Gift Cards

[mickeyd]

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/20061120_gift_card_study_a1.asp

 

[Bob_Smith]

I just don't get the appeal of gift cards. Gift cards are nothing but a loophole in the rule that states, "It is tacky and thoughtless to give gifts of cash". I'd rather have the cash.

 

[Dawg52]

I just don't get the appeal of gift cards. Gift cards are nothing but a loophole in the rule that states, "It is tacky and thoughtless to give gifts of cash". I'd rather have the cash.

Same here and cash is what I give to my nephews and niece. Saves me a trip to the department store too.

 

[mickeyd]

Same here and cash is what I give to my nephews and niece

Aww man come on, cash is so 20th century....

 

[Dawg52]

Aww man come on, cash is so 20th century....

These are all adults. One nephew is building a house. I know he prefers the cash. Hard to believe I'm old enough for one to be 30 years old and building a house.

 

[JJac]

Gift cards come in handy when you buy them on ebay for a big discount

 

[Khan]

Gift cards come in handy when you buy them on ebay for a big discount

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/sales/giftcard.asp

Cards filched directly from store racks find their way to online auction sites, where the unsuspecting will bid on them, thinking they're getting a deal. The National Retail Federation advises consumers to purchase gift cards online only through reputable retailers and never through online auction sites, which may be dealing in stolen or counterfeit cards.

 

[maddythebeagle]

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/sales/giftcard.asp

Cards filched directly from store racks find their way to online auction sites, where the unsuspecting will bid on them, thinking they're getting a deal. The National Retail Federation advises consumers to purchase gift cards online only through reputable retailers and never through online auction sites, which may be dealing in stolen or counterfeit cards.

this is ridiculous, I sell and trade gift cards and the ones that you can buy off the rack have to have the pin numbers scratch off before they can be used for online sales...I can't think of one retailer that doesnt have this feature...

 

[renferme]

gift cards, if bought at the local Giant Eagle grocery store here in the Pittsburgh area,
get you Fuel Perks. Buy a $50 gift card and you get 10 cents/per gallon off the next fill-up ! Buy $100, get 20 cents off, and so on.
Giant Eagle sells gift cards for Home Depot, Radio shack, Toys R US, Amer. Airlines,
Bed Bath Beyond, Gap, Best Buy, and many, many other stores.
I'm not plugging Giant Eagle, but a nice deal if you buy their gas.
.
Some people who want to buy a new kitchen, for example, buy $5000 worth of gift cards, take it to Home Depot, and use it on the new kitchen and get lots of free gas at the same time.

 

[maddythebeagle]

yep....you can buy gift cards at a discount from various clubs (some credit cards) for 20% discounts....so that is probably what you are seeing on fleabay...not nec. fraud, but just resale...and as pointed out, some people have credit cards that get 5% at gas, grocery, and pharmacy (we have 2 chase cards that still are giving us 5%) and buy gift cards at walgreens and at their supermarket esp. around x-mas time....

 

[ERD50]

I just don't get the appeal of gift cards. Gift cards are nothing but a loophole in the rule that states, "It is tacky and thoughtless to give gifts of cash". I'd rather have the cash.

Agreed, I don't get it.

I go around with my wife on this. She thinks a gift card is more 'personal' - like you took the time to think about what store that person likes to shop at. Wow, how thoughtful.

To me, the gift card is less of a 'gift' than cash. For the recipient, you just limited their shopping choices, they need to carry the card with them, and if they buy less than the face $, they need to carry it and remember to use it later, and then there are all the loopholes about time limits.

Sheesh. If you want to get personal, give them the cash and write a nice letter - 'I thought you could use this money for the xyz you've been looking at, But I know you want to pick the size and styles, or maybe had another use for the money'.

To me, that is better than, 'Here, get something at Best Buy, nope, not Circuit City (even though they may have exactly what you want at a better price), but Best Buy'. or vice-versa.

-ERD50

 

[Goonie]

I personally think 'gift cards' are tacky!!!

I would MUCH prefer CASH!!! Show me da money!!! I can spend cash anywhere "I" want!!!

 

[Nords]

I personally think 'gift cards' are tacky!!!

Y'all can send me your Home Depot gift cards. Lowe's too.*

Shipping & handling fees may apply, as well as a nominal processing fee. This offer limited to cash on hand and may change at any time. No refunds or credits!

 

[saluki9]

Nobody I know even shops for my gifts anymore. Seriously, everybody (except my dad) gets me Best Buy gift cards

It makes me a happy man

 

[Sheryl]

I've always felt like giving cash is sort of tacky too. But SO gives gift cards to the newlywed son and his DW. If we give them cash we don't know where it's going to go. They seem to give every spare penny to their church, and they don't have many spare pennies. Find if that's what they want to do, but we don't really want to participate.

