Gift Cards: A Convenience or a Ripoff?

[David]

Originally Posted by kathy1

i'm sorry i will remember next time. thanks for telling me.

This is Lux ... or Bobo ... isn't it?

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by JWS

Also, something like 5% of gift cards are never redeemed...lost or forgotten about. Some even have expiration dates.

I lost my $50 Ski Market card and $25 Texas Roadhouse. They were both old. I found one in my glove compartment too for a card reading (2002). They have expiration dates but I think MA law states that they have to be honored forever regardless of that date. And the reason I lost the cards is because I had something to organize them in which I lost. Hopefully it will turn up. So yeah, part of the racket is counting on people not redeeming the cards.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by petep9000

I never thought of it that way. The corporate bigwigs probably bank on the fact that these gift cards can only but rarely be used to their maximum- and the extra dollar and change left behind is profit in their pockets.

EXACALLY. I do hate gift cards for this reason as well, it is soooooooooooo hard to spend the exact amount. and yeah, somebodys makin money on that.

[JWS]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

I lost my $50 Ski Market card and $25 Texas Roadhouse. They were both old. I found one in my glove compartment too for a card reading (2002). They have expiration dates but I think MA law states that they have to be honored forever regardless of that date. And the reason I lost the cards is because I had something to organize them in which I lost. Hopefully it will turn up. So yeah, part of the racket is counting on people not redeeming the cards.

That's right and that's pure profit.

[Chrislit18]

dates but I think MA law states that they have to be honored forever regardless of that date

yes Suze, in MA they have to honour gift cards [coupons too i think in some cases] no matter the expiration date. We get McDonalds coupon booklets at halloween [the ones for 2 bucks, meant for little kids...] and they supposedly expire at the end of november, but weve had some booklets for maybe 4 years now, and they still take them.
One thing MA is good for...

but on the subject of giftcards. it can be touchy, i mean i asked for some last year from my dad and stepmom, and they just bought me stuff because its 'more personal', i mean, dont get me wrong, i liked the stuff, but i would have prefered the gift card to pick out some things that i would have LOVED and would wear more often. [I do like when they get me ones for Target though, then i can go bra shopping lol. I really cant ask my dad for bras for xmas. lol]

This year i got cash from them, so I was even happier with that than i would have been with gift cards. i spent it at the mall of course, [should have saved it, oh well], but i got to pick out stuff i KNOW ill use, like new jeans, and some books and a CD or two. not shirts that ill never wear.

Now, for my friends, I was at 3 birthday parties in 2007, one i bought the girl clothes, and she wore them a lot at first, and since id say september or october [her party was in may] she hasnt wore them since, one girl i gave cash to in a card [the invite was last minute], and she was happy enough about it, and i think she ended up buying books or something like that, knowing the type of person she is, and the other girl, i got her a barnes and noble gift card. i know she LOVES to read poems and stuff, and I didnt know by who...so that was perfect. I think of the 3 she was the most excited when receiving her birthday present.

So I think id prefer to get gift cards, it just erks me when they have pre-set amounts like 25 bucks, when you can only really afford 20 [or sometimes 15 in my case]. such as the barnes an noble card. i would have gotten the 25 anyway, seeing as shes my BEST friend, but like if it was for the lastminute invite, 20 would have been better.
Thats why i like stores where you can put as much or little on the card as possible.

So Im actually pro gift card.
I love iTunes gift cards, its easier to use, and better to keep track of how much exactly you spend than if you put in your credit card [or if its maxed out and you cant buy any more], and then the card when you return things to the store is genius too. especially if you KNOW youre gonna be shopping there again [which happened to me at barnes and noble!]
There are instances i guess where it may be just a little iffy to get gift cards...to a parent, or a spouse/sig other, but to coworkers, friends, and not as close family i think giftcards save a lot of headache no matter the time of year!

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by Chrislit18

yes Suze, in MA they have to honour gift cards [coupons too i think in some cases] no matter the expiration date. We get McDonalds coupon booklets at halloween [the ones for 2 bucks, meant for little kids...] and they supposedly expire at the end of november, but weve had some booklets for maybe 4 years now, and they still take them.
One thing MA is good for...

Cool. If the store goes out of business though you're screwed, this has happened to me too.

Originally Posted by Chrislit18

but on the subject of giftcards. it can be touchy, i mean i asked for some last year from my dad and stepmom, and they just bought me stuff because its 'more personal', i mean, dont get me wrong, i liked the stuff, but i would have prefered the gift card to pick out some things that i would have LOVED and would wear more often. [I do like when they get me ones for Target though, then i can go bra shopping lol. I really cant ask my dad for bras for xmas. lol]

Funny you should mention that cuz I just bought some at Target with cash my Dad gave me for Christmas. Their bras are almost as nice as Gap Body and 1/3 the price! You can't beat that. I also used a Visa gift card my brother gave me. I liked getting that. I picked up The Office seasons 2 and 3. They were on sale after Christmas. The prices after Christmas are so great, which is a plus on the side of gift cards. You get more for your dollar shopping after the holiday. You can get so many different things at Target too, it's a great one stop shopping store.

[skcin]

I like gift cards. Like someone (Anita?) said earlier, at least the person made the effort to think about what store you shop in & went out to get the card, rather than just shove cash in an envelope. Plus, they're so pretty & shiny. A coworker got me one from Target this year & it played music. Yeah, pointless, but still cool.

[kathy1]

i prefer to get gift cards also. that way i get what i want and not have to ever return anything.

[David]

Originally Posted by kathy1

i prefer to get gift cards also. that way i get what i want and not have to ever return anything.

You got me confused there, Bobo.