I hate gift cards!

[disneysteve]

DW got a gift card at the holidays. She tried to use it the other day and discovered that the rules for the card state that it can not be used for partial payment. The purchase must be equal to or less than the balance on the card. So for this $25 card, the purchase must be exactly $25 or less. If the purchase is $25.01, she can't use the card and pay one penny extra. Of course, this means that it is virtually impossible to totally use the card's value since with tax, nothing is ever exactly $25. Her coworker said she managed to spend the full amount but only by carefully calculating her purchases to total exactly $25. That's insane. Just give cash next time please.

I used to give my staff gift cards each year but I stopped a few years ago due to all the wacky rules, regulations and restrictions. Now they all get cash and I haven't heard any complaints.

 

[BethR]

Steve - that has to be one of the craziest things I have ever heard!

 

[CheapMom]

What kind of gift card was that? I never heard of such a thing-
I have heard that a lot of them lose value as time goes on- after 6 months some of them start depriciating.
I am glad your wife whipped out the calculator and stuck it to the man like that- spending precisely $25.

 

[tmt martins]

They say something like 30% of all gift card amounts either don't get used or get eaten up by hidden fees.

Great way to profit and thats why everyone has one now a days ( McD's).They have your money and are earning interest on it then hit you with the hidden fees as well.

 

[ziggystardust]

wow! I have never heard of that, I would think that they would want you to spend more money than the gift card b/c thats more money for them. I have heard of not getting cash back if the purchase was a certain amount under the gift card amount.

Maybe you should try again, it really sounds odd.

 

[momrek06]

Steve: The state of MASS has CRACKED down big time on Stores/Malls issuing Gift Cards. Stores/Malls were issuing gift cards and issuing all kinds of crazy ridiculous rules and consumers were going crazy trying to figure out all the YES' and NO's that applied to the card.

Now, it is so much easier here in MA. The Malls and Stores have all been given rules and regulations on how to make gift cards to consumers basically "user friendly".

On the flip side on gift cards: I gave DS' DGF about 5 gc for Xmas. She made out like a "fat rat", seriously. For instance, I gave her a $50.00 gc to EXPRESS and after Xmas she bought $100.00 worth of sale clothes with the $50.00gc, likewise with American Eagle and Victoria's Secret. Actually, I read in our newspaper that stores actually LOST money on the gc as they would issue them BEFORE the holidays and then after the holidays is when they were used and consumers got about triple the amount of merchandise, then they would had they used the card PRIOR to XMAS.

 

[imsayin]

I'm curious, what store? I've never heard of this.

We have a mall nearby that charges a fee to buy their gift card. I can't remember what the fee was, as I didn't buy the card.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I had a Webcertificate that was the same way. I ended up using a $25 card on a $22.40 purchase so I lost $2.60.

 

[Vivianne]

I used my $25 gift card and paid an extra $6 to buy a quesadilla maker this week at Kohls. DH loves it.

I think it depends on the store. I've used and given gift cards without any problem.

 

[KPmom]

Could you pay the extra first and leave exactly 25 remaining due, then use the card? For example, if the total was 75.50 pay 50.50 and then use the card for the remaining 25? ~kpmom

 

[texasthree]

That must of been a visa gift card not a specific store. Those visa gift cards you can buy at the bank are terrible. They are impossible to use the full amount. Visa is making a killing on them!

 

[babiesX2]

Please tell us what store has that GC rule? I want to avoid it.

I spent a Xmas GC yesterday at Dillard's. My uncle gave us a $50 one. I wanted something for Dh and me. We spend all the money on the kids. We bought a set of 330 thread count sheets (so luxurious) which were regular $150 on clearance for $69! I put an extra $25 with the GC and now we have luxurious sheets for our bed. Our old set of sheets were Wal-Mart specials that I bought about 6 years ago. You could see the pattern of the mattress through them.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

i HATE the visa gc!!! DH and i both got them for Christmas and they didn't work at any stores!!! how embaressing!! even with the receipt from MIL!!! it was AWFUL! finally after many failed attempts and the cashiers on the 1-800# to hear the balance themselves, we went to the bank it was issued at and got CASH instead!

 

[momrek06]

Please tell us what store has that GC rule? I want to avoid it.