This year we bought them a Sears GC - enought options there that they can get something useful.

 

[TromboneAl]

They are a little different from cash, in that they force you to use the money for something other than, say, the electric bill.

I can pretty much buy anything that I need, but sometimes there's something I'd kind of like to have, but can't quite justify. For example, I ride my bike with two mismatched gloves. I can't quite justify new bike gloves, because these work fine, but they'd be fun as a gift.

If someone gives me cash, I might not spend it on bike gloves, but if I had a gift certificate for the bike store, I might get them.

 

[Outtahere]

My parents have always given me cash, they call it the green gift certificate good at any store. I use it that way too. The reasoning by them is I can use it anywhere and they don't have to worry about the store going out of business the day after Xmass. The last time they gave a GC to someone that's what happened, they swore from that point on it would be cash only.

 

[Sheryl]

If someone does give me cash, I always make a point of buying something specific with it and letting them know.

I think gracious giving and receiving is a dying art in our culture.

SIL and DIL never sent thank you cards for the gifts given at their wedding in March. Including a VERY generous hunk of $$ from SO.

I always send a thank you card for any gift, or even a nice dinner. There is a package of pretty cards on my desk, envelopes stamped with pretty matching stamps. It's SO easy to jot a few lines, and people are usually pleasantly suprised. I know I am when I get a little handwritten note in the mail.

I just hate the idea that gift giving has turned into a black hole of people throwing money at each other.

The other thing I hate is "I'll buy you this, and you buy me that, and we'll call it Christmas, but we won't bother wrapping a gift, or putting it under the tree, and while you're at it why don't you just pick it out, since you know what you want...

Ooops. End of Rant. Stepping sheepishly off soap box.

 

[Khan]

My retirement gift was $100 gift card for the local mall. I go there less than once a year. I hate shopping.

It took 6 months to get to the mall and I spent all $100 on books and food.

Ideally they would have given one from the local grocery or hardware store.

 

[wabmester]

The other thing I hate is "I'll buy you this, and you buy me that, and we'll call it Christmas, but we won't bother wrapping a gift, or putting it under the tree, and while you're at it why don't you just pick it out, since you know what you want...

Hey! What's wrong with that? It's a simple variation of the honorable wish list.

I was going to take this one step further with a web site (I never launched) a few years ago. It basically went like this: you buy your own gift, and I'll pay you back.

 

[Bob_Smith]

They seem to give every spare penny to their church... This year we bought them a Sears GC.

Hey Sheryl, they'll probably buy a sump-pump for the church basement.

 

[Sheryl]

Hey Sheryl, they'll probably buy a sump-pump for the church basement.

There's only so much you can do.

 

[Sheryl]

Hey! What's wrong with that? It's a simple variation of the honorable wish list.

I was going to take this one step further with a web site (I never launched) a few years ago. It basically went like this: you buy your own gift, and I'll pay you back.

Yeah, to each his own, I guess. I just like giving and receiving suprises - from people who know me well enough, anyway.

 

[TromboneAl]

Something that bothers me about gift receiving is the waste of money if you get (or give)something will never be used. OTOH, it's fun when someone gives you something that shows that they gave a lot of thought to the process, and that you really like (and never would have thought of getting yourself).

I posted this a few years ago: In 1997 I had everyone in my family fill out a "Gift Information Sheet" telling what kinds of things they like, don't like, and sizes. That continues to be useful today. Here it is:

Gift Information Sheet


Name
Date
Hat Size
Shirt or Blouse Size
Dress Size
Pants Size
Waist
Glove Size
Ears Pierced?
Shoe Size
General Gift Preferences



Color Preferences:

Please Avoid...

 

[samclem]

I was going to take this one step further with a web site (I never launched) a few years ago. It basically went like this: you buy your own gift, and I'll pay you back.

We get together with DWs parents, siblings, sib-in-laws every year. It is a lot of fun, but the gift buying/giving has turned into a major logistical undertaking. Last year someone called for a cease-fire in the gift exchange, some folks were in favor of this, but were shouted down by the others favoring a continuation of the practice.

I proposed a compromise: Everyone buy 10 gifts for themself, any price that they want. The gifts go on a shelf. All the attendes get to "shop" from the shelf, pick out the gift they want to give, and wrap it. This was a great plan! Everyone only spends what they want, gets things they want, and everyone still gets to shop and wrap. For some inexplicable reason the idea was hooted down.