift card every year for his birthday and Christmas because he’s building a house and needs housing supplies. I’m not going to go and buy him a bag of nails. The cards let him buy whatever he needs.
There are 2 situations where gift cards are good. The first one is when by giving a gift card a discount is built in. The prime example of this is the restaurant gift card that works like a buy one get the second half off deal.
The second is when you’re buying for a former drug addict who would only use your cash to feed his habit. This makes giving gift cards to straight people kind of insulting, doesn’t it?
My favorite gift card to receive is for a restaurant.
I think gift cards seem less taboo than bills because they are shiny and clean and often have pretty pictures or cute little sayings or whatnot on them. Kids especially eat them up because they like to keep them when they are used up and pretend they are credit cards for them. I have a bit of a weird view on gift cards… I hate giving them because it feels so thoughtless to me, like “Hey I spent 3 seconds picking out your gift, here ya go.” But I love receiving gift cards! I like to shop so for me a gift card is like two gifts really. I get to go shopping and then actually purchase something I want. I suppose you can kind of get around it by giving the Visa gift cards, those are practically cash just on a card and can be used about anywhere, but they often don’t come in small amounts.
Now what is a nuisance is when you get a gift card and use all but a dollar or two on it. That’s when I usually throw them away because I never remember to go back to the store and use up that dollar on it. Also it’s almost annoying to have to give the cashier five different gift cards that all have a couple bucks on them and then still have to pay more because that didn’t cover your total. It holds up the line and it’s almost embarrassing on my part because it’s like saying “I’m so cheap I have to save up all my old gift cards just to buy this item.” I think I over think these things.