I have not had a lot of experience with gift cards so I do not know if they are a benefit to me or not. I guess if I get a card without paying anything for it that I have come out on top, but even then, the cost could be buried elsewhere. Of course I fully understand, this is a marketing scheme and the customer always pays for the marketing costs of any product. This seems like an extension of the "coupon" concept where you get a coupon for making a purchase, but the coupon can be used on your next purchase at the store. BUT, fees and an assortment of charges are a negative twist that coupons seem do not have.
Retail store gift cards continue to be a consumer-friendly credit product, with fees and expiration dates the exception rather than the rule. The retailers can make a profit from the merchandise users buy.
Gift cards from the major credit card issuers, though, still carry an assortment of fees. All continue to charge monthly "maintenance" or "dormancy" fees, ranging from $2 per month to $3, if the gift card isn't used within a certain period of time. All but American Express have expiration dates.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/...d_study_a1.asp
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