I spent a Xmas GC yesterday at Dillard's. My uncle gave us a $50 one. I wanted something for Dh and me. We spend all the money on the kids. We bought a set of 330 thread count sheets (so luxurious) which were regular $150 on clearance for $69! I put an extra $25 with the GC and now we have luxurious sheets for our bed. Our old set of sheets were Wal-Mart specials that I bought about 6 years ago. You could see the pattern of the mattress through them.

YUP, that is exactly what I meant on my POST above!!! So for $25.00 you got yourself $150.00 SHEETS.....well that is SWEET!! Pat yourself on the back for some GOOD SHOPPING!!!

I actually do love gc's! Around my area, they are awesome. Even for restaurants. AWESOME!!!

I think this PAST Xmas was a BIG gc Xmas for my family and friends! YUP, and I found it to be EASY & EASY!
I made sure that every single gc I bought for a present, I SAVED the receipt until WAY after the person received the card and had done their shopping JUST on the WHIM, that the card did NOT work...I would have my receipt to show for it!!!

I have a sis that is not very well off financially and I found years ago IF I gave her $$$, it went towards FASTFOOD instead of a pair of shoes or underwear for her fam....so I always get her a Wal-Mart gc and she emails me or drops me a note to tell me what she has used it for someething that she needed badly!!! NEVER ever had a problem with Wal-Mart!

 

[eeyore45]

Hate gc... HATE HATE HATE gc... its the smart way for hte businesses to take money - and then to convince the consumers they are brilliant for giving plastic instead of cash!! EXCUUUUSE me!! Brilliant them, stupid us!!

and my cousin wanted to give dh and I a night "out" at a restaurant, she checked found out we have a Red Lobster less than one mile away, bought a $25 gc... we never got to use it!! Yep, THAT RL closed, we tried 2 others, finally found one, but after 3 months, Red Lobster charged US for NOT using the gc...

then since gc (and credit cards) are magneticly sensitive, you can wipe your balance, and yes, you may have a reciept, but can you PROVE you never used it??? Best Buy is the worst for consumers as far as that goes, you can purchase the gc, and then go straigth to guest services to make sure the right amount is encoded on the card, and of course it isnt, but can you PROVE you didnt use it !um its been FIVE minutes!!) uggg

Never, never will I burden anyone I know and like with a gc!!

 

[shades]

We always get Barnes & Noble gift cards from my mom for Christmas and her birthday is in Feb and I usually use her gift to me and then add some $$ to it to puchase her card. I love to read - but, have a mountain of books that I need to read before I buy more. She loves to read, too and I keep telling her to quit spending money on us (she's retired and on a fixed income) - so, I return her money to her and double the amount so she can buy lots of books.

I've never had any problems with Barnes & Noble, and/or Borders gift cards.

She did send dd a Visa gift card for Christmas and I've pushed DD to use it and she likes having it and is saving it. She did use it once at Borders and didn't have any problems at all. It worked just like a regular Visa.

 

[BethR]

DH got a VISA gift card as a prize from something at work. We haven't used it yet. I hope that I can learn from everyone's experiences to avoid any problems with it.

 

[buckler]

If it is a Visa, Mastercard or Amex gift card you can use the gift card to buy a $25 gift card for a store. For example, I've used one of these credit card type gift cards to buy a Kroger or Publix (grocery store) gift card in the exact amount of the credit card gift card. This way you get the entire amount off the card. If you have already used the card for something you can buy odd dollar amounts for grocery gift cards. You could probably buy gift cards at other places like Target, Walmart etc. The store gift cards can then be used as partial payment.

 

[BethR]

If it is a Visa, Mastercard or Amex gift card you can use the gift card to buy a $25 gift card for a store.

Smart idea!!! I will have to remember this tip!

 

[Alice's Mom]

I know that when we first started receiving Mall Gift Cards in our store for purchases we had a tough time figuring them out. It turns out that if you purchase something for $55 and you have a $20 gift card you have to input there is only $20 being swiped at that moment. If you just swipe it, it will decline.

So when in possession of a Visa GC make sure you know the balance to the penny.

In California Gift Cards can not expire, I have never heard of depriciation on GC's either.

Hope that helps